I'm pretty new to HM, but I'd like to know how to apply SSIDs only to specific APs. For example, all APs on the 2nd floor to SSIDA and APs in the office/lobby area to SSIDB. Can anyone give me a hand or direct me to a tutorial?

[AnonymousM]

I'm pretty new to HM, but I'd like to know how to apply SSIDs only to specific APs. For example, all APs on the 2nd floor to SSIDA and APs in the office/lobby area to SSIDB. Can anyone give me a hand or direct me to a tutorial?

[dparsons]

With being new to HM there is a completely different approach to the environment you need to consider. Goal one is to minimize the number of SSIDs in use in your hive. In short you only need one SSID per authentication type. As Sam suggested using data rates is a great way to clear the air and help clients stick closer to home. If you need to segregate user then there are better options than different SSIDs.

One thing that I would say is don't get too hung up on users being spread out some as that is not always a bad thing. Helps spread the load on the APs. Look at the signal strength on the users. Sometime there are things that affect the strength of the connection that are not always obvious. This can cause a client to connect to an AP that appears to be further away but may be a cleaner signal for that client. And then sometimes the clients (not users) are just defying logic and doing stupid stuff.

[samantha_lynn]

In that case I would also recommend going to Configure> Open the Network Policy> Open the SSID(s)> Customize the Optional Settings at the end of the SSID page> Under the Radio and Rate settings if you turn the lower data rates to N/A, this will require a stronger connection between the device and the AP, so client devices will connect to the AP that is nearer to them.

[AnonymousM]

Yes sir, it sure does! I have a single policy applied to all APs and I've got devices connecting all over the place. I'm looking to have everyone connect to the closest AP in their own area.

[samantha_lynn]

You could do this a couple different ways. If you'd like to have all APs using the same network policy but different SSIDs, you could build all of the SSIDs needed in one Network Policy, and then you would want to go in to the device specific settings for the APs by going to Monitor> Clicking on the host name of the device (or to do this in bulk click on the check boxes next to the APs to be edited and then click on the notepad icon near ADD at the top of the page)> Interface Settings (left hand side menu)> Then under each interface (wifi0 and wifi1), there is an SSID section where you can toggle individual SSIDs off or on for the device in question.

Alternatively, you could have separate Network policies for the separate locations, which would have their own SSIDs in them and be applied to the individual APs, again within the device specific settings, this time under Device Configuration on the left hand side menu.

Does that sound like what you're looking for?