Manage Network Access Points (SSIDs) and BSSIDs

Your network typically includes routers and access points.  A Network Access Point is a networking device that connects to your router to extend Wi-Fi coverage or provide additional coverage.  Place access points in areas of your home or office that are far away from the main router and therefore have no Wi-Fi or a weak signal.

The SSID is the network name of the access point or router, and the name you see when you search for a Wi-Fi network on your mobile phone or computer.   Access points can have similar names so every access point is uniquely identified through its MAC address and this is called a BSSID.

You can view both the SSID name and the BSSID of your access points on Fing.  To do so, on your mobile device, select See Devices, and then Select Network.

Under Access Points, you can see both the Network Name and the BSSID (MAC address). 

The BSSID is automatically assigned so you don’t typically need to do anything to configure it.   However, if you have connectivity problems with your device, for example if the wifi signal on the device is weak and you want to improve performance, or if you have security concerns about the network, you can remove a network from your available networks by removing the BSSID. 

Remove a BSSID Using the Fing Mobile App or Mobile App Controlled Agent or Monitoring Unit

To remove a BSSID from the available networks for your device, do this:

1. From Overview, click the Online devices widget or the blue See devices button. This will open the Home page.
2. Click the Network tab
3. Scroll down to the heading Access Points and click the downward arrow beside it to expand the BSSID list. Click the x icon next to the BSSIDs you want to remove.

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Remove BSSID using the Fing Web App

1. Open the Fing Web App
2. From the list of networks at the left of the page, select the network you want to merge
3. Click the cogwheel symbol and select Delete Network from the dropdown menu

BSSID and Network Discovery

The Fingbox monitors all the Access Points that have the same SSID as your network. When the Fingbox detects a new BSSID, one that does not currently belong to your network, you will receive a warning message. You will be prompted with an option to trust or reject the BSSID.   Select Trust to add the new BSSID to your network.

Fingbox usually detects a new BSSID automatically. If the Fingbox does not do this, or you do not have a Fingbox and the Fing app does not detect the new BSSID, you can manually scan the new Access Point on your mobile device by connecting directly to the Access Point. To do this:

Connect to the Access Point on your mobile device's Wi-Fi, and perform a Device Scan.  

To perform a Device Scan, from Overview, select See All Devices, and click the Refresh button located on the top right part of the Devices window.

Merge BSSIDs

Fing automatically merges device BSSIDs for best performance.   Merging BSSIDs (networks) optimizes bandwidth by automatically connecting to the  BSSID with the most available bandwidth for a task.   Merging BSSIDs also improves roaming by providing access to multiple networks.  If Fing does not automatically merge device BSSIDs for any reason, for example, continuing to consider them separate networks, you can manually merge BSSIDs.

Merge BSSIDs Using the Fing Mobile App

1. From Overview, click the Devices widget
2. Click the Network tab
3. Scroll down to the heading Access Points

Your network access points are displayed. Click the downward arrow to expand the list. You can also delete access points by clicking on the x beside the selected access point.

Merge BSSIDs Using the Fing Desktop

1. From Overview, click the Network tab
2. Scroll down to the heading Wi-Fi Access points

Merge BSSIDs Using the Fing Web App

1. Open the Fing Web App
2. From the list of networks at the left of the page, select the network you want to merge
3. Click the cogwheel symbol and select Merge with other networks from the dropdown menu