Smart Connect rule steering values. Please explain.

[neil0311]

OK, I will admit what I'm about to ask may seem dumb to some. That's fine. I called Asus Support and asked them, and the experience may have been the worst I've ever experienced. It was like the guy who barely spoke English was answering questions I didn't ask and ignoring the ones I did ask.

Anyway....here goes.

I have 3 RT-AX88U Pro units setup in a mesh. Some of you may have seen other threads I've started. I am planning to setup VLANs but at this point everything is connected to a single SSID using Smart Connect, so bear with me as this is a vanilla configuration. Have not changed the Smart Connect rule and the channel settings are all set to auto. 2.4GHz band is on 20 MHz and 5GHz band has 160 MHz enabled.

What I don't get is why I have a device that seems to stubbornly stay on 5GHz despite an RSSI value of -90dBm.

In the Smart Connect rule, I'm also not understanding why the steering conditions are setup with 2.4GHz as "Greater than -62dBm" while 5GHz is setup as "Less than -82dBM" but in either case, shouldn't a client currently on 5GHz with an RSSI of -90dBm be steered to 2.4GHz based on the rule.

Can anyone explain the steering settings and what they actually mean and why I'm not seeing steering of the client on 5GHz that's at -90dBm?

 

[OzarkEdge]

at this point everything is connected to a single SSID using Smart Connect,

same SSIDs (per band)... two of them

What I don't get is why I have a device that seems to stubbornly stay on 5GHz despite an RSSI value of -90dBm.

What device? Could be any reason. Do most wireless clients behave?

In the Smart Connect rule, I'm also not understanding why the steering conditions are setup with 2.4GHz as "Greater than -62dBm" while 5GHz is setup as "Less than -82dBM" but in either case, shouldn't a client currently on 5GHz with an RSSI of -90dBm be steered to 2.4GHz based on the rule.

I have never adjusted the SC rules. I doubt they are responsible for your one client preferring 5.0 at any distance.

OE

 

[neil0311]

same SSIDs (per band)... two of them



What device? Could be any reason. Do most wireless clients behave?



I have never adjusted the SC rules. I doubt they are responsible for your one client preferring 5.0 at any distance.

OE

Yes. I understand it’s the same SSID value across two separate networks.

It’s a wireless camera. My next move is an IOT VLAN and set to 2.4. I just wanted to see the Smart Connect and wanted to set everything up on one network to start.

 

[neil0311]

same SSIDs (per band)... two of them



What device? Could be any reason. Do most wireless clients behave?



I have never adjusted the SC rules. I doubt they are responsible for your one client preferring 5.0 at any distance.

OE

Can you also demystify why one frequency is set to “less than” and the other is set to “greater than” in the steering filter part of the rule? That makes no sense to me.

 

[OzarkEdge]

Can you also demystify why one frequency is set to “less than” and the other is set to “greater than” in the steering filter part of the rule? That makes no sense to me.

Sorry, I've never looked at the SC rules... they always strike me as piling on more variables than I have knowledge of and/or the ability to determine cause and affect with various clients in variable radio space... probably why they are never discussed here.

[Wireless Router] How to configure the Smart Connect in ASUS Router? | Official Support | ASUS USA

OE

 

[neil0311]

Sorry, I've never looked at the SC rules... they always strike me as piling on more variables than I have knowledge of and/or the ability to determine cause and affect with various clients in variable radio space... probably why they are never discussed here.

[Wireless Router] How to configure the Smart Connect in ASUS Router? | Official Support | ASUS USA

OE

Yeah, kind of my issue now. Thanks for the article but unfortunately was the first thing I read.

I think my plan is to create a VLAN for IOT using 2.4GHz and connect everything else to 5 GHz and call it a day.

 

[u.pushken]

In the Smart Connect rule, I'm also not understanding why the steering conditions are setup with 2.4GHz as "Greater than -62dBm" while 5GHz is setup as "Less than -82dBM"

Your rule for 5 GHz means: If the signal has become weak (less than -82 dB), then you need to switch to a frequency that is able to communicate with the device around the corner in the room.

Your rule for 2.4GHz means: as soon as the signal has become good again (more than -62 dB), it is necessary to return to the high-speed frequency.

 

[u.pushken]

Can anyone explain the steering settings and what they actually mean

https://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wir...s-rt-ac3200-smart-connect-the-missing-manual/

 

[u.pushken]

why I'm not seeing steering of the client on 5GHz that's at -90dBm?

Please show the settings:

1. Wireless, General
2. Wireless, Professional, 2.4 Hhz
3. Wireless, Professional, 5 Hhz
4. Smart Connect rule

 

[Volt]

I'll add my observations. I realized that the default settings in the firmware are not very good; namely, they are the same for "Steering Trigger Condition" and "STA Selection Policy". In fact, in order for the devices to prefer the 5 GHz range, you need to change them "crosswise", namely (set the RSSI values that best match your environment):

• In Steering Trigger Condition, for 2.4, select Greater <-60>, and for 5 - Less <-80>.
• In STA Selection Policy, for 2.4, select Less <-80>, and for 5 - Greater <-60>.

This way, you force the router to switch to another frequency when the trigger condition is met, i.e., the "STA Selection Policy" must be opposite to the "Trigger Condition" for this to happen. The above settings mean that if the signal on 2.4 is good, then steer to 5 GHz, or, if the signal on 5GHz is bad, then switch to 2.4. Now, all my clients in a good signal zone quickly return to 5 GHz and do not get stuck for hours on 2.4 GHz, as was the case before.

 

[charles_slc]

I'm also confused. My problem is that my RokuTV on the patio insists on connection via a weak 5G signal instead of a stronger 2.4 one.
2-node ZenWifi XT9, both with firmware 3.0.0.4.388_24668

These are my settings

This is from the app, showing the Roku at -86DB.

Is -86 less than -70 in this context? So the trigger should fire for a device on 5GHz
Mathematically, the answer is yes, but I'm a software guy, not a network guy.


I think I need to have Selection as
2.4 Greater than -70 and 5.0 less than -60.

Lastly, what happens when a device falls into the middle? Say -65dBm
Assume
- Trigger: 2.4 Greater than -60, 5.0 Less than -70
- Select: 2.4 Greater than -70, 5.0 Less than -60

Thank you

 

[Volt]

I'm also confused. My problem is that my RokuTV on the patio insists on connection via a weak 5G signal instead of a stronger 2.4 one.

Judging by the settings, Roku should indeed switch to 2.4. However, it is important to understand that the router can only initiate the client's transition to another frequency, the final decision is made by the client itself. The same thing happens when the signal level, as in your question, satisfies the rules specified for both frequencies.

For example, for some reason, my S21FE smartphone really likes 2.4, and even when the rule is triggered, the client often immediately refuses to switch to the frequency suggested by the router, about which a corresponding entry appears in the router log. This phone switches to another frequency only after a certain timeout, the duration of which is known only to the manufacturer itself.

In the case of Roku, you can:

• Try restarting Roku and see what frequency it chooses (it may choose and stay on 2.4)
• Try waiting a few hours (for example, my Chromecast sometimes switches to another frequency only after 4-5 hours of being turned on)
• Look in the log to see if Roku refuses to switch to another frequency; in this case, there is nothing you can do about it.
• Well, as an option, try to return to the factory settings of the rules, since I am still not sure that Asus did not mix up anything on this page.

 

[charles_slc]

I just started messing with the SC settings since it was staying on 5Ghz.
Looks like it's on 2.4 now with
- Trigger: 2.4 Greater than -60, 5.0 Less than -70
- Select: 2.4 Greater than -70, 5.0 Less than -60

Will see if it stays there while watching TV this evening.