Connecting to strongest wifi access point

[RedMist]

I have two wifi access points in my house, due to thick walls.

When I turn on my phone it searches and connects to the first access point it finds, which is not necessarily the one with the strongest signal.

e.g.

I have one access point on channel 10 (lounge) and another on channel 1 (bedroom).

When I'm in the lounge it ALWAYS connects to the A/P in the bedroom, unless I actively "forget" that network, even though the signal strength of the one in the bedroom is VERY weak.

Is there a way to force it to pick the strongest A/P?

 

[RDKamikaze]

Amen!! I hate that sooo much!!! An app, a root fix, an ANYTHING would be super helpful!!

 

[RedMist]

I'm not the only one who finds this intensely annoying then!

 

[RDKamikaze]

No way dude, I hate going to my gf's apartment and having it connect to "linksys" in someone else's apartment. I have to "forget" it every time I go over there, but one of my friend's houses has his router name linksys so I have to discover it every time I go to his house too!!

Ughhhhh, auto-best connection app or root hack or fw update or some solution please come sooner than later!!

 

[daveotero]

+1

I have 2 access points same as the op. Pain in the ass.

 

[Demache]

Why don't you just set up the other AP as a repeater? Quite frankly settings up two seperate AP's is not the best way to handle it.

 

[RedMist]

Why don't you just set up the other AP as a repeater? Quite frankly settings up two seperate AP's is not the best way to handle it.

Well in my case the two AP's are too far apart. That's the problem. There's no wifi available between lounge and bedroom.

 

[Gnomad]

Do you have the same SSID assigned or are they set as bedroom and lounge for their respective SSID names? I would have them set with the same SSID and set on staggered channels.

 

[Martimus]

Wireless best practice (at least in the Cisco world) is to set up both AP's with the same SSID and on different channels. This way a wireless end user can move transparently between different AP's as they move to different parts of a building.

 

[hickersworld]

Wireless best practice (at least in the Cisco world) is to set up both AP's with the same SSID and on different channels. This way a wireless end user can move transparently between different AP's as they move to different parts of a building.

I agree and have 2 APs and one repeater setup this way, however it still means if my mobile can still see the weaker AP even though I've moved to the room with another AP with a much stronger signal it stays connected to the weaker one, using more power and giving poorer throughput.

My only (really annoying) fix at the moment is to manually switch WiFi off and on again.

If anyone does find soemthing that automates this please let me know.

 

[bhilgenkamp]

Has anyone found a solution to this?

 

[v8killah]

Bump. I'm having the same problem and have done extensive searching for a solution to no avail. I've tried no wifi security on both APs, but that didn't work. Both APs have the same SSID and I even bought two new APs of the same model, ensured that they have the same firmware version, etc. and that didn't work either.

 

[v8killah]

Can anyone please help? I have tried everything I can think of. Thanks

 

[v8killah]

We can't be the only ones having this problem. I've tried multiple Android devices on multiple wireless APs and routers to no avail. This seems to be an Android issue. Anyone else have any success with anything?

Thanks

 

[lisonw3]

We can't be the only ones having this problem. I've tried multiple Android devices on multiple wireless APs and routers to no avail. This seems to be an Android issue. Anyone else have any success with anything?

Thanks

You are not alone. I have an ADSL wireless router at the front of my house, and a wireless bridge in the middle of the house.

Different SSIDs, but on the same channel.

Basically, the programming for the app needs to say:
1) Scan all networks available, and list those above the 60% (or some other customizable) level,

2) look for the strongest signal in the list,

3) connect to the strongest signal.

To save battery, the scanning should be done after every 15 minute (or some other customizable) interval, also limit the maximum number of networks to 20.

 

[mcintg99]

Theres an app called wifi jumper which claims to be able to do this - anybody tried it?

 

[jerofld]

I'm curious, and don't know what phones you guys are using, but why not just make a shortcut to your wifi settings and tap connect on the stronger one? Not as useful as something that picks the stronger signal, I know, but I do this all the time. My phone shows signal strength and name and I can just tap it and tap connect, done. I don't have to delete connections or anything.

 

[poolguy]

Wifi Jumper works perfectly for strongest signal switching on my Incredible. Location based wifi toggling is also built into the app. Best buck I've spent on my phone.

 

[kingramon0]

I'm curious, and don't know what phones you guys are using, but why not just make a shortcut to your wifi settings and tap connect on the stronger one? Not as useful as something that picks the stronger signal, I know, but I do this all the time. My phone shows signal strength and name and I can just tap it and tap connect, done. I don't have to delete connections or anything.

You misunderstand the problem. I'm having the same issue.

I set up new APs at work, one in the IT lab and one in the lunch room. Both have SSIDs called "InternetCafe" that is open access for people during their breaks and for guests. When I move from the IT lab to the break room, I expect it to connect to the AP in the break room but it does not.

I can't do what you suggest, because if I go to the settings I will see a single entry for "InternetCafe" which it is already connected to. It won't show both APs and allow me to choose one. I can disconnect and reconnect, and that does make it connect to the stronger one, but it is really a pain.

It works as expected with laptops, but Android devices do not make the switch automatically. It looks like this has been a problem for years, so I don't understand why it has not been fixed yet.

 

[kingramon0]

Someone submitted the issue to Google. Maybe if we all go to this page and star it, they will pay attention to it: Issue 12649: WIFI roaming not working.

 

[eomer000]

I had this problem, and this free app, worked very well, I think this functionality should be standard in android, but for now this app works quite well while the phone is on. You simply set at what signal strength the app should look for a better connection at, then it chooses the the one that is highest.
My only problem is that I use my phone as a SIP phone receiving calls and this app doesn't run while the phone is sleeping, that means if I walk outside of the range of the AP my phone is connected to I won't get calls until my phone decides to reconnect on it's own, which sometimes doesn't happen, but usually takes a few minutes. The developer said he's look at it for me and see if he could get even this to work though.

 

[johnlgalt]

I'm looking into this app as well - Thanks eomer000 for the idea.

Best WiFi on Google Play Store

 

[NABERPS]

Hey... this app works perfectly...
THX

 

[NABERPS]

Has anyone found a solution to this?

BEST WIFI in google play

 

[andronik246]

BEST WIFI in google play

May it has been 2 years since this post.
But on Android KitKat, Best WiFi does not work.
Whatever I do when I place the minimum signal strength for switching from ona access point to another.. nothing happens! .. and I end up having to disable Wifi and reenable for it to connect to the strongest Access Point. It's a nuisance. What it does is load up a toaster message with the current signal strength (ie, from 0 to 10 .. being 10 the strongest)... but that is all. Anyway, the developer put the application freely so it doesn't look like there would be any update / fixed on that.

However, I did find a another application which is way better and has a complete adminsitration of your networks
WiFi Connection Manager
URL: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.roamingsoft.manager

The developer updated it just very recently: January 15th, 2015. (It might even work for Android Lollipop)

Basically what it does is : It shows every single network you've saved in your phone.
Plus it shows besides the current signal strength along with the Security Connection, and MAC Address.
As for Access Points it show as one merged network and subdivides them with different networks.

It gives the option of when should it switch (As a user you decide what is the appropriate strength for it to switch from / to the other AP), and for how many seconds should it test the signal strength.

I see it even has Root options.. These are just some of the basic functionalities I see.

It does have Ads, but the developer lets you disables them for a couple of days and the you disable them again.
I do not see a paid version, but that does not mean the developer has lost commitment to this application (as mentioned it was just recently updated)

Anyway.. Cheers to you all!