[SOLVED] 802.11r/k/v compatibility between brands

[oakserver]

Hi, I can't find much information regarding the 802.11k 802.11r and 802.11v protocols relating to roaming using different brands of wifi access point.

Is it possible to mix brands that claim to be 802.11k/v/r compatible and still enjoy seamless handoff for client devices roaming between compatible access points?

For instance can I set up a TP-Link Deco in downstairs and upstairs perhaps a Google Wifi unit upstairs with 802.11k/v/r working for seamlesss networking.

I realise you can have a number of AP's using the same SSID which generally works - but without these protocols the transition tends to be slower and often wifi calls and alike drop momentarily.

Thanks is advance

 

[kanewolf]

Hi, I can't find much information regarding the 802.11k 802.11r and 802.11v protocols relating to roaming using different brands of wifi access point.

Is it possible to mix brands that claim to be 802.11k/v/r compatible and still enjoy seamless handoff for client devices roaming between compatible access points?

For instance can I set up a TP-Link Deco in downstairs and upstairs perhaps a Google Wifi unit upstairs with 802.11k/v/r working for seamlesss networking.

I realise you can have a number of AP's using the same SSID which generally works - but without these protocols the transition tends to be slower and often wifi calls and alike drop momentarily.

Thanks is advance

Roaming between WIFI is always a gamble. I don't know of any legitimate tests of this configuration.

 

[bill001g]

Although people seem to talk about this all the time there is almost no need for true seamless roaming. Stop/start the wifi client will force a switch and most times you do not lose session or anything because the ip does not time out. This is good enough for most peoples needs.

This is one of those I can see the idiot watching netflix on his phone and falling down the stairs in his house. Maybe the lack of roaming for home users is to protect idiots from themselves.

The one application that we used to try to get this to work for years ago was VoIP. It was a massive pain and required you load clients and they only worked on certain phones. The cell phone companies finally got smart and went to unlimited minute plans even for corporate. The modern solution is to put microcells in buildings and use a actual system that was designed from the start to be mobile. The other advantage is you just outsourced it all to the telco.

The only case I can see for wifi calling might be international calling but that is a pretty niche case to have to setup a whole system for. Other than this I can't see a realistic need for true seamless roaming.

Part of the reason for the confusion in those protocols is that they support enterprise mode. In these cases I can't see it would be possible not to have everything from one vendor. This is not the simple case of preshared keys but you now have the complexity of radius servers. Generally there is a central server need so it can prepush the keys to the AP you are going to switch to.

I suspect in theory it could be supported between vendors but to find it in consumer grade equipment is much less likely. Most idiot consumers would not even know what a AP is much less which one their device hooked to. You just put a big sticker on it that says MESH and some flashy leds and they are happy.

I know cisco still supports all this but because they also allow roaming to outside networks like cell networks and also support actual IP subnet changes for example as you roam between floors in a large building. There stuff although it uses things like 802.11kr etc seams to have proprietary extensions. It is still outrageously expensive.

 

[gggplaya]

Although people seem to talk about this all the time there is almost no need for true seamless roaming. Stop/start the wifi client will force a switch and most times you do not lose session or anything because the ip does not time out. This is good enough for most peoples needs.

This is one of those I can see the idiot watching netflix on his phone and falling down the stairs in his house. Maybe the lack of roaming for home users is to protect idiots from themselves.

The one application that we used to try to get this to work for years ago was VoIP. It was a massive pain and required you load clients and they only worked on certain phones. The cell phone companies finally got smart and went to unlimited minute plans even for corporate. The modern solution is to put microcells in buildings and use a actual system that was designed from the start to be mobile. The other advantage is you just outsourced it all to the telco.

The only case I can see for wifi calling might be international calling but that is a pretty niche case to have to setup a whole system for. Other than this I can't see a realistic need for true seamless roaming.

Part of the reason for the confusion in those protocols is that they support enterprise mode. In these cases I can't see it would be possible not to have everything from one vendor. This is not the simple case of preshared keys but you now have the complexity of radius servers. Generally there is a central server need so it can prepush the keys to the AP you are going to switch to.

I suspect in theory it could be supported between vendors but to find it in consumer grade equipment is much less likely. Most idiot consumers would not even know what a AP is much less which one their device hooked to. You just put a big sticker on it that says MESH and some flashy leds and they are happy.

I know cisco still supports all this but because they also allow roaming to outside networks like cell networks and also support actual IP subnet changes for example as you roam between floors in a large building. There stuff although it uses things like 802.11kr etc seams to have proprietary extensions. It is still outrageously expensive.

I realize this is a super old thread. After the pandemic hit, my company switched to Microsoft Teams from Skype we were using before because 90% of the office was working remote. Now, instead of using our cell phones, since all the remote people have conferencing headsets, we all call each other on teams. I'm still in the office, and sometimes walk around with my airpods and take calls with the teams mobile app while roaming around the large office building on wifi. Handoffs work great. This is encouraged by the company since we're global and have to constantly collaborate with our European counterparts. Saves a ton on international calling to get your employees into the mindset of using teams instead of their cell phones.

 

[kanewolf]

I realize this is a super old thread. After the pandemic hit, my company switched to Microsoft Teams from Skype we were using before because 90% of the office was working remote. Now, instead of using our cell phones, since all the remote people have conferencing headsets, we all call each other on teams. I'm still in the office, and sometimes walk around with my airpods and take calls with the teams mobile app while roaming around the large office building on wifi. Handoffs work great. This is encouraged by the company since we're global and have to constantly collaborate with our European counterparts. Saves a ton on international calling to get your employees into the mindset of using teams instead of their cell phones.

Your company may have spent tens of thousands on Cisco, or some other managed WIFI implementation that can assist with roaming.