Configuring Band-steering

[kevin_tyler_685]

When configuring Band-steering, what are the recommended settings to get client devices to connect at 5GHz over 2.4GHz. As Im finding that even with band-steering enabled and setting "set band-steering wlan31 1" and leaving wlan1 at (default) 20. The dual band clients are still connecting at 2.4GHz. Are there any good examples to setup band-steering and understanding at what levels should in fact be used for the different VLANs between 2.4GHz and 5GHz?

[monnat_systems]

Hi Kevin,

Band-steering is ON by default when ZD is in place and need enabling when AP is in a standalone mode.

VLAN's does not come into picture when it comes Bandsteering.

Dual band clients are still connecting at 2.4GHz and there are reasons why this may be happening:

1. possible wrong bandsteering configuration when AP is in standalone mode.
2. dual band devices's preffered band is 2.4 ghz hence would be adamant to go to 5ghz. need to check in WNIC config to see if that is the case or not.

hope this helps.

[kristijan_fabin]

..and if you turn ON "band balancing" in ZD, band-steering goes off

[bill_burns_6069]

Kevin:

If I'm not mistaken:
The command you're referencing (set band-steering wlan31 1)
is a command that is run on the AP itself and not on the controller.

FYI:
Configurations/Commands of that type are lost after any AP reboot, which would include firmware updates.
If you can achieve your band-steering goal via controller based configs, that would be preferrable.

I don't know how it works if you attempt to configure band steering both from the controller and directly from the AP but:

I believe that "band balancing" is the same thing as "band steering", just that the feature was renamed going from one Ruckus firmware version to the next.
So, turning on "band balancing" should turn on "band steering".

This contradicts what Kristijan said.

If anyone has authoritative information, please let me know and/or correct me on this point.

Thanks.

[monnat_systems]

its the same as it does what Band steering does: Here is some text from 9.8 release notes

5.1.11. Client Band Balancing “Intelligent Band Steering”

Band Balancing steers clients towards the less utilized radio band on dual
radio APs. This option is configurable and allows optimal use of WiFi
spectrum by load balancing across the 2.4 and 5 GHz radios.