Band Preference

In co-located multiband deployments, a 5GHz network might show better RSSI compared to 6GHz band in some places due to factors such as differences in transmit power. RSSI for 6GHz network might appear lower compared to 5GHz network as AP in 6GHz may be transmitting Beacons and Probe responses in a lower transmit power in 20MHz bandwidth.

Even in that case, 6GHz-supported client devices should ideally prefer 6GHz band since it will have cleaner channels and it can support higher bandwidth for enhanced performance. By default, Zebra devices will prefer 6GHz over 5GHz up to a certain coverage level.

When a device moves from one area to another, signal strength for the connection degrades and the device will have to search for a better AP to roam to. In some cases, legacy band APs may show better RSSI than 6GHz band AP due to frequency and Transmit power differences.

Even if the 6GHz AP RSSI is slightly lower than legacy band APs, it can still be a better candidate for roam if all parameters for a stable connection are considered. Zebra devices evaluate the candidate APs based on RSSI and other parameters so that the device always stays in 6GHz band.

With the arrival of Wi-Fi 6E, the expectation is that enterprises will modify network layout such that corporate networks will be present in both 5GHz and 6GHz bands. Legacy clients will use 5GHz band for connectivity and Wi-Fi 6E clients can utilize the 6GHz band for improved connectivity experience.

When a client device enters a coverage area, band preference capability of Zebra devices makes sure that 6GHz-capable devices are getting connected in 6GHz band and continue to stay in the same band when the device is moving within the coverage area.

The below graphic shows a device entering the coverage area of a 5GHz/6GHz network, and then roaming to another AP. This illustrates the 6GHz band preference feature. In real deployments, the actual coverage area might not be circular.