Roaming assistant question

[GSpock]

Hi,
running 384.13_10 on my RT-AC87U anf have enabled the roaming assistant to disconnect if rssi < than 70

but even when a client is at 90 it does not disconnect the client ; what am I missing ?

thanks,
GS

 

[Neil62]

Hi,
running 384.13_10 on my RT-AC87U anf have enabled the roaming assistant to disconnect if rssi < than 70

but even when a client is at 90 it does not disconnect the client ; what am I missing ?

thanks,
GS

Try a restart of the router and client as well. Always better, after changing settings on the main router. The next question while roaming connecting to what, are using Aimesh or have other AP's connected to the main? If you are talking about band switching/steering you should be using smart connect.

Are you using guest accounts? Same SSIDs across bands?

 

[GSpock]

The router was restarted after the change. No Aimesh (87U does not support that) and one AP connected to main via cable. I do not understand what you mean by " using smart connect. "

no guest accounts and not the same SSID for 2.4 & 5

 

[Neil62]

The router was restarted after the change. No Aimesh (87U does not support that) and one AP connected to main via cable. I do not understand what you mean by " using smart connect. "

no guest accounts and not the same SSID for 2.4 & 5

Not sure than how roaming (RA), will work if you are using two different SSID's from the router RA, the device would need to have access to both SSID's. as each is seen as its own connection point. If a device does not access, i.e via a password to join that SSID, it wont roam. Fell free anyone out there to correct me. Do both SSIDs share the same password? I Use RA, which works well, but I use the same SSID across bands, which is more seamless for bands and roaming from a user perspective.

I am sure other people will have/offer different opinions though. Right, to those whom may jump into this conversation for comment.

Smart Connect is a functionality which will steer devices to different 'bands' dependent on RSI, vs RA which is used to steer devices to different AP's from a roaming RSI.

 

[GSpock]

... of course all my clients know both SSID & passwords and can connect to both networks ! .... "smart connect" is not available on my router/wifi general tab, only the parameter I showed in the OP.

I was expecting that when connected to my 5GHz and then going away from router, the client would automatically connect back to the 2.4GHz (which is available at a longer distance than 5GHz). May be have I mis-understood that "roaming assistant" parameter ....

 

[Neil62]

... of course all my clients know both SSID & passwords and can connect to both networks ! .... "smart connect" is not available on my router/wifi general tab, only the parameter I showed in the OP.

I was expecting that when connected to my 5GHz and then going away from router, the client would automatically connect back to the 2.4GHz (which is available at a longer distance than 5GHz). May be have I mis-understood that "roaming assistant" parameter ....

Smart connect is available via the general tab.

Have you forgotten the network from your device and reconnected it?

Remember RA will switch you across different AP's in your network and not across a band.. The deice will decide whcih band according to RSI while roaming across AP's.

From ASUS for RA:

In network configurations which involve multiple Access Points (AP) or wireless repeaters, clients with wireless devices sometimes cannot automatically connect to the best available AP because their device is still connecting to the main wireless router.

[Wireless Router] How to enable the Roaming Assistant? | Official Support | ASUS Global

 

[K-2SO]

Smart connect is available via the general tab.

RT-AC87U. No AiMesh and Smart Connect on this model.

 

[GSpock]

it is not on my 87U as said before and as said before router was rebooted.

 

[GSpock]

RT-AC87U. No AiMesh and Smart Connect on this model.

Thanks ; BTW, any idea why this parameter is there then ?

 

[K-2SO]

BTW, any idea why this parameter is there then ?

I was there forever. Before AiMesh. In case you have multiple APs.

 

[Neil62]

RT-AC87U. No AiMesh and Smart Connect on this model.

You are correct just checked...

 

[Neil62]

I was there forever. Before AiMesh. In case you have multiple APs.

So AiMesh with some sapre compatible routers

 

[GSpock]

I was there forever. Before AiMesh. In case you have multiple APs.

.... OK, but it does not work :-(

 

[grifo]

Roaming assistant doesn't work for me either, not only on my RT-AC87U router but also on my RT-AC68U AP running 384.19, so it's not model or firmware specific.

I have it set on my RT-AC68U 5GHz radio to disconnect clients at -65dBm but as per the wireless log there's a client connected at -84dBm. It's only when the client decides to switch to a better AP that the roaming happens.



This isn't anything to do with RMerlin BTW as the WiFi code is Asus closed source.

 

[tekrich]

Hi,
running 384.13_10 on my RT-AC87U anf have enabled the roaming assistant to disconnect if rssi < than 70

but even when a client is at 90 it does not disconnect the client ; what am I missing ?

thanks,
GS

Start low and increase it until your satisfied, its not very accurate. I don't use AiMesh, just have a main router and an AP.

Both the main router and AP are set to 50. And this gives me perfect auto switching of my mobile devices around the house.

Start at 40, and increase the number until you get the desired effect.

 

[OzarkEdge]

Hi,
running 384.13_10 on my RT-AC87U anf have enabled the roaming assistant to disconnect if rssi < than 70

but even when a client is at 90 it does not disconnect the client ; what am I missing ?

thanks,
GS

Roaming Assistant node steering is to encourage a client to roam to another/better AP.

Smart Connect node band steering is to encourage a client to connect to the better band/signal within an AP. If no Smart Connect support on your router, then use different SSIDs for each band and steer manually by defining a connection on the client for each SSID/band.

Do you have more than one router/AP/node to roam between?

OE

 

[GSpock]

Roaming Assistant node steering is to encourage a client to roam to another/better AP.

Smart Connect node band steering is to encourage a client to connect to the better band/signal within an AP. If no Smart Connect support on your router, then use different SSIDs for each band and steer manually by defining a connection on the client for each SSID/band.

Do you have more than one router/AP/node to roam between?

OE

Thanks. I use different SSID and all my clients knows about them - 1 main router and 1 AP to roam between.

nothing works - after 2 days of tests, I give up

thx anyway all.

 

[grifo]

Roaming Assistant node steering is to encourage a client to roam to another/better AP.

When it works, Roaming Assistant doesn't just encourage a client to roam but it actually disconnects it if it falls below the configurable RSSI threshold so that it will reconnect to an AP with a better RSSI. However it doesn't work, at least on some models, as per the images posted.

Do you have more than one router/AP/node to roam between?

I doubt that anyone would be so masochistic to turn on Roaming Assistant with just one AP and even report that it doesn't work

 

[OzarkEdge]

When it works, Roaming Assistant doesn't just encourage a client to roam but it actually disconnects it if it falls below the configurable RSSI threshold so that it will reconnect to an AP with a better RSSI. However it doesn't work, at least on some models, as per the images posted.

I doubt that anyone would be so masochistic to turn on Roaming Assistant with just one AP and even report that it doesn't work

1. I use the word 'encourage' to remain non-specific because we don't really know everything that Asuswrt does, nor what the client will do.

2. You're assuming the OP knows Roaming Assistant is node steering and not band steering. I asked him to confirm that he is working with more than one router. Some people here post about Roaming Assistant not moving their client to the other band on their router as they move further away or closer to their router... RA does not affect band steering.

Question for you: If the OP has only one router, will RA disconnect the client when it exceeds the set RA RSSI/distance threshold... simply kick the client off the network with no place to go? If so, why isn't that happening for the OP?

OE

 

[grifo]

1. I use the word 'encourage' to remain non-specific because we don't really know everything that Asuswrt does, nor what the client will do.

2. You're assuming the OP knows Roaming Assistant is node steering and not band steering. I asked him to confirm that he is working with more than one router. Some people here post about Roaming Assistant not moving their client to the other band on their router as they move further away or closer to their router... RA does not affect band steering.

Question for you: If the OP has only one router, will RA disconnect the client when it exceeds the set RA RSSI/distance threshold... simply kick the client off the network with no place to go?

OE

The WiFi professional configuration page clearly says Disconnect clients with RSSI lower than x dBm on this option so people who enable it should know what to expect.

When it works it does what it says on the tin and yes it would disconnect a client even if it had no other AP to connect to. The user may have an Asus router and a different brand AP and expect Roaming Assistant to still work. With a single AP it should never be enabled.