Wi-Fi Client Adapter Connection and Roaming Behavior
What am I seeing?
One of the following roaming behaviors may be experienced:
- Initial connection is not always to closest access point (AP) or broadband Wi-Fi router
- Roaming is not always to an AP/router with a greater indicated signal strength
- Roaming is not always to the closest AP/router
- Roaming is not immediate
How to fix
In most cases, this behavior is normal and expected. If your Wi-Fi network has multiple APs/routers, the client adapter can roam (automatically select and switch to another AP/router) from one AP/router to another.
The roaming behavior is designed to increase the efficiency of the Wi-Fi network by minimizing unnecessary data traffic. The behavior also aids in conserving battery power consumption.
The roaming is based on signal quality rather than distance to an AP/router. Changes in the signal quality are monitored by the adapter to determine whether a roam should occur. However, if the signal quality to an AP/router that is further away remains good the client may not roam to a nearer AP/router, or may not roam immediately.