MLO: What exactly is Smart Connect's role?

[Ceejus]

Enabled MLO from the recent 3.0.0.6.102_34491 GT-BE98 Pro update and have been trying to wrap my head around what Smart Connect's role is as Asus requires it to be enabled for MLO.

The idea of MLO is to use all bands simultaneously for wireless link aggregation whereas the idea of Smart Connect is to steer a client toward a single band based on set criteria, no?

My S24 Ultra still appears to be using only the 6 GHz band on the MLO SSID with the same RX/TX rates as before; it doesn't appear to be using the 2.4 or 5 GHz bands for the connection at all.

Has anyone else been experimenting with MLO? Wondering if maybe I should have Smart Connect settings set up a specific way to get it to use all bands.

 

[L&LD]

You won't use all the bands on an S24 Ultra. It can't push the network hard enough to require MLO.

 

[Ceejus]

You won't use all the bands on an S24 Ultra. It can't push the network hard enough to require MLO.

So MLO is only actually used if it's determined to be required, otherwise it's using Smart Connect? The band info for the SSID on the S24 Ultra does say it's using all three bands.

 

[TheLostSwede]

So MLO is only actually used if it's determined to be required, otherwise it's using Smart Connect? The band info for the SSID on the S24 Ultra does say it's using all three bands.

This might help

Wi-Fi 7 | Android Open Source Project

source.android.com

[Wi-Fi 7 Wireless Router] What is MLO (multi-link Operation) and how it works? | Official Support | ASUS Global

Also, a quick search on the galactic interweb suggests that there are some issues with your phone and MLO with other makes of routers.

Some can't even connect to the 6 GHz band on WiFi 7 routers.

https://us.community.samsung.com/t5/Galaxy-S24/Galaxy-S24-Ultra-can-t-connect-to-6Ghz-Band-for-Wifi/td-p/2789486/

The joys of beta testing hardware for these companies.

 

[Ceejus]

This might help

Wi-Fi 7 | Android Open Source Project

source.android.com

[Wi-Fi 7 Wireless Router] What is MLO (multi-link Operation) and how it works? | Official Support | ASUS Global

Also, a quick search on the galactic interweb suggests that there are some issues with your phone and MLO with other makes of routers.

Some can't even connect to the 6 GHz band on WiFi 7 routers.

https://us.community.samsung.com/t5/Galaxy-S24/Galaxy-S24-Ultra-can-t-connect-to-6Ghz-Band-for-Wifi/td-p/2789486/

The joys of beta testing hardware for these companies.

Had already checked out the Asus article you linked to but that doesn't provide any detail on how Smart Connect integrates into MLO; again, these two features seem to contradict one another. MLO = supposed to use all bands simultaneously. Smart Connect = switches bands based on configured filters. That article merely mentions that Smart Connect automatically turns on when you enable MLO and is required for it.

I have always been able to connect to the 6 GHz band successfully on my S24 Ultra, though certain things seem to initially load incredibly slow when using 320 MHz bandwidths on Wi-Fi 7 - something MLO doesn't appear to have resolved.

And yes, I know are beta testers. We are beaten with that stick daily on these forums. I am overall satisfied with the purchase despite these drawbacks. I don't want to assume these are bugs only to find out that I have something configured improperly.

 

[L&LD]

So MLO is only actually used if it's determined to be required, otherwise it's using Smart Connect? The band info for the SSID on the S24 Ultra does say it's using all three bands.

MLO requires that more than a single band's bandwidth be used by a single device. I don't see how it can be in use, otherwise.

 

[Ceejus]

MLO requires that more than a single band's bandwidth be used by a single device. I don't see how it can be in use, otherwise.

You won't use all the bands on an S24 Ultra. It can't push the network hard enough to require MLO.

I'm confused. On one hand, it requires use of multiple bands, but on the other, the S24 won't use multiple bands?

I'm successfully connected to an MLO SSID; when I check the SSID details on the S24, it clearly shows the SSID using all four bands - the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz-1, and 6 GHz-2. Yet when check the current connection details, it's not even listing the 5 GHz or 6 GHz-1; instead it's listing the 2.4 GHz and the 6 GHz-2, saying the former isn't in use.

So it's connected to an MLO SSID but is only using a single 6 GHz channel, thus seemingly negating the benefit of MLO altogether. I'd get the same exact result if I just had a single SSID set to a single 6 GHz band.

I'm still not understanding how Smart Connect is implemented into MLO - if MLO is designed to make use of all bands simultaneously, then not only would Smart Connect not be required, but it would actually be doing the exact opposite of MLO.

 

[L&LD]

I don't see any confusion.

Use a more powerful device to test multi-band use than a battery powered handheld.

 

[Ceejus]

Yeah... label me skeptical of that being the issue. If I test this by loading 4K HDR movies over Plex and YouTube simultaneously along with Store-Item-Day-level reporting from a web-based retail reporting solution, I can't imagine the network traffic being much different on an S24 Ultra vs. a Windows 11 machine.

It certainly does seem like MLO just isn't working. If it's only connecting to a single band and then switching bands based on RSSI or other criteria, then we already had that functionality without MLO. No matter what I configure for wireless settings, I can't seem to get the device to use multiple bands simultaneously.

 

[TheLostSwede]

Yeah... label me skeptical of that being the issue. If I test this by loading 4K HDR movies over Plex and YouTube simultaneously along with Store-Item-Day-level reporting from a web-based retail reporting solution, I can't imagine the network traffic being much different on an S24 Ultra vs. a Windows 11 machine.

It certainly does seem like MLO just isn't working. If it's only connecting to a single band and then switching bands based on RSSI or other criteria, then we already had that functionality without MLO. No matter what I configure for wireless settings, I can't seem to get the device to use multiple bands simultaneously.

Have you tried iPerf or some similar benchmark?

 

[L&LD]

@Ceejus, your last posts just support my expectations that the device is the questionable variable here, not the router.

 

[pdixon0]

New member here Just picked up a BE98 last week, using an S24 Ultra and a couple of Intel BE200 cards with Windows 11 (23H2 - so no WiFi 7 support as yet).

From my understanding, MLO will act like Smart Connect for low bandwidth requirements on WiFi7 but then can use the additional links, if required, whereas Smart Connect will still service non-WiFi7 devices?

 

[Ceejus]

New member here Just picked up a BE98 last week, using an S24 Ultra and a couple of Intel BE200 cards with Windows 11 (23H2 - so no WiFi 7 support as yet).

From my understanding, MLO will act like Smart Connect for low bandwidth requirements on WiFi7 but then can use the additional links, if required, whereas Smart Connect will still service non-WiFi7 devices?

Is this a BE98 Pro? I've had this bizarre issue when connected to either of the 6 GHz bands with my S24 Ultra: I get over 4 Gbps RX and TX when close to the router with above a -45 RSSI but certain things just take forever to load whereas they load instantly on both 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz (ie: the basic weather app, Arlo). I cannot for the life of me figure out what is causing this. What's really interesting is that I can fire up a 4K HDR stream effortlessly.

 

[Kingp1n]

MLO is the new Smart Connect.

 

[Sweden]

A stupid question, but isent MLO an effort to upgrade WiFi from half to full duplex (similar to a wired cable)?

I guess MLO will help a lot when you have a 500/500 connection and want to download/upload at the same time???

 

[L&LD]

MLO is not SmartConnect (new or old). It (should) do something totally different on supported hardware/OS's.

 

[TheLostSwede]

A stupid question, but isent MLO an effort to upgrade WiFi from half to full duplex (similar to a wired cable)?

I guess MLO will help a lot when you have a 500/500 connection and want to download/upload at the same time???

No, MLO just combines multiple bands to give you more bandwidth and supposedly lower latency.

Qualcomm Wi-Fi 7 | Next-generation Wi-Fi Standard | Qualcomm

Get the latest Wi-Fi 7 chips and tech from Qualcomm. Enjoy faster speeds, better connection and more reliable streaming.

www.qualcomm.com

 

[pdixon0]

Is this a BE98 Pro? I've had this bizarre issue when connected to either of the 6 GHz bands with my S24 Ultra: I get over 4 Gbps RX and TX when close to the router with above a -45 RSSI but certain things just take forever to load whereas they load instantly on both 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz (ie: the basic weather app, Arlo). I cannot for the life of me figure out what is causing this. What's really interesting is that I can fire up a 4K HDR stream effortlessly.

I'm in the UK so it's just the 'normal' BE98 - keep seeing some weirdness on the 6GHz channel with freezes and disconnects with my S24U and the wife's iPhone 15 Pro, checked the router system log and it shows that the device was disconnected as leaving (or has left) IBSS or ESS(3). Rssi:0

This is within a few meters of the router, albeit a floor above.

 

[Sweden]

No, MLO just combines multiple bands to give you more bandwidth and supposedly lower latency.

View attachment 58811

Qualcomm Wi-Fi 7 | Next-generation Wi-Fi Standard | Qualcomm

Get the latest Wi-Fi 7 chips and tech from Qualcomm. Enjoy faster speeds, better connection and more reliable streaming.

www.qualcomm.com

So you mean torrents wont benefit from MLO? I mean i thought i could download on 6GHz band and upload data on 5GHz band at the same time.

When i read here it says:
" It's hard to argue that this isn't the case. While being able to transmit on one frequency and receive on a second frequency is supported "

Wi-Fi 7 Multi-Link Operation (MLO): Unlocking Its Potential

Wi-Fi 7 Multi-Link Operation. Discover the incredible potential of MLO for faster more efficient connectivity. Learn more on our blog

www.ruckusnetworks.com

 

[TheLostSwede]

So you mean torrents wont benefit from MLO? I mean i thought i could download on 6GHz band and upload data on 5GHz band at the same time.

When i read here it says:
" It's hard to argue that this isn't the case. While being able to transmit on one frequency and receive on a second frequency is supported "

Wi-Fi 7 Multi-Link Operation (MLO): Unlocking Its Potential

Wi-Fi 7 Multi-Link Operation. Discover the incredible potential of MLO for faster more efficient connectivity. Learn more on our blog

www.ruckusnetworks.com

From the article you linked to. Yes, in theory, it might be possible and we might get it in the future, but so far, MLO doesn't appear to be implemented as a one band down, another band up, but rather, let's bunch more bands together for faster downloads or uploads.