Triggering terminal roaming by access point
This application relates to the communications field, and in particular, to a method for triggering terminal roaming by an access point (AP) and an access point. In the method, a first AP sends, by using a first channel, a unicast channel switching message to a first terminal associated with the first AP, where the unicast channel switching message is used to instruct the first terminal to switch from the first channel to a second channel, a receiver address of the unicast channel switching message is an address of the first terminal, the first channel is an operating channel of the first AP, and the second channel and the first channel are different; and retains the first channel as the operating channel of the first AP after the unicast channel switching message is sent. According to the method, a process of associating with a new AP can be simplified.
1. A method for triggering terminal roaming by an access point (AP), the method comprising:
sending, by a first AP over a first channel, a unicast channel switching message to a first terminal associated with the first AP, wherein the unicast channel switching message instructs the first terminal to switch from the first channel to a second channel, a receiver address of the unicast channel switching message is an address of the first terminal, the first channel is an operating channel of the first AP, and the second channel and the first channel are different;
retaining the first channel as the operating channel of the first AP after the unicast channel switching message is sent;
receiving, by the first AP, an instruction message sent by a second AP, wherein the instruction message instructs a second terminal associated with the second AP to switch to the first channel, the instruction message comprises a basic service set identifier (BSSID) of the second AP and an address of the second terminal, and an operating channel of the second AP and the first channel are different; and
sending, by the first AP, a simulation beacon frame to the second terminal at a first power by using the first channel, wherein the simulation beacon frame is a beacon frame sent by the first AP by simulating the second AP by using the BSSID of the second AP, and the first power is less than a default transmit power of the first AP.
2. An access point (AP) comprising:
a processor; and
a memory storing instructions that when executed configure the processor to:
send, over a first channel, a unicast channel switching message to a first terminal associated with the AP, wherein the unicast channel switching message instructs the first terminal to switch from the first channel to a second channel, a receiver address of the unicast channel switching message is an address of the first terminal, the first channel is an operating channel of the AP, and the second channel and the first channel are different;
retain the first channel as the operating channel of the AP after the unicast channel switching message is sent;
receive an instruction message sent by a second AP, wherein the instruction message instructs a second terminal associated with the second AP to switch to the first channel, the instruction message comprises a basic service set identifier (BSSID) of the second AP and an address of the second terminal, and an operating channel of the second AP and the first channel are different; and
send a simulation beacon frame to the second terminal at a first power by using the first channel, wherein the simulation beacon frame is a beacon frame sent by the first AP by simulating the second AP by using the BSSID of the second AP, and the first power is less than a default transmit power of the first AP.
3. An access point (AP) comprising a transceiver and a processing circuit, wherein:
the processing circuit is configured to:
send, by using the transceiver and a first channel, a unicast channel switching message to a first terminal associated with the AP, wherein the unicast channel switching message instructs the first terminal to switch from the first channel to a second channel, a receiver address of the unicast channel switching message is an address of the first terminal, the first channel is an operating channel of the AP, and the second channel and the first channel are different;
retain the first channel as the operating channel of the AP after the unicast channel switching message is sent;
receive an instruction message sent by a second AP, wherein the instruction message instructs a second terminal associated with the second AP to switch to the first channel, the instruction message comprises a basic service set identifier (BSSID) of the second AP and an address of the second terminal, and an operating channel of the second AP and the first channel are different; and
send a simulation beacon frame to the second terminal at a first power by using the first channel, wherein the simulation beacon frame is a beacon frame sent by the first AP by simulating the second AP by using the BSSID of the second AP, and the first power is less than a default transmit power of the first AP.