====== WiFi Setup ======

I assume you have OpenWRT on all your WiFi Access Points (see [[networking:openwrt|here]]) for the following configurations and suggestions. If you are not going the OpenWRT route, keep reading and try to adapt as much as possible to your devices.


===== SSID Creation =====

Read **all** the following sub-section before proceeding, since these are settings you will need to do for each OpenWRT device and SSID you want to create.

=== name selection ===
You need to find a nice SSID, or **name**, for your WiFi network. You can also choose to keep your SSID hidden, but this actually doesn't really add any kind of security, so i will not consider the option.

You want one single SSID to cover your entire home, so choose one that you like and create it on all your OpenWRT devices, on all the bands you want.

You will need to go to WiFi settings and create a new SSID for each band you want to use, and use the same name for them all, on all routers.

You can, of course, create additional SSIDs, like for IoT devices or other use cases (guests access maybe) as you need, just remember to create them on all the OpenWRT devices and for all the bands that the SSID should cover.

=== Band Selection ===
2.4Ghz network is mandatory, not only because it offers the best coverage, but because some older devices (or IoT devices, or smart automation ones) might not support anything else.

In addition to the classic 2.4Ghz band you want to also create 5Ghz and/or 6Ghz (according to your OpenWRT devices support) band networks. 

Remeber to create them all on all OpenWRT devices **and** all with the same SSID, this will be required for AP handover below.

=== Channel Selection ===
If you live in an isolated area, channel selection is not required. The APs should be able to negotiate the best one when set to automatic channel selection.

If you live in an are with many WiFI netoworks around your, or a lot of EM interference specially on the 2.4Ghz band, you can have a benefit by manually selecting the less crowded bands around you. 

Unfortunately network scanners are expensive devices, but you might be able to find some apps for Android that can do the job. Again, unfortunately, since Android 10+, scanning for WiFi networks is heavily throttled so that might also prove imposible in the near future. YMMV.

For 5Ghz and 6Ghz bands, this is less of an issue because the signal propagation is greatly reduced compared to 2.4Ghz band, and less used overall.

=== Fast Transitioning ===
This is the real trick: then you create your WiFI SSIDs, you need to enable **FT** or **Fast Transitioning**, which will make all your OpenWRT routers seamless handle your mobile device connection to your network between themselves. You can then //move// from one AP to the next best one without even noticing. The OpenWRT devices will perform handover of your connection and you will not suffer a disonnect/reconnect issue.


===== Flatten your network =====

By default a **WiFi Access Point** will act as a **router**.

A **router** will create a new network for the WiFi side and connect it to an //upstream// or //WAN// network. 

This is not what you need here: you need an Access Point, not a router.

An **Access Point** will create a WiFi network that is just an extension of the wired network.

OpenWRT device is a very complex mix of hardware and software capabilities: i suggest that you **flatten** all youe device etherne ports into one same LAN, and that this LAN is also unified with your wireless part. 

This can be achieved under OpenWRT setup: if your device has WAN and multiple LAN ports, you will have a bridge configured to host all the LAN interfaces but not the WAN one. You need to delete whatever WAN bridge you have, and add the WAN interface under the LAN bridge. How to do this can vary under  different OpenWRT versions, so i let you play around and find out how to do so.

=== Disable DHCP ===
You also need to go to all your OpenWRT devices and fully disable the DHCP service, since you will be using a more advanced DHCP approach directly on your home router later on. 

Moreover, you do not want multiple DHCP servers fight for the right to assign you an IP over your network in any case, so better go and disable **all** of them at this time.