[ It seems that whatever was broken in the S6 1Nov 2017 security baseline update was fixed in the 1 Jan 2018 security baseline update.]
Our Mesh WiFi is still great and working really well now. I'm using NETGEAR ProSAFE GS108 switches to provide the Ethernet backhaul for all the WiFi disks. It's a simple gigabit Ethernet switch and works a treat.
However, I now have a problem device, my Samsung Galaxy S6. Following a recent Android security update from the August 2017 to November 2017 baseline ( in mid December) the S6 keeps disconnecting from the Mesh WiFi.
After some Googling around it seems that the problem is the the security update does not like seeing the same WiFi SSID on both the 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz WiFi networks.
The main symptom is that the S6 WiFi keeps disconnecting.
First, I connect to the WiFi and all is well and importantly I've just entered the correct password. Then shortly afterwards I find the S6 has disconnected from the WiFi and the error message "Authentication error occurred" is displayed below the SSID. If I then turn off the WiFi and then turn it back on the S6 automatically reconnects to the WiFi using the saved password. Of course, it soon afterwards disconnects from the WiFi again.
Although the S6 and Whole Home WiFi both use 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz frequencies it seems that the S6 does not think that the same SSID can be on both channels. I've seem lots of reports of problems with the S6 (and Google Pixel phones) and Mesh WiFi and I wonder if the problem is not the Mesh functionality but the simplification the UI and set up of these Mesh WiFi systems.
There's been a spate of Mesh WiFi products in the last 12 months ( Google WiFi, BT Whole Home WiFi, Linksys Velop, NetGear Orbi and more ) and these are consumer orientated systems. They have greatly improved set-up screens, functionality and general ease of use when compared to older systems and routers/access points.
One simplification/improvement is the provision of both 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz networks and often these are configured as one. This allows a consumer to purchase, set-up and get their system running quickly and easily. The use of the same SSID for both networks means that, using the Mesh WiFi protocols, a device can automatically switch frequencies depending on which gives the best speed at any moment. If the user is near an access point 5Ghz could be used for high speed connectivity but when the user goes into another room without an access point 2.4Ghz could automatically be selected as it has a longer range through walls. All this works nicely and the consumer is happy.
To further improve the experiene, why ask the user for a 2.4Ghz SSID and a different 5Ghz SSID? It's one extra complication and not necessary. One SSID is great. If the consumer is replacing and existing WiFi set-up they can continue with the existing SSID and password in the new set-up and everything works.
This is how things are going to be in the future - one network, multiple frequencies, one SSID, one password.
Prior to the November 2017 security baseline my S6 was running the August 2017 baseline and the WiFi experience was excellent. I could roam around the house and the S6 stayed connected to the WiFi. When I went to work the S6 would automatically connect to the Draytek Mesh WiFi. Now, with the November 2017 security baseline the S6 won't stay connected to wither my home or work Mesh Wifi.
It does seem that Android is now getting terribly confused when two different network frequencies have the same SSID and password.
This is not the future and Android needs fixing.
End of rant!
Our Mesh WiFi is still great and working really well now. I'm using NETGEAR ProSAFE GS108 switches to provide the Ethernet backhaul for all the WiFi disks. It's a simple gigabit Ethernet switch and works a treat.
However, I now have a problem device, my Samsung Galaxy S6. Following a recent Android security update from the August 2017 to November 2017 baseline ( in mid December) the S6 keeps disconnecting from the Mesh WiFi.
After some Googling around it seems that the problem is the the security update does not like seeing the same WiFi SSID on both the 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz WiFi networks.
The main symptom is that the S6 WiFi keeps disconnecting.
First, I connect to the WiFi and all is well and importantly I've just entered the correct password. Then shortly afterwards I find the S6 has disconnected from the WiFi and the error message "Authentication error occurred" is displayed below the SSID. If I then turn off the WiFi and then turn it back on the S6 automatically reconnects to the WiFi using the saved password. Of course, it soon afterwards disconnects from the WiFi again.
Although the S6 and Whole Home WiFi both use 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz frequencies it seems that the S6 does not think that the same SSID can be on both channels. I've seem lots of reports of problems with the S6 (and Google Pixel phones) and Mesh WiFi and I wonder if the problem is not the Mesh functionality but the simplification the UI and set up of these Mesh WiFi systems.
There's been a spate of Mesh WiFi products in the last 12 months ( Google WiFi, BT Whole Home WiFi, Linksys Velop, NetGear Orbi and more ) and these are consumer orientated systems. They have greatly improved set-up screens, functionality and general ease of use when compared to older systems and routers/access points.
One simplification/improvement is the provision of both 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz networks and often these are configured as one. This allows a consumer to purchase, set-up and get their system running quickly and easily. The use of the same SSID for both networks means that, using the Mesh WiFi protocols, a device can automatically switch frequencies depending on which gives the best speed at any moment. If the user is near an access point 5Ghz could be used for high speed connectivity but when the user goes into another room without an access point 2.4Ghz could automatically be selected as it has a longer range through walls. All this works nicely and the consumer is happy.
To further improve the experiene, why ask the user for a 2.4Ghz SSID and a different 5Ghz SSID? It's one extra complication and not necessary. One SSID is great. If the consumer is replacing and existing WiFi set-up they can continue with the existing SSID and password in the new set-up and everything works.
This is how things are going to be in the future - one network, multiple frequencies, one SSID, one password.
Prior to the November 2017 security baseline my S6 was running the August 2017 baseline and the WiFi experience was excellent. I could roam around the house and the S6 stayed connected to the WiFi. When I went to work the S6 would automatically connect to the Draytek Mesh WiFi. Now, with the November 2017 security baseline the S6 won't stay connected to wither my home or work Mesh Wifi.
It does seem that Android is now getting terribly confused when two different network frequencies have the same SSID and password.
This is not the future and Android needs fixing.
End of rant!
My ISP (Zen in the UK) provides the Fritz!Box 3490 ADSL/VDSL modem/router and this includes a decent WiFi access point built in. This works on both 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz and the Fritz!Box allows different SSIDs for the two frequencies. That is, the SSIDs can be the same or different.
ReplyDeleteIt seems my S6 is happy for the Fritz!Box to use the same SSID for both frequencies. Perhaps this is because it's not involved in a Mesh WiFi setup.
Overnight my S6 updated to the 1st January 2018 security baseline and so far today the WiFi has well behaved.
ReplyDeleteOnce more I'm able to connect it to the Mesh WiFi and roam around the house and the S6 will automatically switch to the best base station and not keep disconnecting from the WiFi even when close to a base station.