@gwinegarden 

 

Consider disabling 2.4GHz on Deco Main Network, that should help. If you have devices that need 2.4GHz, enable Guest network and connect them to it. For devices on 2.4GHz you'll have to accept them not always connecting to the closest Deco unit. 

 

Tried this. No difference.

@gwinegarden 

 

To make sure there is no misunderstanding:

 

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You turned off 2.4GHz for Main Network in Deco app.

After that, you turned off and on WiFi on your smartphone.

You verified on smartphone, in Network Settings, that it is connected on 5GHz.

You also checked in Deco app that smartphone is connected on 5GHz and to Main Network.

 

Yet, smartphone is still not connected to the nearest Deco unit.

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Is this correct?

 

@Alexandre. Sorry, I did reply but it does not appear, here.

 

The answer to your questions is yes.

@gwinegarden 

 

You may need to install WiFi Analyzer app on your smartphone, to see what is going on. I can recommend WiFiman from UBIQUITI and will use its screenshots in examples in this post.

 

When you turn off and on WiFi on smartphone, it'll scan WiFi networks and should select node with strongest signal to connect to. WiFi analyzer will tell you what smartphone sees on your network.

 

I have three floors house with one Deco unit on each floor. I will walk to the place where I want to test my smartphone, turn WiFi on it off and on to have smartphone rescan networks and start WiFi analyzer app to see what smartphone sees.

 

Example 1, WiFi 5GHz

 

I only have 5GHz enabled on my Main Network, and this is what WiFi Analyzer reports:

 

 

Deco Node 1 has strongest signal and it is the one smartphone must be connected to. Smartphone does, as shown by blue box with Linked word in it.

 

Deco Node 2 has weak signal and Node 3 - the weakest. If during multiple tries of turning WiFi off and on smartphone never chooses Node 1 and connects to only Node 2 or Node 3, something must be wrong with smartphone WiFi logic. Visit support forums from smartphone manufacturer, ask there why smartphone wouldn't connect to the only WiFi node with Good strong signal.

 

 

Example 2, WiFi 2.4GHz

 

I am standing at the same place of my house where I was for previous example. I have disabled 5GHz and enabled 2.4GHz on Main network, repeated WiFi off/on in smartphone, and this is what I've got.

 

 

 

As you can see, all three nodes have very good WiFi 2.4GHz signal, and first two have less than 10% difference in signal strength. Mobile device may have hard time choosing "the right" Deco node to connect to. Smartphone may decide it does not matter which node to connect to as signal is good from all of them, and may connect to Deco Node 3, which is two floors above me.

 

Suppose, mobile device has sensitivity threshold of 10%, meaning all nodes with WiFi signal strength less than 10% difference treated as equal. In that case, smartphone will randomly connect to either Node 1 or Node 2.

 

Suppose, smartphone has software logic to always connect to Deco Node with the strongest WiFi signal, no matter how little is the difference in signal strength. The strongest signal would be coming from Deco Node 1 in that example. Here is the problem: Deco Node 1 is one floor above me, while Deco Node 2 is on the same floor and in direct sight.

 

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With WiFi Analyzer, you'll know what smartphone sees and you may figure why it does not necessarily connect to the nearest Deco unit. If your Deco nodes all broadcast strong signal like it is in Example 2, you may wish to reposition them. It is easier to do with WiFi mesh running on 5GHz exclusively, because WiFi 5GHz has faster but weaker signal. 

 

If you see signal from your nodes similar to Example 1 but smartphone does not connect to the Deco Node with obviously the strongest signal, check smartphone support forums.