The safest, although cumbersome, thing to do, is then to give each access point a separate and distinct name, so that users can easily see where they are connected. The alternative to client steering is that each user must remember to switch access points manually, or turn Wi-Fi on on and off, so that it scans for the strongest signal. If you are not sure about whether your router and/or repeaters or other access points support client steering, check the documentation that came with the equipment, or ask your ISP if you got the equipment from them.

How to know whether you have client steering See also: Why band steering means better Wi-Fi. Client steering is available in an increasing number of wireless routers, and in mesh networks of wireless access points, such as AirTies Smart Wi-Fi.Ĭlient steering usually also includes band steering, which ensures that clients are automatically connected to the correct frequency band. The best solution to the sticky client issue is client steering in the wireless access points, which ensures that each widget is steered towards the access point that provides the best coverage. Ideally, every wireless device automatically connects to the access point that provides the best coverage and thus the best performance for everyone on the network, instead of getting stuck in one place. See also: Bad apple: How one device with poor coverage can ruin your wireless network. It can thus become a bad apple–a single client that destroys the performance of the entire wireless network. The distance from 'sticky client' to 'bad apple' is a short one–if your smartphone is in the living room on the ground floor, but still connected to the repeater in the attic, it will with all probability have lousy coverage. This problem is known as a 'sticky client'. A smartphone connected to a Wi-Fi repeater on the top floor, may retain that connection when the user moves around the house, even if other access points are closer and would have provided better coverage. Having multiple wireless access points in a home, such as a single router and one or more Wi-Fi repeaters, may cause big problems for gadgets that move around a lot.

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