Optimizing Your Wi-Fi Experience

Today, we utilize Wi-Fi for virtually any online experience. Whether we're sipping coffee and catching up on our morning round of E-Mails at the local coffee shop, connecting our smart device in the office to the corporate network to check for updates on a project, or sitting at home streaming movies on our smart TV. We rely heavily on a solid performing Wi-Fi network.

Wi-Fi technology has been around for decades. For the bulk of that time, we hadn't seen much in the way of improvements when compared to the vast array of emerging networking technologies in the ether. However, in recent years, Wi-Fi has really begun to improve by leaps and bounds. The two "original" standards, 802.11b, and 802.11a were originally adopted in 1997. 802.11g, which gave us a major boost came a few years later, but after that, major advances only came every 5 or so years. The FCC only just allowed the release of the 6Ghz band for use in WiFi deployments in the beginning of 2023 as Wi-Fi 6e. However, Wi-Fi 7 is already slated for adoption in the beginning of 2024. In other words, Wi-Fi technology is moving extremely fast as of late, as are the options to configure and optimize it.

While there are numerous optimization tips and tricks that could be done to improve Wi-Fi performance, in this blog post, I'll cover one, which happens to be my favorite one to discuss! - Band Steering.

Band steering is a feature employed in dual-band routers or access points that intelligently directs devices to the most suitable frequency band—either 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz (and now 6Ghz with Wi-Fi 6e) —based on their capabilities and the prevailing network conditions. This technology helps manage and balance the traffic between bands, ensuring efficient utilization of network resources.

Benefits of Band Steering:

1. Improved Network Performance: By automatically guiding devices to the optimal frequency band, band steering reduces congestion and interference. This results in improved network performance, faster data transfer speeds, and reduced latency.

2. Enhanced User Experience: Band steering ensures that devices capable of utilizing the faster 5 GHz band are connected to it, leaving the 2.4 GHz band less crowded. This separation helps prevent older or slower devices from hampering the performance of newer, high-bandwidth devices. Consequently, users enjoy a smoother and more reliable connection for bandwidth-intensive activities like streaming high-definition videos or online gaming.

3. Seamless Roaming: Band steering facilitates seamless roaming for devices that support it. When a device moves within the coverage area, band steering intelligently switches it to the most suitable band, ensuring uninterrupted connectivity without any manual intervention. This feature is particularly useful in larger homes or office environments where users frequently move around.

Implementing Band Steering:

Band steering can be implemented through various methods, depending on the router or access point manufacturer. Some routers have a built-in band steering feature that automatically optimizes band selection. Others may offer manual band selection or provide options to prioritize certain devices on specific bands. It is important to consult the device's user manual or the manufacturer's documentation for guidance on configuring and enabling band steering.

Considerations and Limitations: While band steering can greatly enhance network performance, it is essential to consider a few factors:

1. Device Compatibility: Band steering works best when devices support both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. However, some older devices may only support the 2.4 GHz band. In such cases, band steering may not be effective, and manual band selection may be necessary.

2. Channel Overlapping: Channels in the 2.4 GHz band tend to overlap, causing interference and reduced performance. Band steering can alleviate this issue by encouraging devices to connect to the less crowded 5 GHz band, where channels do not overlap as extensively.

3. Network Environment: The success of band steering depends on the network environment, the number of devices, and the level of interference. Factors like physical barriers, distance from the router, and neighboring networks can impact the effectiveness of band steering. Experimenting with different settings and monitoring network performance is recommended to achieve optimal results.

Band steering is a powerful tool that optimizes Wi-Fi network performance by intelligently guiding devices to the most suitable frequency band. By leveraging this feature, users can enjoy enhanced network performance, smoother roaming, and a superior online experience. Whether you are a home user or managing a business network, implementing band steering can significantly improve your Wi-Fi experience. Stay connected, maximize performance, and enjoy the benefits of a well-optimized wireless network.