Client chooses which AP to connect

[janvelgado_16]

Hi All,

Can you assist me with this, I have one Cisco AP and another AP (from other vendor) installed at same floor.

Both of them are broadcasting the same SSID.

I am sitting on top of the Cisco AP, 4 bars on Wifi Signal and the other AP is outside the room 1-2 bars of Wifi Signal.

When I connected my Laptop on a SSID, I got 4 bars of signal, but after some time, my signal strength will become 1-2 bars provided that I did not move from my location.

Why the signal strength of my laptop goes below four bars? I have to connect and disconnect to the SSID to have a full bar Wifi Signal. I am assuming that my laptop connects to the other AP, but it is far from my location. Is this a client decision?

Can this scenario be controlled by the WLC?

Thanks,

JV

[Leo Laohoo · Accepted solution]

Make sure the drivers of the wireless drivers are updated.  

[Sandeep Choudhary]

Yes, The "final" decision to join which AP and to which radio depends on the wireless client.  If the wireless client wants to associate to the other AP(which is not near) then there's nothing you can do.

In general, a sensible approach evaluates the signal and signal to noise ratio of the available APs and picks the one with the best signal to noise. I believe that most devices do manage this correctly on radio startup.

Now...

You could try disabling some of the lower data rates or lowering the AP's tx power to reduce the coverage cell of furthest AP.  By doing this the client might not see the near AP as favorable.

Regards

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[janvelgado_16]

Yes you are correct, it is client's final decision. I am just wondering why my wifi signal suddenly goes down from full bar to 1-2 bars when at first, I am connected to Cisco AP. Does interference and other RF factors has something to do with that phenomenon? Take note that the Cisco AP is place on top my client device and the other AP is non-Cisco.

Jan