Wifi 5/2.4G selection

Technical Support
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1

Hello,

If there are 5GHz and 2.4GHz networks with the same SSID, how does the chip selects which network to connect with? Channel? Rssi? Something else?

How can we influence this selection? (e.g. make it connect to 2.4 GHz only if 5GHz is not visible?)

One possible workaround is to scan first, and only then connect, but it takes at least 4 seconds longer to do that, and if possible I’d like not have to scan first.

Kind Regards,
Radek

2

Hi @Radoslaw_Rogowski,

You can try to make the 5GHz and 2.4GHz networks different SSID. Configure in your router.

That way won’t have any conflicts.

Thank you.

3

Hello,

Thank you for the suggestion, but that doesn’t answer any of my questions.
I’m looking for BW16 / RTL8720DN related answers only.
Changing SSIDs is not a possibility.

Kind Regards,
Radek

4

Hi @Radoslaw_Rogowski ,

Would like to clarify with you if your use case is to automatically reconnect to the 2.4GHz, in case 5GHz is no longer available.

Thank you.

5

Yes. Look up the channel. some channels are allocated to 5.6.

Unsure if you can negotiate channel and prefer 5.6G
But you can assert the channel.

6

Hello @Kelvin_Huang

First and foremost I want to understand how the device selects to which network it will connect after only ssid+password is given in a complex environment (multiple APs, multiple channels, 2.4GHz, 5GHz).
After that I’ll probably won’t like the answer :slight_smile: and will want to influence how the selection is done (if possible).

if your use case is to automatically reconnect to the 2.4GHz, in case 5GHz is no longer available

that is one of the use cases, but not the only one (multiple APs with the same SSID is equally if not more important).

@Benjamin_Gatti
I know I can have the channel after scanning, or after connection, but that’s not the point of this question.

7

I solved this preference by choosing the channel manually.
Presumably, it is possible to identify the least used channel and choose one in your preferred band.
The point is that the channel dictates frequency, and it can be set.

8

My use case is bw16 acting as STA.

I solved this preference by choosing the channel manually.

The AP is selecting the channel, not the STA. Or you mean that you scanned first, and then used scan data to select bssid to connect with?

10

I don’t know what is used by rtl by default,
but in the SDK I’ve found “EXAMPLE_WIFI_CONNECTION_PRIORITY” with supposedly lets me define my own selection.