Forum Discussion
Is it possible to set your Boost Wi-Fi network name the SAME as the main Telus modem network name?
Hi, I've got the T3200M modem and just got a starter pack of Boosts. I used to have an Extender, which I did not like because it was running a different SSID (I was told it's not a good idea to use ...
NFtoBC
Community Power User
Community Power User
Lotus99 wrote:
Right now my TV is connected to my T3200M via an ethernet cable. But if I was to run it off WiFi, why would it matter? If the above setup doesn't cause conflict for any other device connecting wirelessly?
To my knowledge, and experience, the Boost devices do not have multicast technology, needed for Optik over Wi-Fi. Thus, if one's OptiK receiver were to connect to the Boost device, rather than the main router, then you will encounter problems with the Optik Signal.
That would be good news. To be clear, if my T3200M network name is MAIN let's say, I can change the network name on my two Boost packs to MAIN also, with the same password, without causing any interference / conflict by both broadcasting?
Yes. This is actually the only option with Telus' most recent router.
NFtoBC wrote:
Lotus99 wrote:
Right now my TV is connected to my T3200M via an ethernet cable. But if I was to run it off WiFi, why would it matter? If the above setup doesn't cause conflict for any other device connecting wirelessly?
To my knowledge, and experience, the Boost devices do not have multicast technology, needed for Optik over Wi-Fi. Thus, if one's OptiK receiver were to connect to the Boost device, rather than the main router, then you will encounter problems with the Optik Signal.
That would be good news. To be clear, if my T3200M network name is MAIN let's say, I can change the network name on my two Boost packs to MAIN also, with the same password, without causing any interference / conflict by both broadcasting?
Yes. This is actually the only option with Telus' most recent router.
NFtoBC wrote:
Lotus99 wrote:
Right now my TV is connected to my T3200M via an ethernet cable. But if I was to run it off WiFi, why would it matter? If the above setup doesn't cause conflict for any other device connecting wirelessly?
To my knowledge, and experience, the Boost devices do not have multicast technology, needed for Optik over Wi-Fi. Thus, if one's OptiK receiver were to connect to the Boost device, rather than the main router, then you will encounter problems with the Optik Signal.
That would be good news. To be clear, if my T3200M network name is MAIN let's say, I can change the network name on my two Boost packs to MAIN also, with the same password, without causing any interference / conflict by both broadcasting?
Yes. This is actually the only option with Telus' most recent router.
Thanks for clarifying. So the first issue you mentioned, as I suspected, is a non-issue for me because I don't have Optik TV.
The second issue though, I don't think you're correct. First of all, if it's the only option, as you claim (that the Boost network name and password must be the same as the Gateway's) then why isn't it mentioned in a single piece of literature / their website / in the app? Especially considering it's supposed to be a DIY solution by the user! How would we know???
Secondly, that's not what happens by default, which makes point 1 even more important. That's the whole reason for my post in fact... My Boost packs, once I set them up, started broadcasting a totally different SSID, and the app asked me to connect my phone to them by scanning the barcode on the back, which contained the new SSID and password to them.
Third, if that was true and it didn't cause a conflict, then why would Telus as part of the Boost Troubleshooting guide ask you to Disable the Gateway's network? LOL.
https://www.telus.com/en/bc/support/article/troubleshoot-boost-wifi-actiontec-t3200m
You CAN later change the network name and password to match the Gateway's on the Boost packs, which is what I did anyway since as you can see, half the answers here say Yes, it causes conflict, and half say No.
It seems to be working ok, so I'm going to conclude for now it does not cause any conflict, and it would be stupid to call this a "mesh" solution, if it requires you to keep two different SSID's.
It's just really crappy and conflicting instructions on Telus' part for what would be a simple line in the guide / app to tell users what to do and what NOT to do. Hope they're listening.
Agree that telus could do a better job explaining the issues surrounding having the actiontec router and the boost devices sharing the same ssid.
The boost devices form a mesh network but the actiontec router does not participate in the mesh. The resulting network functions like a old fashioned wifi network with two access points sharing a ssid. Depending on the type of devices connecting to the network and the locations of the access points you may not experience any issues, but not gain the benefits that come from the mesh.
rc wrote:Agree that telus could do a better job explaining the issues surrounding having the actiontec router and the boost devices sharing the same ssid.
The boost devices form a mesh network but the actiontec router does not participate in the mesh. The resulting network functions like a old fashioned wifi network with two access points sharing a ssid. Depending on the type of devices connecting to the network and the locations of the access points you may not experience any issues, but not gain the benefits that come from the mesh.
Interesting... So with two networks being broadcast under the same SSID, I don't know which one I'm connected to because both have the same name... Right? They're only like 70 feet apart from each other.
Is there a way to test to see if I'm having issues using the same SSID with Boost and the Gateway? What about this? As I go from one part of the house to the other (where the Gateway's signal is weak, but Boost is strong), what would happen is I'd get one bar of signal on the Gateway's network. Not enough for the phone to drop it, but quite weak. Then I'd manually grab the old Extender's.
So now, if I do the same and the mesh is NOT working, if I'm connected to the Gateway's network and go to that part of the house, the signal would still get weaker, right? But if it doesn't, maybe then the mesh IS working...
I could even test it by turning off the Boost first, to make sure I'm definitely connected to the Gateway. Then go to that part of the house, see what my signal is like, turn on the Boost, and if the wifi signal improves, then Voila!
Thoughts on this master testing plan? =)
Sounds like a reasonable plan, but turning on the boost devices may not be enough to trigger the phone switching from the gateway to the boost.
Some devices when they see a higher powered signal will transfer the connection, some will only transfer when the signal level becomes unusable. This is the problem that mesh networks solve.
