What you are referring to is called optimized roaming. http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/controller/8-0/configuration-guide/b_cg80/b_cg80_chapter_010011001.html
The AP will disassociate a client to force it to roam. In theory, if your client is sticking to an AP then your application's performance is already degraded and the disassociation/association is less of an impact. It is based off the RSSI from the client, very interesting feature but use with caution! -----Original Message----- From: The EDUCAUSE Wireless Issues Constituent Group Listserv [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Watters, John Sent: Tuesday, November 04, 2014 11:13 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [WIRELESS-LAN] Client Roaming (or, Actually, Lack Thereof) I'm hearing the same thing. Maybe by Christmas break. But more probably by Spring break. Sent from my iPhone On Nov 4, 2014, at 8:16 PM, Bradley Williams <[email protected]<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__mailto-3ABWILLI2-40CLEMSON.EDU&d=AAIF-g&c=6vgNTiRn9_pqCD9hKx9JgXN1VapJQ8JVoF8oWH1AgfQ&r=rYfqH_8oTvcXxRxUI3x3m3Y7Nwgir7tnuoGbdZsrUM4&m=JNf3m5hnFmqNtPeg1jSGdu7HtoLg22AeSNZSCt1DIyI&s=ShZnwZ_DkwyZWeLtggvlp6iWwXUefmA0pxFpOyLo56s&e= >> wrote: I think that has always been a problem with Cisco on our campus. I believe the last conversation I had with our SE about that said the 8.0 code had some improvements to client roaming addressing that. I just wouldn't trust using 8.0 code for another 6 months(my general wait time for bug fixes with Cisco) Sent via the Samsung Galaxy Mega(tm). Please excuse grammatical errors. -------- Original message -------- From: "Watters, John" Date:11/04/2014 9:05 PM (GMT-05:00) To: [email protected]<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__mailto-3AWIRELESS-2DLAN-40LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU&d=AAIF-g&c=6vgNTiRn9_pqCD9hKx9JgXN1VapJQ8JVoF8oWH1AgfQ&r=rYfqH_8oTvcXxRxUI3x3m3Y7Nwgir7tnuoGbdZsrUM4&m=JNf3m5hnFmqNtPeg1jSGdu7HtoLg22AeSNZSCt1DIyI&s=a1z_hKRXhyB5hlrjfosaxckFtP4HyRw1kl_SR86icM0&e= > Subject: Re: [WIRELESS-LAN] Client Roaming (or, Actually, Lack Thereof) I meant latching onto an AP not a controller. Sent from my iPhone > On Nov 4, 2014, at 8:01 PM, Watters, John > <[email protected]<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__mailto-3Ajohn.watters-40UA.EDU&d=AAIF-g&c=6vgNTiRn9_pqCD9hKx9JgXN1VapJQ8JVoF8oWH1AgfQ&r=rYfqH_8oTvcXxRxUI3x3m3Y7Nwgir7tnuoGbdZsrUM4&m=JNf3m5hnFmqNtPeg1jSGdu7HtoLg22AeSNZSCt1DIyI&s=rEhb1epnKQhIP1Sh0j5806cAZEt68GjiaSC4u_1s3uk&e= > >> wrote: > > We use both. Band select does seem to help push users to 5 GHz but doesn't > seem to have any effect on our problem with latching onto a controller and > not wanting to until after hell has frozen over. > > Load balancing does not seem to have an effect that we notice. Maybe I need > to look for a DEBUG that give me some insight into load balancing. > > Sent from my iPhone > > On Nov 4, 2014, at 7:09 PM, Kitri Waterman > <[email protected]<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__mailto-3Akitri-40UOREGON.EDU&d=AAIF-g&c=6vgNTiRn9_pqCD9hKx9JgXN1VapJQ8JVoF8oWH1AgfQ&r=rYfqH_8oTvcXxRxUI3x3m3Y7Nwgir7tnuoGbdZsrUM4&m=JNf3m5hnFmqNtPeg1jSGdu7HtoLg22AeSNZSCt1DIyI&s=_qIB3gkHei_9W-XC3FFaznsvwsKXTmRpq1J4uf0dlZA&e= > > ><https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__mailto-3Akitri-40UOREGON.EDU&d=AAIF-g&c=6vgNTiRn9_pqCD9hKx9JgXN1VapJQ8JVoF8oWH1AgfQ&r=rYfqH_8oTvcXxRxUI3x3m3Y7Nwgir7tnuoGbdZsrUM4&m=JNf3m5hnFmqNtPeg1jSGdu7HtoLg22AeSNZSCt1DIyI&s=_qIB3gkHei_9W-XC3FFaznsvwsKXTmRpq1J4uf0dlZA&e= > >> wrote: > > Hey John, > > Is this with Load Balancing and/or Band Select enabled on your WISM2's? > > There was some positive talk here awhile back about how far both features > have come and also client support for them. > > We're just beginning to test both features in our shop. > > Kitri Waterman > -- > Network Engineer (Wireless) > Information Services > University of Oregon > > > > On 11/4/14 1:22 PM, Watters, John wrote: > > We have a continuing problem with clients devices which refuse to move to an > AP that provides a much better signal. For example, students entering a > classroom typically have at least one WiFi device active when they enter the > room (e.g., their phone) and maybe more (e.g.,, tablet, laptop, etc). As has > been the case for years, the default client behavior seems to continue to be > to hold on to the original AP association until it becomes unusable, then > move to the best signal for where they currently are. I know that recent > Windows machines have settings to control how aggressive the radio is in > moving to a better AP. Surely UNIX-based machines can also do the same. We > encourage our laptop users to take advantage of a more aggressive setting. > And, we use the Cisco load-balancing stuff to also try to help. > > But, we still see the problem. > > Now, we are getting complaints about phones (iPhones & Android). users cannot > infinitely wander around a residence hall or Greek house without getting > small breaks in service (about 1 second or less) when they finally move from > one AP to one with a much stronger (and clearer) signal. > > Does anyone know anything else we can try to encourage client devices > (tablets, laptops, and phones) to change APs more aggressively? > > We are a Cisco shop using WiSM2 controllers (7.6.120.0 & 7.6.130.0) with > 5,000 APs of various models (1131, 1142, 2602, 2702, and a few 3502 & 3602s). > > > Thanks for any help/advice you can offer. > > > -jcw > <mime-attachment.jpg> > > John Watters The University of Alabama > Office of Information > Technology > 205-348-3992 > > ********** Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE > Constituent Group discussion list can be found at > https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.educause.edu_groups_&d=AAIF-g&c=6vgNTiRn9_pqCD9hKx9JgXN1VapJQ8JVoF8oWH1AgfQ&r=rYfqH_8oTvcXxRxUI3x3m3Y7Nwgir7tnuoGbdZsrUM4&m=JNf3m5hnFmqNtPeg1jSGdu7HtoLg22AeSNZSCt1DIyI&s=jtNP8KPhpoA9JTHA15kIpturBNr4YhfZLSpZEKfDlVw&e= > . > > ********** Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE > Constituent Group discussion list can be found at > https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.educause.edu_groups_&d=AAIF-g&c=6vgNTiRn9_pqCD9hKx9JgXN1VapJQ8JVoF8oWH1AgfQ&r=rYfqH_8oTvcXxRxUI3x3m3Y7Nwgir7tnuoGbdZsrUM4&m=JNf3m5hnFmqNtPeg1jSGdu7HtoLg22AeSNZSCt1DIyI&s=jtNP8KPhpoA9JTHA15kIpturBNr4YhfZLSpZEKfDlVw&e= > . > > ********** > Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE Constituent > Group discussion list can be found at > https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.educause.edu_groups_&d=AAIF-g&c=6vgNTiRn9_pqCD9hKx9JgXN1VapJQ8JVoF8oWH1AgfQ&r=rYfqH_8oTvcXxRxUI3x3m3Y7Nwgir7tnuoGbdZsrUM4&m=JNf3m5hnFmqNtPeg1jSGdu7HtoLg22AeSNZSCt1DIyI&s=jtNP8KPhpoA9JTHA15kIpturBNr4YhfZLSpZEKfDlVw&e= > . > ********** Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE Constituent Group discussion list can be found at https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.educause.edu_groups_&d=AAIF-g&c=6vgNTiRn9_pqCD9hKx9JgXN1VapJQ8JVoF8oWH1AgfQ&r=rYfqH_8oTvcXxRxUI3x3m3Y7Nwgir7tnuoGbdZsrUM4&m=JNf3m5hnFmqNtPeg1jSGdu7HtoLg22AeSNZSCt1DIyI&s=jtNP8KPhpoA9JTHA15kIpturBNr4YhfZLSpZEKfDlVw&e= . ********** Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE Constituent Group discussion list can be found at https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.educause.edu_groups_&d=AAIF-g&c=6vgNTiRn9_pqCD9hKx9JgXN1VapJQ8JVoF8oWH1AgfQ&r=rYfqH_8oTvcXxRxUI3x3m3Y7Nwgir7tnuoGbdZsrUM4&m=JNf3m5hnFmqNtPeg1jSGdu7HtoLg22AeSNZSCt1DIyI&s=jtNP8KPhpoA9JTHA15kIpturBNr4YhfZLSpZEKfDlVw&e= . ********** Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE Constituent Group discussion list can be found at https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.educause.edu_groups_&d=AAIF-g&c=6vgNTiRn9_pqCD9hKx9JgXN1VapJQ8JVoF8oWH1AgfQ&r=rYfqH_8oTvcXxRxUI3x3m3Y7Nwgir7tnuoGbdZsrUM4&m=JNf3m5hnFmqNtPeg1jSGdu7HtoLg22AeSNZSCt1DIyI&s=jtNP8KPhpoA9JTHA15kIpturBNr4YhfZLSpZEKfDlVw&e= . ********** Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE Constituent Group discussion list can be found at http://www.educause.edu/groups/.
