Moving Wireless from a Combined Network to a Wireless Network

[DerikA]

OK this is kind of a follow up question from my previous post:

https://community.meraki.com/t5/Wireless-LAN/Rebuilding-our-Wifi-Networks/m-p/91489#M13488

I have successfully started the migration of the wireless SSIDs to the new security types but now I am looking to make the management as easy as possible.

So here is the situation, I have approximately 35 networks in my organization most of which are combined networks with MX, MR and MS devices. None of these have been set up using templates.

To prevent having to apply all the new SSID settings on each individual network would you recommend putting all the MR devices into the same large company wide wireless only network, into individual wireless networks for each location and then apply a template or some other suggestion?

I have not had any practical experience applying templates in a Meraki organization yet and have honestly shied away from using them so far.

Thanks in advance for any advice anyone has.

[PhilipDAth · Accepted solution]

With 35 APs it will work fine all being in a single network.  The downside is the AutoRF calculation may not be optimal, but it will work.

https://documentation.meraki.com/MR/Monitoring_and_Reporting/Location_Analytics/Meraki_Auto_RF%3A__W... 

If all the networks are meant to be exactly the same except for the subnet, I'd be tempted to change over to using a template.

Otherwise, the one network approach is super easy to manage.

[DerikA]

So after reading through the Meraki Auto RF doc the auto adjustments for channels and power uses information from all the APs in the same network/SSID. So, by this logic it seems best to put each group of APs in a building or distinct location in its own network so the APs will use the baked in logic of the auto RF channel and power adjustment in the best way. Meaning my best option to make management of the SSIDs across many locations is to apply a template.

Thanks @PhilipDAth