How to Implement Band Steering in Standalone Mode for Zyxel APs?

Zyxel_Jami

Band steering is a feature designed to guide dual-band client devices towards the faster and less congested 5 GHz Wi-Fi band. While native Band Select functionality is not supported in Standalone mode for Zyxel Access Points, you can implement alternative strategies to encourage clients to prefer the 5 GHz band.

1. Configure a Dedicated 5 GHz SSID
   • Create a separate Service Set Identifier (SSID) exclusively for the 5 GHz band.
   • This allows users to manually select the 5 GHz network on their dual-band devices, providing a clear option for preferring the higher frequency.
2. Optimize Transmit Power Differentials
   • Adjust the output power settings to favor the 5 GHz band.
   • Lower the transmit power of the 2.4 GHz radio to reduce its effective range and signal strength.
   • Recommendation: Configure the 5 GHz radio transmit power to be at least 5 dBm higher than that of the 2.4 GHz radio for optimal performance and to encourage client steering.