Auto connecting to strongest WAP

I have 3 Cisco Aironet 11-0 covering a large area. All 3 use the same SSID
and are set to different channels (2,6 and 11). Each one is working, but I
can not seamlessly roam from one WAP to the next.

If I go to where the signal is weak for AP1 and strong on AP2 the laptops
will not automatically switch over to the stronger AP. If I reboot or
disable wireless the laptops do connect to the stronger AP.

Is there any way to improve on this so setup so that I can always be
connected to the strongest WAP?

TIA

On Tue, 1 Nov 2005 18:03:14 -0500, "Jack B. Pollack" <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>I have 3 Cisco Aironet 11-0 covering a large area. All 3 use the same SSID
>and are set to different channels (2,6 and 11). Each one is working, but I
>can not seamlessly roam from one WAP to the next.
>
>If I go to where the signal is weak for AP1 and strong on AP2 the laptops
>will not automatically switch over to the stronger AP. If I reboot or
>disable wireless the laptops do connect to the stronger AP.
>
>Is there any way to improve on this so setup so that I can always be
>connected to the strongest WAP?

No. This is what 802.11r (fast roaming and handoff) is going to
address:
http://www.networkworld.com/details/7559.html?def
http://www.networkworld.com/news/tec...echupdate.html

--
Jeff Liebermann 150 Felker St #D Santa Cruz CA 95060
831.336.2558 voice
http://www.LearnByDestroying.com AE6KS
http://802.11junk.com Skype: JeffLiebermann
(E-Mail Removed) (E-Mail Removed)

"Jack B. Pollack" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>can not seamlessly roam from one WAP to the next.

The latest (9.0.3.9, from the 9.0.3.0 package) Intel 2200BG Mini-PCI
card drivers have a Driver Advanced Setting called "Roaming
Aggressiveness":

/*
Lowest: Your wireless client is very sticky. Only significant link
quality degradation causes it to roam to another access point.

Highest: Your wireless client continuously tracks the link quality. If
any degradation occurs, it tries to find and roam to a better access
point.
*/

Dunno if you have that card and can upgrade the driver, or can upgrade
to that card, or have a card with a similar driver setting, as you
forgot to mention the OS, driver rev level, and client hardware, but
it's an option...

The PCs are Dell Laptops with built-in cards. OS Win XP Pro.

"William P.N. Smith" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> "Jack B. Pollack" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> >can not seamlessly roam from one WAP to the next.
>
> The latest (9.0.3.9, from the 9.0.3.0 package) Intel 2200BG Mini-PCI
> card drivers have a Driver Advanced Setting called "Roaming
> Aggressiveness":
>
> /*
> Lowest: Your wireless client is very sticky. Only significant link
> quality degradation causes it to roam to another access point.
>
> Highest: Your wireless client continuously tracks the link quality. If
> any degradation occurs, it tries to find and roam to a better access
> point.
> */
>
> Dunno if you have that card and can upgrade the driver, or can upgrade
> to that card, or have a card with a similar driver setting, as you
> forgot to mention the OS, driver rev level, and client hardware, but
> it's an option...

"Jack B. Pollack" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:1130886010.99533@aragorn...
:I have 3 Cisco Aironet 11-0 covering a large area. All 3 use the same SSID
: and are set to different channels (2,6 and 11). Each one is working, but I
: can not seamlessly roam from one WAP to the next.
:
: If I go to where the signal is weak for AP1 and strong on AP2 the laptops
: will not automatically switch over to the stronger AP. If I reboot or
: disable wireless the laptops do connect to the stronger AP.
:
: Is there any way to improve on this so setup so that I can always be
: connected to the strongest WAP?
:
: TIA
:
:
I maybe wrong - possibility is I'm wrong!
As I'm looking in to this myself but would not an AP with WDS be the answer.
Chris

Jack B. Pollack wrote:

> The PCs are Dell Laptops with built-in cards. OS Win XP Pro.

That's still awfully vague. Current "Dell Laptops" (of which there are two
lines and about a dozen models) come with a choice of at least 3 different
wireless NICs (Intel & Broadcom, maybe others). Most models you can choose
from two. My inspiron 6000 has an Intel ipw2200 - that _doesn't_ support
"Roaming Aggressiveness".
--
derek

"Jack B. Pollack" <(E-Mail Removed)> top-posted:
>The PCs are Dell Laptops with built-in cards. OS Win XP Pro.

That's nice. WHAT KIND OF CARDS????? If they are Intel 2200BG
Mini-PCI cards, update to the latest driver from the Intel site and
see if fiddling the knob I pointed out in my previous posting helps.

Dell sells Intel cards and their own Dell brand cards, but the Intel
specs are (arguably) better, and the Intel drivers are updated much
more often.

"Joker7" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message t...
> I maybe wrong - possibility is I'm wrong!
> As I'm looking in to this myself but would not an AP with WDS be the
answer.
> Chris

Hi,

As Jeff mentioned, 802.11r will be (is?) the IEEE standard for seamless
transitioning. It'll come more into play as "mobile VoIP" takes form.

Until then, I guess it is just manufacturer-specific how well handovers are
done. (?)

I can report that my two D-Link DWL-7100AP's (in WDS mode, one used as a
repeater) do seamless handovers with my two laptops. One laptop has a
DWL-AG660 cardbus, while the other has an older DWL-AB650. There is no
break in connectivity, or even IP re-newing, as the laptops move and
transition between the origin SSID and the repeat. Transitions are seamless
while using WEP or WPA-PSK.

My PDA does automatically transition to the stronger SSID, but there is a
momentary break in connectivity and it has to re-new IP's. Its using a
relatively older CF card though, (DCF-660W, 802.11b only), and the drivers
are kept pretty simple to fit a PDA.

Cheers,
Eric

I have always set my WAPs to use different channels. In the past I have
setup a few Apple Airports (in WDS mode to act as repeaters) and they HAD to
be on the same channel.

Anyone want to comment on the pros/cons of setting up the Aironets on the
same channel. They are both wired into the network backbone (not acting as a
repeater).

Thanks


"Eric" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:HTQaf.120845$(E-Mail Removed) ...
> "Joker7" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message t...
> > I maybe wrong - possibility is I'm wrong!
> > As I'm looking in to this myself but would not an AP with WDS be the
> answer.
> > Chris
>
> Hi,
>
> As Jeff mentioned, 802.11r will be (is?) the IEEE standard for seamless
> transitioning. It'll come more into play as "mobile VoIP" takes form.
>
> Until then, I guess it is just manufacturer-specific how well handovers
are
> done. (?)
>
> I can report that my two D-Link DWL-7100AP's (in WDS mode, one used as a
> repeater) do seamless handovers with my two laptops. One laptop has a
> DWL-AG660 cardbus, while the other has an older DWL-AB650. There is no
> break in connectivity, or even IP re-newing, as the laptops move and
> transition between the origin SSID and the repeat. Transitions are
seamless
> while using WEP or WPA-PSK.
>
> My PDA does automatically transition to the stronger SSID, but there is a
> momentary break in connectivity and it has to re-new IP's. Its using a
> relatively older CF card though, (DCF-660W, 802.11b only), and the drivers
> are kept pretty simple to fit a PDA.
>
> Cheers,
> Eric
>
>
>
>