I have replaced a RB951Ui-2HnD with wAP ac. The device is working as AP bridge on 2GHz and as AP on 5GHz. It is configured as CAP. As the station is placed behind some obstacles I need to use full power on 2GHz. Most clients are Apple devices which are pretty slow on 2GHz as they refuse to use 40MHz, so I want them to use 5 GHz if available.

When I use same SSID on 2GHz and 5GHz clients connect to 2GHz only as TX power on 2GHz is higher. Now I use different SSID but clients do not automatically switch to 5GHz when they were connected to 2GHz before. Any way to accomplish this?

Easy: Make a new password for the 2,4 GHz and they will not be able to connect to it.

But understand, that WiFi is BOTH ways: you an set kilowatts of power for sending, (to overcome walls, obstacles etc.....) but the little iPhone has still the miserable 17 dBm output and a miserable antenna. So the "return path" is NOT amplified. That is why you get bad results.

Make sure that the clients are in direct visibility of the AP. That is a basic requirement for ANY vendor.

Hmm - you mean I should use same SSID but different password? That won't help really.

I am in the need of a high performance PtP link (wAP ac to RB951G) to another building. I know that my indoor clients would be better served with something like 17db only. That is why I started to use the wAP ac: If available all clients should use 5GHz. Unfortunately 5GHz does not work very well through walls. Thus I need the clients to use 2GHz in other rooms where 5GHz is unavailable.

I don't have problems with bad wireless performance but I have a problem with clients choosing 2GHz first instead of 5GHz due to different SSID and due to higher power on 2GHz.

I don't know if someone has a good idea how to force clients to use 5GHz instead of 2GHz.

On the same SSID/password you cannot force this.

BTW - if you need high performance link, you should really go for a dedicated outdoor PtP link, and separate AP's inside.

Hmm - you mean I should use same SSID but different password? That won't help really.

I am in the need of a high performance PtP link (wAP ac to RB951G) to another building. I know that my indoor clients would be better served with something like 17db only. That is why I started to use the wAP ac: If available all clients should use 5GHz. Unfortunately 5GHz does not work very well through walls. Thus I need the clients to use 2GHz in other rooms where 5GHz is unavailable.

I don't have problems with bad wireless performance but I have a problem with clients choosing 2GHz first instead of 5GHz due to different SSID and due to higher power on 2GHz.

I don't know if someone has a good idea how to force clients to use 5GHz instead of 2GHz.

Hello!

Probably these settings will do:
/caps-man access-list add interfaces=all mac-address-mask=aa:bb:cc:00:00:00 ssid-regexp="aaa|a-2g|etc" action=reject ## this is for Apple devices NOT to use SSID-s on 2GHz
/caps-man access-list add interfaces=all mac-address-mask=aa:bb:cc:00:00:00 ssid-regexp="bbb|b-5g|etc" action=accept ## this is for Apple devices to use SSID-s on 5GHz

This presumes the following:
1) you have separate SSID's for 2GHz and 5GHz networks, if not, then probably the interface=distinct-CAP-interface option will be needed, and maintained for all CAP devices!
2) you know the MAC address mask of the clients (aa:bb:cc:00:00:00 is NOT the correct mask for Apple devices, it is just an example!) However, if you do not know the MAC address mask of the clients in need of 5GHz network, then the separate SSID network architecture is the better way to go! (Or better: more AP devices in the right places to have sufficient 5GHz connectivity in every room...)

Regards!

I think I am stuck between the desired and the posibble.

To cut it short: The only reason I was in need for 5GHz is the Apple TV - due to Apple's policy to reject using 40MHz channel width on 2GHz. I live in a pretty calm environment and don't have problems with noise.
So the wAPac resides in my living room next to the window. The PtP-2GHz link to another building with obstacles en route works like before (RB951Ui). The 5GHz link for my wireless devices works like charme but unfortunately does not work in my kitchen next door to my living room. I have another 2GHz (RB2011) in place to cover all rooms at my home but due to the need of different SSID's for 2GHz and 5GHz the roaming does not work as smooth as it did with a 2GHz only environment. So I maybe I better stick to my good old 2GHz devices and forget about the 5GHz stuff until I move to another house without walls...

Using an outdoor device is a bad idea imho as there are no actual 2GHz devices and I would face pretty heavy cabling issues.