Know about Enhanced Roaming feature

                             Enhanced Roaming

What is the need of this feature?

When a client connects to an AP, some of try to stay connected -even when users roam and the wireless signal weakens (below -75 dbm).

This client behavior affects overall network performance. Clients who are capable of fast data rate transmissions tend to achieve lower data rates when they go far away from AP.

Cambium Solution:

Our proprietary Enhanced roaming mechanism keeps monitoring every connected client’s SNR. When they cross a configured threshold, the system automatically disconnects them. and this encourages clients to find a new AP from those installed in the wide –based deployment. This makes sure that the clinets' roaming experience is smooth.

How to Configure?

You can configure Enhanced roaming in our AP from Radio configuration page

 Where to use this feature (Use case)

  1. When you see that clients are experiencing problems and not roaming even at signal level of -75 to -85 dbm range.
  2. In an exhibition, stadium, or outdoor deployment where the RF at certain place will be very low and clients will need to be forced to connect to another AP.

     Stadium

FAQ:

How does the Roaming SNR threshold work?

Enhanced roaming will start monitoring a client once it reaches to configured SNR threshold, and after a certain monitoring period, the client is automatically disconnected.

Example: if the configured threshold is 16, and the client SNR goes to 15. The AP will start monitoring this client and if SNR keeps below 16, it will disconnect the client.

What is the default state and default value?

By default Enhanced roaming is disabled and the default threshold value is 15.

What is a good threshold value?

For Sticky clients which are below -80 signal strength a threshold range between 14-20 is suggested.

What if I configure above 25 as threshold?

Threshold configuration can be tricky sometimes, and it has to be selected very carefully, especially in Multi-AP deployment cases. If a 25 SNR threshold is configured in all APs, then clients which are at boundary geographies will struggle to connect to any of the AP within deployment.

Also clients which goes at -70 signal strength (much probable) may see frequent disconnections.

Why do I need Enhanced Roaming when Fast Roaming protocols are supported in this AP?

Ans. Fast roaming protocols like 802.11r are not supported by all wireless clients, specially

Legacy clients and low end devices may not support them. And hence they can still be sticky

to AP, so to make sure that they roam to other APs, enhanced roaming will be required.

Can I use both 11r and enhanced roaming?

 Ans. There is no side effect of using both simultaneously, however 11r is a standard WLAN     roaming protocol so while using this we shall not conjugate it with any other roaming mechanism. so it is advisable that both of these feature shall be use independently.

18 Likes

A post was split to a new topic: 802.11r and Enhanced Roaming