November 17, 2024

WiFi Steering and its types

wifi_steering_techpirats

WiFi Steering

WiFi Steering and its types : A client connects usually to the AP that offers the best signal strength in its first attempt.​
When a client is not interested in roaming and associated with an access point offering poor signal strength. ​

This causes decrease in connectivity and response speed throughout a given network and not only for the sticky client but also for other clients connected to the same access point.​

To overcome this issue the vendors use Steering so that clients can be connected with a strong signal AP.

There are two types of steering depending upon the clients.

  1. AP Steering ​
  2. Band steering

Note : SSID should be unique for clients steering from one AP to another or even band steering.

Client_roaming/Steering_techpirats

AP to AP WiFi Steering

when a client is roaming from one AP to another AP so that AP Steering or Roaming will be happen.​

Re-association Frames
Re-association Request Frame
Re-association Response Frame

​WIFI Roaming or Steering​ : Wi-Fi client’s responsibility of staying connected to network is little bit challenging job depending upon surroundings, interference and preferences of client.​

When a client wants to move from one place to another place like out of the range of associated AP the client will choose the nearby AP for connecting and sends a re-association Frame to nearby AP.​

Normally the switching procedure from one AP to another AP takes up to 5 sec.​

802.11k, 802.11v and 802.11r standards speed up this procedure to 100ms.​

  • 802.11k (Radio Resource Management)​
  • 802.11r (Fast BSS Transition)​
  • 802.11v (Wireless Network Management)​

This allows to avoid Breaks and disconnections in VoIP calls and so on while the client is moving from one AP to another AP.​

Band Steering

It is a technique used in Dual band Access points that encourages newer client devices to use the less congested 5 GHz network leaving the more crowded 2.4GHz band available for legacy clients.​

Band steering is not developed by IEEE 802.11 technology.

When a dual band AP listens probe requests on both bands from the same client the AP knows that the client is capable of operating in the 5 GHz band and it will send probe response on 5GHz band only.

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