I know this topic has been discussed many times, but I can’t really understand what’s going on.
I have only one AP: CAP AX. It’s managed by CapsMan (because I’m planning to add more, but currently it’s my single wifi capable device).
Software is up-2-date: 7.14.3 (both for caps manager Mikrotik, and for CAP AX).
I decided to use the same SSID for both 2.4GHz and 5GHz:
Can you post your config? Do you have steering configured? I believe that key is using all three 802.11r/k/v.
When sending neighbor reports and BSS transition management requests, an AP will list all other APs within its neighbor group as potential roaming candidates.
By default, a dynamic neighbor group is created for each set of APs with the same SSID and authentication settings.
APs operating in the 5GHz band are indicated to be preferable to ones operating in the 2.4GHz band.
Groups are based on SSID.
Should be both the same if you want to roam between radios and stay in the same SSID/group.
In OPs case, both SSIDs are the same (MikroTik-Trusted) so it will be as intended.
Thanks! So now, with your changes my devices shall use the 5GHz (theoretically)?
Anyway, last night - after your changes have been applied - I realized both my phone and notebook switched to 5G, and even another notebook and another phone and also one TV.
So now it seems working just right. More testing will be needed.
Superb, anyway at the end, it is up to the client device to decide where it will connect to and that’s usually not in your power. You can just properly configure your network…
But if you disable 802.11k & 802.11v it is less likely that devices decide to roam.
It’s like being on a multi-lane highway: I am responsible for changing lanes. However, if I lack the necessary information about the traffic conditions (no side mirrors, fog, no lights at night), then for safety reasons I will stay on the lane I’m currently driving. Easy as that.
Which confirms that every single device may have its own “preferences”.
From the little I know of wi-fi, the 2.4 GHz will appear always or nearly always as having more “power”, while the 5GHz - which is definitely faster - may look as “weaker” signal.
Different Operating Systems and/or devices may (or may not) have settings to “prefer” a band over the other, which doesn’t mean that the “other” band will never be used, only that the one will have some priority, as the general idea of any OS is to assure connectivity (even if slower).
While you cannot do anything about other people’s devices (think of public access points or “guest” networks) you can try setting your device to prefer the one or the other band.
Of course the easiest workaround is to use two different SSID’s for the 2.4 GHz and for the 5 GHz and only give to the device the credentials for the chosen one, but this approach has its own downsides.
BTW, (and only as a side-side note) while I can understand that a mobile phone might be used while walking inside the house, I cannot imagine (I am evidently too old) all these people walking around while (say) making payments on their bank sites, replying to e-mails, or synchronizing their github repositories on their laptops.
@infabo
NIce comparison, I would have used as an example a carriage with horses with blinkers/blinders, but your highway lane is good.
