Configure a mobile WAP across networks?

Solved
kyuur
Conversationalist

Configure a mobile WAP across networks?

Has anybody attempted to configure a mobile WAP that connects to different networks as it gets within range?

 

I want to have a WAP in our fleet vehicle (inverter that powers a poe injector that powers WAP) that acts as a repeater when within range of another WAP.  My main hurdle I see is that each site the vehicle travels to is a different Meraki network in the dashboard. Is it possible to add a WAP to multiple networks?

1 Accepted Solution

I agree with @PhilipDAth on perhaps just leveraging an outdoor AP with a patch antenna for example, however I also have seen transportation customers with the setup @BrechtSchamp described, with a dedicated SSID that the mobile vehicle(s) connect to when they are within range.  In some cases, I've seen a separate dashboard network with dedicated APs for that use case, so they can be separate from the management of the rest of the network at each site, but also managed as a single multi-site network for their vehicle connectivity use case. 

 

I also have had K12 customers who had something like a technology bus that traveled around between the schools, and they also had wired devices on board the bus.  So we used a Z3 along with a nano router like a TP-Link for example running in client mode and ran the Ethernet port to the WAN/Internet port on the Z3 and that worked fine.  As the bus drives into each school parking lot, the nano router becomes a client on the school's wifi as soon as it's in range and provides the wired WAN/Internet handoff to the Z3 and all the wired and wireless devices have their access.  Perhaps such a device could be configured with multiple SSIDs for each of your networks at different sites and run into the wired port of an AP through a power injector.

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5 Replies 5
Nash
Kind of a big deal

Pretty sure that's a non-starter. A device can belong to a single network at a time in the dashboard.

BrechtSchamp
Kind of a big deal

I'd just make sure the same ssid is present in every site and use a robust wi-fi client on the vehicle. I know there are industrial APs that can be powered over dc which would be ideal in combination with the 12V dc power present on vehicles.

I don't think that will work well with Meraki kit.

 

How about putting an outdoor AP permanently outside as a repeater?

I agree with @PhilipDAth on perhaps just leveraging an outdoor AP with a patch antenna for example, however I also have seen transportation customers with the setup @BrechtSchamp described, with a dedicated SSID that the mobile vehicle(s) connect to when they are within range.  In some cases, I've seen a separate dashboard network with dedicated APs for that use case, so they can be separate from the management of the rest of the network at each site, but also managed as a single multi-site network for their vehicle connectivity use case. 

 

I also have had K12 customers who had something like a technology bus that traveled around between the schools, and they also had wired devices on board the bus.  So we used a Z3 along with a nano router like a TP-Link for example running in client mode and ran the Ethernet port to the WAN/Internet port on the Z3 and that worked fine.  As the bus drives into each school parking lot, the nano router becomes a client on the school's wifi as soon as it's in range and provides the wired WAN/Internet handoff to the Z3 and all the wired and wireless devices have their access.  Perhaps such a device could be configured with multiple SSIDs for each of your networks at different sites and run into the wired port of an AP through a power injector.

kyuur
Conversationalist

Great, thanks everyone for your input. After doing some experimentation it would seem the best idea would be a setup external APs in parking areas. I appreciate all the advice!

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