NetworkManager Will Now Roam For WiFi Signals More Aggressively

[phoronix]

Phoronix: NetworkManager Will Now Roam For WiFi Signals More Aggressively

NetworkManager has shifted its threshold for a weak WiFi signal for when to begin searching for other WLAN networks. Up to now NetworkManager used a -80dBm threshold for when to roam for other network signals while now that has changed to find hopefully stronger network signals sooner...

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=NetworkManager-Roam-Aggressive

[linuxgeex]

I sure hope that it keeps some statistics about its success rates so it's not madly hopping AP's pointlessly.

It would also be great if the Wifi stack got smart enough to split a 2x2 into 2 1x1's when the signal is weak so it can test roam with one while keeping the current connection with the other, or allow bridging them on the 2.4 and 5gHz STA's of the same router, for robustness, if not for higher bandwidth.

There's times of day here when 5gHz is spectacularly faster than 2.4, but at about 5pm the 5gHz often disappears due to all the neighbour traffic and the 2.4 becomes more reliable because it's at a full 1W (27dBm) while the 5gHz is at 50mW... welcome to Canada.

[grigi]

Wow, in South Africa the legal limit is 200mw and 100mw. So 5GHz is pretty much always superior.
But nobody enforces the limits, so one can easily get 1W radios, especially in the Amateur Radio circles...

[Peter Fodrek]

Phoronix: NetworkManager Will Now Roam For WiFi Signals More Aggressively

NetworkManager has shifted from a -80dBm threshold to -70dBm. This shift for background scanning of other WiFi networks puts it in line with the default for Apple's iOS as well as Intel's IWD Linux code. The Android threshold is -73dBm.
http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?pag...oam-Aggressive

What about Microsoft Windows? Is there such threshold and at which level.

[carewolf]

I must be missing something: Why not scan at the lower levels but just pick the stronger signal?

[gQuigs]

I must be missing something: Why not scan at the lower levels but just pick the stronger signal?

I believe if you are scanning you can't do as much (or maybe any?) actual network traffic.

[carewolf]

I believe if you are scanning you can't do as much (or maybe any?) actual network traffic.

My laptop always get a longer and longer list of neighbour networks even after connected to my regular one, so it must also work passively. Though perhaps only on the same band.

[Jabberwocky]

Wow, in South Africa the legal limit is 200mw and 100mw. So 5GHz is pretty much always superior.
But nobody enforces the limits, so one can easily get 1W radios, especially in the Amateur Radio circles...

Very few people know what the limits are. Buying 1W radios are legal and using it under certain conditions for unlicensed operators is also legal.

ICASA's rules are quite complicated and, to my knowledge, have not been updated in many years. That said, according to "The Radio Frequency Spectrum Regulations of 2015 (Government Gazette No. 38641)" For wireless the 2.4GHz (2400-2483.5Mhz) has a limit of 100mW EIRP. For wireless the 5.8Ghz is more complicated...

• Part1 (5150-5350Mhz) has a limit of 200mW EIRP and only allowed indoor
• Part2 (5470-5725Mhz) has a limit of 1W EIRP
• Part3 (5725-5875Mhz) has a limit of 4W EIRP (1W radio output power) and many strange/obvious/complex rules that goes with this one.

These are all rules for unlicensed operator. If you are a certified SARL member you are allowed to do more. If you license a band you are allowed to do more. If you bribe someone you get unlimited power! In a country where 58 people are killed per day things like these doesn't really matter.

Most devices (which are approved by ICASA) have default radio power set to 100mW and use 6 to 10 dBi antennas, which violates ICASA's EIRP standards.

Back on topic, I like this change. I would have loved it it was configurable though.

[SystemCrasher]

I sure hope that it keeps some statistics about its success rates so it's not madly hopping AP's pointlessly.

At -80 dBm most wireless radios I've seen would be in "barely works" state, losing numerous packets, it wouldn't reasonably support e.g, watching video, except maybe few lowest youtube resolutions. Granted roaming only happens if there is something better found, I'm not sure how it can make things worse. Though it also subject to SNR, in desert -80dBm would be survivable, but in typical city it means signal is badly damaged by nearby wi-fi signals so it rarely makes through and overall performance is utter crap.

[starshipeleven]

If you bribe someone you get unlimited power! In a country where 58 people are killed per day things like these doesn't really matter.

Does a country where 46 people are killed per day care about that? Because that's USA.