Fast Handover RSSI Thresholds

Overview

EnGenius Fast Handover RSSI Thresholds aim to deal with WIFI common sticky client. Sticky client issue mostly occurs in two situations:

1. Wireless client connects to a distant AP during wireless association/authentication phase.

2. Wireless clients don’t take actions to roam to a nearby AP with stronger WIFI signal but instead remain connected to original distant AP when it is moving around.

To enable EnGenius Fast RSSI Handover Thresholds configurations can prevent above sticky client issues and help wireless clients connect to the optimal AP in a multi-AP environment to get best Wi-Fi performance.

Three Types of Fast Handover RSSI Thresholds

1. Forced Disconnect Threshold: Sets a threshold for triggering fast handover when the connected client’s signal falls below this level. If the client’s signal drops below this threshold, the AP will forcefully disconnect it, encouraging the client to connect to an AP with a stronger signal.

2. Probe Request Threshold: Sets the minimum RSSI threshold for filtering probe requests. Only devices with a probe signal strength above this threshold will be recognized and processed by the AP.

3. Association Request Threshold: Sets the minimum RSSI threshold for client’s initial association request. Only clients that meet or exceed this signal strength will be allowed to connect to the AP.

Strategies to Prevent Sticky Client Issue

• Prevent a client from connecting to a distant AP with weak signal, especially to a fix-position client:

  • Probe Request Threshold: AP would suppress probe-response if the RSSI of probe requests from clients is lower than a given threshold. Thus, wireless clients would not detect this AP, eliminating any chance of connecting to it.

  • Association Request Threshold: AP would ignore association-request if the RSSI of association requests lower than a given threshold. This forces the wireless client to choose and connect to other nearby APs.

Figure 1: Prevent the client from connecting to a distant AP with weak signal.

• Prevent a client from staying connects to the original distant AP while roaming:

  • Forced Disconnect Threshold: AP checks the client’s RSSI every 30 seconds and actively disconnects clients whose RSSI is lower than a given threshold.

Figure 2: Fast Handover RSSI resolves the sticky client issue.

Configurations and Recommend Value

EnGenius Fast Handover RSSI Thresholds configuration can be set for whole network APs or set for individual AP with different values respectively. Each handover RSSI threshold can be set from 0dBm to -94dBm according to the requirement of real wireless environment. The recommend values for RSSI threshold are:

• Forced Disconnect Threshold:-80dBm

• Probe Request Threshold:-75dBm

• Association Request Threshold:-70dBm

Configuration GUI for Fast Handover RSSI Thresholds:

Network-wide Configuration

Applies unified RSSI settings across all APs to ensure consistent behavior.

Go to CONFIGURE > Access Point > Radio Settings and adjust the Fast Handover settings.

Figure 3: Network-wide Fast Handover configuration

Individual Device Configuration:

Enables customization of RSSI thresholds for specific APs to address unique scenarios.

Go to MANAGE > Access Point > AP List, click Details of the AP you’d like to configure, and find Fast Handover settings in the Summary tab. Select to unlock the override network-wide configuration to change the thresholds for this AP.

Figure 4: Fast Handover configuration in individual AP detail page