3 routers with same ssid & password

We've actually got three APs that have the same SSID and PWs in the same house -- the signals will overlap but the client just chooses the strongest, and the routers (MikroTik) automatically use different channels to avoid interference -- I can see where two different routers with the same SSID and different passwords will cause problems but as long as your devices do not need to tell the networks apart and receive their gateway addresses via DHCP I'd think you'd be fine.

GordonThree wrote:

TNGW1500SE wrote:
Thanks, I been beating my head trying to think of how I can program these things to work on more than one network. Then I came up with the idea of naming them all the same.

Overlapping SSID will work. Another way to do it is with the WiFiMulti library, it lets you save several access point SSID/Password pairs into your program and tries each one till it finds a match. Yet another option is the WiFiManager library, if ESP can't connect to the last known access point, it will start its own access point for you to connect to, and then you can change whatever settings you need.

Once you've outgrown NodeMCU and the Lua scripts, move over to programming in C++, either using the Arduino framework or native Espressif SDK. It opens SO MANY DOORS.

Thumbs up for adding Alexa to the mix. It's nice being able to do "Alexa turn off the lights" and the system turns off indoor and outdoor lights just like that. "Alexa set bathroom fan to 50%" is another of my favorites.

My ESP nodes are all managed by an api server that sends them configuration information, like what their job is, their mqtt settings, server addresses, all stored in a database. If I need to swap out a node, I just update the database and the new node becomes the replacement.

Of course, the hardware part is fun too. Here's a few of my creations:


Dual channel 10amp DC solid state switch, for 12v items in the RV


Four channel PWM dimmer, intended to control my awning light which has the rgb + white LED chips.

Sorry to ramble... glad to see someone else hacking with the ESP

So,,,, I see now,, I'm not the only guy that wants to sit on the couch and have Alexa do everything for me! Yesterday I started playing with a ESP32. There's a learning curve from the NODEMCU involved there too! I got it working after downloading GIT and Python. I flashed it with the hall effect example. It was working until I got the magnet a little to close. Then SNAP! I touched the magnet to the board. OH Well! That's how you learn. I look into the multiple ssid's but not sure I'll need to master that code if I name every router the same. I am using Arduino to write and fash with.

I've got a set of RGB led's behind my TV that flash like a police car when I miss a call or get a text. You say "Alexa, turn off missed call lights" to shut them off or they go off automatically when I make any call. I also installed a RGB LED strip under my kitchen counter that Alexa controls the color and brightness with a NODEMCU & three NPN's. I used "analog.Write" to pick the colors I wanted to use and made them fade on. I have to admit I started with code from GITHUB but there's not much of it I haven't re-written. The whole thing started with Alexa then I added 3 WEMO's I got on Craigslist, then IFTTT and now NODES. I'm going to school at Youtube.com LOL! Might play with "LoRa" next but I have a Pi ordered too!

I'm going to make a LED dog harness for my dog that lights up and beeps. I'll control it from my phone with Bluetooth or use a NODE as a server and by next summer my motorcycle will put on a really good light show too.

Been doing it this way for a long time. Any thing that travels with us uses the same as what is in the house. Makes connection easier for us old folks.

Since, you say the 3 routers are far enough apart (When operating) that they can not see each other and a device between them can see only one.

The only problem I can see is it might not work the way you think (This is an operator error) depends on if your Wi-Fi adapter ties the PSK (password) to the SSID or to the MAC

You might have to log into all 3 the first time you use 'em.

I would use the same PSK but different SSID's myself.

TNGW1500SE wrote:
I have 3 routers that I log into. Home, work & RV. They are never within range of each other when turned on. The RV router is off when it is home. Is there any problem using the same ssid & password for all three routers?

I know it's not a problem connectiong to different ssid's on my phone. The problem is I'm starting to log in to my routers with other devices like Alexa & ESP3266 micro controllers. I have to flash the micro controlers with one ssid and password. My thoughts are, if all three routers had the same ssid and password, I could take the devices from one location to the other. They'd never know they had been moved. Then all devices would connect to any of the three routers.

PS for you "real nerds": If you're really into gadgets, check out the NodeMCU boards you program with Arduino. You can control almost anything using NPN transistors and the boards GPIO pins. 2 bucks each! Big learning curve! Buy a few extra, you'll smoke one! I have a bunch of stuff automated using MQTT, Alexa and IFTTT. I'm up to 5 Alexa's now and some Nodes controling a bunch of the 12 volt stuff.

YES it can cause problems. You are better off giving them different names. One of my friends has the same Asus router that I do, and he has problems using the router at my house with the same name. Use the same password if you want, but name them differently so your devices don't confuse them.

TNGW1500SE wrote:
Thanks, I been beating my head trying to think of how I can program these things to work on more than one network. Then I came up with the idea of naming them all the same.

Overlapping SSID will work. Another way to do it is with the WiFiMulti library, it lets you save several access point SSID/Password pairs into your program and tries each one till it finds a match. Yet another option is the WiFiManager library, if ESP can't connect to the last known access point, it will start its own access point for you to connect to, and then you can change whatever settings you need.

Once you've outgrown NodeMCU and the Lua scripts, move over to programming in C++, either using the Arduino framework or native Espressif SDK. It opens SO MANY DOORS.

Thumbs up for adding Alexa to the mix. It's nice being able to do "Alexa turn off the lights" and the system turns off indoor and outdoor lights just like that. "Alexa set bathroom fan to 50%" is another of my favorites.

My ESP nodes are all managed by an api server that sends them configuration information, like what their job is, their mqtt settings, server addresses, all stored in a database. If I need to swap out a node, I just update the database and the new node becomes the replacement.

Of course, the hardware part is fun too. Here's a few of my creations:


Dual channel 10amp DC solid state switch, for 12v items in the RV


Four channel PWM dimmer, intended to control my awning light which has the rgb + white LED chips.

Sorry to ramble... glad to see someone else hacking with the ESP

If you will ever be within range of more than one make sure channel select is set to auto.

Thanks, I been beating my head trying to think of how I can program these things to work on more than one network. Then I came up with the idea of naming them all the same.

TNGW1500SE wrote:

rk911 wrote:

TNGW1500SE wrote:
I have 3 routers that I log into. Home, work & RV. They are never within range of each other when turned on. The RV router is off when it is home. Is there any problem using the same ssid & password for all three routers?

I know it's not a problem connectiong to different ssid's on my phone. The problem is I'm starting to log in to my routers with other devices like Alexa & ESP3266 micro controllers. I have to flash the micro controlers with one ssid and password. My thoughts are, if all three routers had the same ssid and password, I could take the devices from one location to the other. They'd never know they had been moved. Then all devices would connect to any of the three routers.

the ssid shouldn't be a problem as long as you're only 'seeing' one or the other even then the only problem would be you being able to determine which is which. when we travel I often see more than one 'Xfinity' or 'Comcast'. but I like clean solutions so why not just append 'home', 'work' and 'rv' to your SSIDs as in: 'myrouter-home' and so on? passwords should not be an issue but you could use the same format by appending 'home', 'work' and 'rv' to the PW.

I have to flash the ssid and password to the micro controllers. I'd have to reflash them to change the name or password.

ok, well as i wrote I don't see a problem with your plan.

TNGW1500SE wrote:
I have 3 routers that I log into. Home, work & RV. They are never within range of each other when turned on. The RV router is off when it is home. Is there any problem using the same ssid & password for all three routers?

f.

Not a problem. I do this all the time with my routers in two different homes and an RV.