Wireless load balancing across bands
A technique for wireless load balancing involves providing a wireless infrastructure that creates a target band option and helps push clients toward that band. An example of a method according to the technique involves, by way of example but not limitation, responding only to probe requests on a first band when a client is detected on the first band and a second band. For example, using the techniques described herein, a platform that is both 802.11a and 802.11b/g compliant may attempt to connect preferentially to the 802.11b/g band of a wireless network, and be migrated toward the 802.11a band instead.
1. A method comprising:
receiving from a wireless device a first probe request on a first band and a second probe request on a second band;
responding to the first probe request on the first band;
refusing to respond to the second probe request on the second band;
wherein responding to the first probe request and refusing to respond to the second probe request creates an impression at the wireless device that a first service set identifier (SSID) is unavailable on the second band;
wherein, in response to a received strength signal indicator (RSSI) on the first band dropping below an acceptable signal threshold:
responding to a third probe request on the second band;
refusing to respond to a fourth probe request on the first band;
wherein the responding to the third probe request and refusing to respond to the fourth probe request creates an impression at the wireless device that a second SSID is unavailable on the first band.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising connecting the wireless device to a wireless network on the second band if a received strength signal indicator (RSSI) on the first band is below an acceptable signal threshold.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising connecting the wireless device to a wireless network on the first band after creating the impression at the wireless device that the first SSID is unavailable on the second band.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first SSID and the second SSID are identical.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the refusing to respond to the second probe request is in response to congestion on the second band.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the refusing to respond to the second probe request is in response to detection of a stronger signal on the first band than on the second band.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the refusing to respond to the second probe request is an attempt to load balance across the first band and the second band.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining that the first band is a target band using available data.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising selecting the first band as a target band.
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising accepting input that the first band is a target band.
11. A system comprising:
memory having executable modules stored therein;
a processor coupled to the memory and capable of executing the executable modules stored in the memory;
a first radio, coupled to the memory, associated with a first wireless band;
a second radio, coupled to the memory, associated with a second wireless band;
said memory including:
a received strength signal indicator (RSSI) module for determining a first signal strength of a platform on the first wireless band and a second signal strength of the platform on the second wireless band;
a targeting module for determining that the first wireless band is a target band;
a service set identifier (SSID) forwarding module for responding to the platform on the target band;
wherein, in operation, the platform is unaware the second band is available and accordingly connects on the first band.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the platform is capable of connecting on either the first band or the second band.
13. A system comprising:
means for receiving from a wireless device a first probe request on a first band and a second probe request on a second band;
means for responding to the first probe request on the first band;
means for refusing to respond to the second probe request on the second band;
wherein responding to the first probe request and refusing to respond to the second probe request creates an impression at the wireless device that a first service set identifier (SSID) is unavailable on the second band;
wherein, in response to a received strength signal indicator (RSSI) on the first band dropping below an acceptable signal threshold:
responding to a third probe request on the second band;
refusing to respond to a fourth probe request on the first band;
wherein the responding to the third probe request and refusing to respond to the fourth probe request creates an impression at the wireless device that a second SSID is unavailable on the first band.
14. The system of claim 13 , further comprising means for connecting the wireless device to a wireless network on the second band if a received strength signal indicator (RSSI) on the first band is below an acceptable signal threshold.
15. The system of claim 13 , further comprising means for connecting the wireless device to a wireless network on the first band after creating the impression at the wireless device that the first SSID is unavailable on the second band.
16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the first SSID and the second SSID are identical.
17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the refusing to respond to the second probe request is in response to congestion on the second band.
18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the refusing to respond to the second probe request is in response to detection of a stronger signal on the first band than on the second band.
19. The system of claim 13 , wherein the refusing to respond to the second probe request is an attempt to load balance across the first band and the second band.
20. The system of claim 13 , further comprising means for determining that the first band is a target band using available data.
21. The system of claim 13 , further comprising means for selecting the first band as a target band.
22. The system of claim 13 , further comprising means for accepting input that the first band is a target band.