What is IEEE 802.11k/v Assisted Roaming?

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IEEE 802.11k and IEEE 802.11v are standards that enhance the roaming experience for wireless clients by optimizing how they connect to the best available Access Point (AP) during transitions.

• IEEE 802.11k: This standard enables clients to request a list of neighboring APs (called a neighbor list) from the currently connected AP. The list includes the best APs (up to six BSSIDs) based on the highest Received Channel Power Indicator (RCPI), with a ratio of 4 APs from the 5 GHz band and 2 APs from the 2.4 GHz band. This allows clients to discover the best AP to connect to during roaming.
• IEEE 802.11v: The BSS Transition Management feature in this standard allows an AP to share load information of neighboring APs with clients. This helps steer clients to a suitable AP based on performance or load balancing, optimizing roaming and ensuring a more stable connection.

Together, these features improve client roaming efficiency, providing a seamless and optimized wireless experience.