Sticky Clients and Minimum Basic Rate
A client walks between two access points and clings to the far one at a low data rate. See why a −72 dBm roaming threshold makes clients sticky, and how AP power and the Minimum Basic Rate move the point where they roam.
How to use this tool controls and what to look for
Press Walk and follow a client from AP1 to AP2. Then change the AP power and the Minimum Basic Rate and see where it roams.
Controls to change
- Presets: compare Sticky: 20 dBm, MBR 6 with MBR 24 only, MBR 36 and Tuned: 16 dBm, MBR 36.
- AP transmit power (both APs): lower it to shrink both cells.
- Minimum Basic Rate: raise the lowest rate an AP will accept, from 6 Mbps up to 48 Mbps.
- Roam margin: change how much stronger the new AP must be before the client moves.
- Client spatial streams: compare a 1-stream and a 2-stream client.
- Walk: start the walk. Reset takes the client back to AP1.
What to look for
- With high AP power and a low basic rate, the client holds on to AP1 at a very low data rate, long after AP2 is better.
- A higher Minimum Basic Rate forces the client off AP1 sooner, but it can also cause drop-outs if coverage is thin.
- Lower AP power and a higher basic rate together move the roam point to the middle, near the best spot.
About this tool
A Wi-Fi client, not the access point, decides when to roam, and many only start looking when the signal gets quite weak. This simulator walks a client between two APs so you can see it cling to a distant AP at a low data rate while a better one is right next to it, and how AP transmit power and the Minimum Basic Rate (MBR) change where it finally roams.
What you'll learn
- Why clients stick to a distant access point
- How the roaming threshold and AP transmit power move the roam point
- What the Minimum Basic Rate does, and what it doesn't
- What actually fixes sticky clients: design, 802.11k/v and client settings
Common questions
What is a sticky client?
A device that stays connected to a distant access point with a weak signal and low data rate, even though a closer AP would give it a much better connection.
What is the Minimum Basic Rate?
The lowest data rate an AP requires. Beacons and other management frames are sent at it, and clients that can't decode it can't join, so raising it shrinks the cell's usable edge.
Does raising the MBR fix sticky clients?
It helps by making the far edge of each cell unusable, pushing clients to roam sooner. Values of 12 or 24 Mbps are common in dense designs; check coverage at the edges before changing it.
Free for private and educational use. This interactive model is a simplified teaching aid and may contain mistakes. It is provided as is, without warranty. Use it to understand the concepts, not as a substitute for a site survey, vendor documentation or professional design advice.