Using Old Verizon FIOS M1424WR rev C as Access Point with New M1424WR rev I Router
attrike
Enthusiast - Level 2

I plan on using my old Verizon FIOS Actiontec (802.11G) router as an access point in a different part of the house by connecting to my new Verizon Actiontec (802.11N) router via ethernet cable. I'm pretty sure I know how to make all the necessary settings. Here's where I'm not clear. I have the option of assigning the same or different SSIDs and passwords to the access point and the new router. If I use the same SSID and password, which should allow each wireless device to choose the better of the two sources depending on its location, will the wireless network  default to 802.11G from both the router and the access point, even though the router is capable of 802.11N? I assume that if I use different SSIDs, devices will use 802.11N from the router and 802.11G from the access point.

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Re: Using Old Verizon FIOS M1424WR rev C as Access Point with New M1424WR rev I Router
VUser50
Contributor - Level 2

If it is connected to the G access point, it will only connect at G speeds reguardless of the SSID used. If you use 2 different SSIDs, you will 1) be able to teach your devices to only connect to the N network [but would be wasting the extra range of the G router]  2) can teach your devices to log onto both and then can always easily check which router it is connected to and manually change the connection

If the routers are far enough apart, I'd just teach them both networks (either by using the same SSID or just setting up 2 different one and logging on to each) and trust that the devices will make the best decision on when to switch off. A barely exisitent N connection is worse than an exellent G connection.  

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Re: Using Old Verizon FIOS M1424WR rev C as Access Point with New M1424WR rev I Router
VUser50
Contributor - Level 2

First of all, this is all irrelevant unless you have G devices. The problems that occur when you have a mixed (g and n network) occur only when the various devices connected to one of the routers require use of the lower (g) standard. The routers are not connected to each other wirelessly and do not affect each others connection that way. The only thing you should worry about is making sure the channels of the 2 routers are far apart and do not interfere. (in fact you should worry about this, regardless)

If you have G devices:

It is a myth that a router will revert back to a lower standard if it has both G and N devices connected. The quality of the connection will deteriorate for the N devices but not that much.

You could keep the SSIDs the same and then yes devices will pick the signal that is strongest. The N router will only lose some of it's throughput if the G device is connected to it.  If the G device is closest/connected to the G router, no speed will be lost on the N router. One way to keep the SSIDs the same but stop the G device from connecting to it and bringing down speeds is to set the N Router WiFi to Performance Mode which may or may give your N devices a boost. Performance Mode only works with N devices and thus your G devices won't be able to connect to it and degrade the connection. 

Different SSIDs allows you to limit G only devices to the G router by only teaching them to connect to that router. They won't affect the N bandwidth since they will never connect to the N router)

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Re: Using Old Verizon FIOS M1424WR rev C as Access Point with New M1424WR rev I Router
attrike
Enthusiast - Level 2

All of the devices that will connect to the network are "N" devices. If I use the same SSIDs and a device picks up and uses the old 811.2G only capable access point, will it see it as a G or an N transmission? I would like to use the higher speeds of the N network wherever possible.

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Re: Using Old Verizon FIOS M1424WR rev C as Access Point with New M1424WR rev I Router
VUser50
Contributor - Level 2

If it is connected to the G access point, it will only connect at G speeds reguardless of the SSID used. If you use 2 different SSIDs, you will 1) be able to teach your devices to only connect to the N network [but would be wasting the extra range of the G router]  2) can teach your devices to log onto both and then can always easily check which router it is connected to and manually change the connection

If the routers are far enough apart, I'd just teach them both networks (either by using the same SSID or just setting up 2 different one and logging on to each) and trust that the devices will make the best decision on when to switch off. A barely exisitent N connection is worse than an exellent G connection.  

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Re: Using Old Verizon FIOS M1424WR rev C as Access Point with New M1424WR rev I Router
attrike
Enthusiast - Level 2

I set things up as two networks with downstairs set to N Only Performance mode and upstairs access point set to G Only. Everything is working great. Biggest hassle was changing the old router's IP address since the M1424WR makes it almost impossible to find it. Thanks for your help.

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