The Everything Feed - All Packet Pushers Pods HW051: How Wi-Fi Devices Handle Roaming On 2.4, 5, and 6 GHz Bands
Apr 29, 2025
In this discussion, wireless network engineer Jerry Olla dives deep into the roaming behavior of Wi-Fi clients across the 2.4, 5, and 6 GHz bands. He shares insights from his extensive testing, revealing how device preferences impact connectivity and performance. Key topics include the challenges and benefits of the new 6 GHz band, the significance of the 802.11k standard in enhancing mobility, and strategies for optimizing Wi-Fi networks, particularly with tri-band devices. Jerry’s innovative testing methods also shed light on improving client connectivity during roaming.
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Automated Roaming Test Setup
- Jerry Olla automated roaming testing by adjusting AP transmit powers to emulate client movement instead of physical walking.
- This created a repeatable, consistent test environment for multiple device roaming behavior on different bands.
No Automatic 6 GHz Preference
- Tri-band clients don't always prefer 6 GHz when signal strength is equal across bands.
- Without incentives like channel width, client band preference varies despite similar RSSI on 2.4, 5, and 6 GHz.
Device Roaming Behaviors Vary
- Some devices, like the Intel Windows laptop and M2 MacBook Pro, consistently prefer 6 GHz for roaming 100% of the time.
- Mobile devices and others often prefer 2.4 GHz or vary their choices, showing diverse roaming behavior.