Wi-Fi Humor

Just a humorous conversation to share about a dual band Wi-Fi network that consisted of outdoor mesh and indoor access points:

Me and a co-worker were troubleshooting an issue on the 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi when I just randomly asked him a question.


"What happens during the open authentication process?"

and he just stared at the table...

so I explained the frames and the information element exchanged during that process and what was  advertised in the probe response and access point beacons. 

The information element advertises the data rates available on a particular Wi-Fi network. Data rates are 

controlled by a type of modulation that provides the data rates. If there are no data

rates advertised, then there are no modulation types offered that are

compatible with your device in order for your device to associate to. 

If you can’t associate, then you probe another available option immediately.
(Such as the 5GHz network).

Then he just randomly says, “Well, once the phone associates to the 5GHz radio, it might try

to roam to the 2.4GHz radio during a phone call and drop the call”.

So…. I reply, “Your controller based network is equipped with Fast BSS

Transition, CKM, Neighbor Messages, and neighbors sharing their neighbor

messages. Your phones will know all of the great places to roam to and the

places they cannot roam to, way before they ever roam”.


His reply….. “I don’t think that’s right”.😖


Moral of the story- If you are going to troubleshoot any technical project, please know the technology you are 

working on.


Brett Hill - CWNE #147