Method for providing steering in a Wi-Fi network
Various implementations described herein are directed to technologies for providing steering for devices of a Wi-Fi network. A steering operation to hand off a client from a first device of the Wi-Fi network to a qualified second device of the Wi-Fi network is initiated based on a performance factor. The steering operation from the first device to the second device is performed in a manner that avoids packet loss.
1. A method by an access point for providing steering for a client of a Wi-Fi network, comprising:
comparing an idle timer of the client to a steering idle timer;
pushing a media access control (MAC) address of the client to one or more wireless extenders based on the comparison;
receiving in response to the push a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) information;
determining from the one or more wireless extenders one or more qualified wireless extenders based on the RSSI information;
choosing from the one or more qualified wireless extenders a candidate wireless extender; and
starting the steering, wherein starting the steering comprises:
sending to the candidate wireless extender a pairwise transient key (PTK) of the client to bypass a four-way handshake process for seamless association, wherein the candidate wireless extender broadcasts a new service set identifier (SSID) by using a MAC address of the access point; and
determining that the client is capable of being steered to the candidate wireless extender.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein pushing the MAC address of the client to one or more wireless extenders comprises using an auto-push procedure.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein starting the steering comprises:
deleting the client from a client list, adding the client into a block list, and updating a last steering time based on the client being capable of being steered to the candidate wireless extender.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the steering idle timer is defined on a per user basis.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein starting the steering comprises:
sending an address resolution protocol (ARP) request to update an ARP subsystem interface.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising stopping handling traffic of the client.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving an acknowledgement from the candidate wireless extender.
8. An access point for providing steering for a client of a Wi-Fi network, comprising:
a memory storing one or more computer-readable instructions; and
a processor configured to execute the one or more computer-readable instructions to:
compare an idle timer of the client to a steering idle timer;
push a media access control (MAC) address of the client to one or more wireless extenders based on the comparison;
receive in response to the push a received signal strength indicator (RSSI);
determine from the one or more wireless extenders one or more qualified wireless extenders based on the RSSI information;
choose from the one or more qualified wireless extenders a candidate wireless extender; and
start the steering, wherein starting the steering comprises:
sending to the candidate wireless extender a pairwise transient key (PTK) of the client to bypass a four-way handshake process for seamless association, wherein the candidate wireless extender broadcasts a new service set identifier (SSID) by using a MAC address of the access point; and
determining that the client is capable of being steered to the candidate wireless extender.
9. The access point of claim 8 , wherein pushing the MAC address of the client to one or more wireless extenders comprises using an auto-push procedure.
10. The access point of claim 8 , wherein starting the steering comprises:
deleting the client from a client list, adding the client into a block list, and updating a last steering time based on the client being capable of being steered to the candidate wireless extender.
11. The access point of claim 8 , wherein the steering idle timer is defined on a per user basis.
12. The access point of claim 8 , wherein starting the steering comprises:
sending an address resolution protocol (ARP) request to update an ARP subsystem interface.
13. The access point of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the one or more computer-readable instructions to stop handling traffic of the client.
14. The access point of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to receive an acknowledgement from the candidate wireless extender.
15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium of an access point storing one or more computer-readable instructions for providing steering of a client of a Wi-Fi network, the one or more computer-readable instructions that when executed by a processor of the access point cause the access point to perform one or more operations comprising:
comparing an idle timer of the client to a steering idle timer;
pushing a media access control (MAC) address of the client to one or more wireless extenders based on the comparison;
receiving in response to the push a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) information;
determining from the one or more wireless extenders one or more qualified wireless extenders based on the RSSI information;
choosing from the one or more qualified wireless extenders a candidate wireless extender; and
starting the steering, wherein starting the steering comprises:
sending to the candidate wireless extender a pairwise transient key (PTK) of the client to bypass a four-way handshake process for seamless association, wherein the candidate wireless extender broadcasts a new service set identifier (SSID) by using a MAC address of the access point; and
determining that the client is capable of being steered to the candidate wireless extender.
16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein pushing the MAC address of the client to one or more wireless extenders comprises using an auto-push procedure.
17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein starting the steering comprises:
deleting the client from a client list, adding the client into a block list, and updating a last steering time based on the client being capable of being steered to the candidate wireless extender.
18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the steering idle timer is defined on a per user basis.
19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein starting the steering comprises:
sending an address resolution protocol (ARP) request to update an ARP subsystem interface.
20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the one or more computer-readable instructions when executed by the processor further cause the access point to perform one or more further operations comprising at least one of:
stopping handling traffic of the client; and
receiving an acknowledgement form the candidate wireless extender.