DrayTek Vigor Access Points are able to schedule times in which wireless interfaces and individual SSIDs are active, either to limit access in a home use environment or to improve security in a work environment.
The scheduler can be configured to operate routinely on specified days of the week (Monday to Sunday) or on specific dates if required.
In this guide, we will demonstrate how to use the Schedule function to enable the VigorAP's wireless interface(s) during only certain hours of the day, from Monday to Friday.
In addition, the VigorAP's second SSID, which is a Guest wireless network in this example, will also be configured to operate only during office hours.
Scheduling on DrayTek VigorAPs is configured from the [Applications] > [Schedule] section.
Each Schedule entry has an Action assigned that it performs either Once at a set time, or on a Routine (Monday to Sunday) basis.
The Start Date option can be used to specify a date that the schedule would become active (Routine) or when the action would be performed (Once).
Each schedule has a Start Time and End Time, which are set on a 24 hour clock from 00:00 of each day to 23:59. These are the times of day that the schedule entry would begin and end. The Wi-Fi Up and Down actions have both Start and End times, other actions are events that occur at the specified time and only require a Start Time.
When an Action is performed by the scheduler, it changes settings as they are configured through the VigorAP's web interface. For example, when a scheduled Wi-Fi Up Action enables Wi-Fi for the 2.4GHz Radio, this changes the [Wireless LAN (2.4GHz)] > [General Setup] - Enable Wireless LAN setting.
The Wi-Fi Up and Wi-Fi Down Actions can overlap. For instance when there is a Wi-Fi Up scheduled between 9am to 5pm and WiFi Down scheduled between 12pm to 1pm, the WiFi would be available from 9am to 12pm, then from 1pm to 5pm.
The table below lists the available Actions and what each action does:
Action | Description |
---|---|
Wi-Fi Up |
This can apply to either the Wireless Radio or individual SSID (SSIDs 2 to 4) At the Start Time, the scheduler enables the Wireless Radio or SSID At the End Time, the scheduler disables the Wireless Radio or SSID |
Wi-Fi Down |
This can apply to either the Wireless Radio or individual SSID (SSIDs 2 to 4) At the Start Time, the scheduler disables the Wireless Radio or SSID At the End Time, the scheduler enables the Wireless Radio or SSID |
Auto Reboot | At the Start Time, the scheduler will reboot the VigorAP |
LED Disable | Disables the VigorAP's LEDs at the Start Time |
LED Enable | Enables the VigorAP's LEDs at the Start Time |
Sound Buzzer (910C only) | The VigorAP 910C will sound its buzzer for the specified number of seconds in the specified pattern at the Start Time |
To set up scheduling on the access point, it is first necessary to set the time on the access point; this is configured from [System Maintenance] > [Time and Date].
On that page, select the Use NTP Client button, tick Enable Daylight Saving and click OK to apply the change. Click Inquire Time to check whether the router now has the correct time, this can take up to 30 seconds to get the correct time.
Please note that the access point must have internet access for this to work - if the AP has a static IP set, it also needs a working Gateway IP configured from the [LAN] > [General Setup] section.
To set up the scheduling, go to [Applications] > [Schedule], on that page, tick Enable Schedule then click OK so that the schedule options are available.
The Wireless LAN configuration in this guide is similar to this configuration: Configuring a VigorAP with a Guest network. It has an internal wireless network (SSID1) and a Guest network (SSID2).
In this example, the 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wireless Interfaces will have the same SSID configuration.
Before continuing, check the configuration in [Wireless LAN] > [General Setup] for 2.4GHz and 5GHz.
Notice that the Enable Wireless LAN option is not ticked, this setting will be enabled and disabled by the Schedule system once the schedule entry is configured.
Scheduling individual SSIDs to turn on and off at specified times has the following requirements:
Save any necessary changes to the General Setup page by clicking OK.
In the examples below, two Schedule entries will be configured:
The 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wireless Radio / Interfaces will be active between 8am and 7pm on weekdays.
An individual SSID, in this case the "Guest" SSID, will only be active between 9am and 5pm on weekdays.
This schedule entry will enable the VigorAP 910C's 2.4GHz and 5GHz wireless radios at 8am on Monday to Friday and turn the wireless radios off at 7pm each day. The VigorAP's wireless will not be active during weekends.
Go to [Applications] > [Schedule] and click Add to create a new schedule entry:
In the Schedule configuration, set up the schedule entry as shown below by performing these steps in order:
Once the schedule entry is created, the Action(s) will take effect at the next occurrence of the Start Time or End Time.
This schedule entry will enable the "Guest" SSID2 at 9am on Monday to Friday and disable it at 5pm. Guests will only be able to connect to that wireless network during those hours and it will not be available during weekends.
Go to [Applications] > [Schedule] and click Add to create a new schedule entry:
In the Schedule configuration, set up the schedule entry as shown below by performing these steps in order:
Once the schedule entry is created, the Action(s) will take effect at the next occurrence of the Start Time or End Time.
Go to [Applications] > [Schedule] to view the schedules configured on the VigorAP. If settings that are managed by a schedule are changed manually (enabling / disabling Wireless LAN or individual SSIDs), these will be changed back by the Scheduler at the next Start Time or End Time of the schedule entry that manages those settings.
Click on a Schedule Index number link (i.e. 1) to view that schedule entry and modify it.
To remove schedules, tick the checkbox for that schedule entry (or schedules) and click Delete.
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