Why the most devices connecting to 2.4GHz instead of 5GHz

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Why the most devices connecting to 2.4GHz instead of 5GHz

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Why the most devices connecting to 2.4GHz instead of 5GHz
Why the most devices connecting to 2.4GHz instead of 5GHz
2020-08-13 13:09:03 - last edited 2020-08-13 13:20:25
Model: EAP245  
Hardware Version: V3
Firmware Version: 2.20.0

Hallo zusammen,

ich habe heute zwei EAP's 245 mit einem Omada Software Controller 4.1.5 zum Test in Betrieb genommen.

 

Wir haben eine Sophos Firewall mit einem FTTH 500/200 Internetanschluss, da wir nach einer alternative zu den teuren Sophos AccessPoints auf der Suche sind, ist die Auswahl auf TP-Link gefallen. 

 

Nun haben wir in einem eigenen Bereich(wenige Fremdnetze, Kanäle meist frei) ein neues W-LAN mit eigener SSID erstellt. 

 

Nun ist unser Problem das sich bspw. ein iPhone XR/11 beim Verbinden direkt mit dem 5GHz Band verbindet --> IST SUPER!, nun das große ABEEER nach gefühlt einem Speedtest mit super leistung, wechseln die Geräte automatisch ins 2.4GHz Netz und auch bei dauerhafter Verbindung gehen die Geräte nicht mehr in 5GHz netz.

 

Das gleiche passiert mit bspw. einem Dell 7410 - Intel WiFi 6 AX201 160MHz  --> erst Nachdem wir auf dem Endgerät die Netzwerkkarte so bearbeiten, dass es das 5GHz Band bevorzugt, verbindet sich der Laptop vermehrt mit dem 5GHz Band. 

 

Auf dem Omada Controller haben wir bereits Band Steering aktiviert (Standardwerte).

 

Hat noch jemand Ideen oder best practices um hier die Verbindungen automatisch mit der besten leistung zu verbinden ? --> bitte keine Vorschläge wie "nimm zwei verschiedene SSID's für 2.4 und 5 GHz." 

 

Vielen Dank im vorraus 

 

 

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#1
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Re:Why the most devices connecting to 2.4GHz instead of 5GHz
2020-08-13 17:42:54

@FlashLightz I'm able to read German, but I can't write it. So I'll explain in English. Devices switch between 5Ghz and 2.4Ghz depending on the signal strenght. If the distance between your device and EAP is increasing or objects block the 5Ghz signal, the device will switch to 2.4Ghz. I see the same behavior on my EAP245's. Don't think you can really fix this issue.

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Re:Why the most devices connecting to 2.4GHz instead of 5GHz
2020-08-13 18:41:35 - last edited 2020-08-13 18:42:47

 

joeri1 wrote

Devices switch between 5Ghz and 2.4Ghz depending on the signal strenght.

 

That's 100% correct. Please let me add that client devices might also take SNR, interferences and negotiated WiFi rates into account when deciding to which band they connect to. Devices from different vendors often behave differently, but it's always the client device which makes the decision.

 

Next are obstacles between clients and EAPs. Since 5 GHz signals have a higher attenuation than 2.4 GHz signals if there are obstacles in the way (can even be a human covering the free line of sight between client and EAP), clients noticing a weakened signal will prefer to switch to 2.4 GHz usually. This happens with our test iPhone if I cover its »antenna« with my hand – just b/c I have to hold the phone somehow.

 

BTW: choosing the 5 GHz band does not automatically mean higher throughput. If the 2.4 GHz radio is able to negotiate a higher WiFi rate as the 5 GHz radio could, the former will have higher throughput.

 

For example, my MacBook sometimes connects to the 2.4 GHz radio first, but sometimes to the 5 GHz radio (never mind the WiFi Rx rate, it changes constantly and when idle it goes down to 6 Mbps, resp. 1 Mbps):

 

 

Note the RSSI.

 

When re-connecting, it suddenly prefers the 2.4 GHz radio:

 

 

 

Again, note the RSSI. Nearly 40 times better compared to the 5 GHz RSSI above.

 

@FlashLightz, you could try to fiddle with the minimum RSSI for a client to be allowed to connect to the EAP. But as you can see from the above screenshots, the 2.4 GHz RSSI can't be topped by the 5 GHz radio. Anyway, if you want to try, open the Configuration menu for the EAP and click on »Advanced« to see the load-balancing settings:

 

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#3
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Re:Why the most devices connecting to 2.4GHz instead of 5GHz
2020-08-14 04:41:21

Hi @R1D2 ,

thanks for you reply. 

 

I already thought that i can't do very much to increase the performance. I think we have to add more access Points (nearly every meeting room).

 

I'll test the RSSI soon and will let you know about my tests. 

 

Regards
 

 

 

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