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Knowledge document #3593

Wireless device does not connect to the optimal Mesh Repeater

Although wireless devices actively transmit data, they do not select the closest Mesh Repeater (FRITZ!Box, FRITZ!Repeater, or FRITZ!Powerline device with Wi-Fi function) in the FRITZ! Mesh but connect to a Mesh Repeater that is located farther away instead.

1 Checking whether Mesh Wi-Fi steering is supported

The FRITZ!Box can only use Mesh Wi-Fi steering to steer wireless devices to a different Mesh Repeater if they support the wireless standards 802.11k and 802.11v:

  1. Click "Wi-Fi" ("Wireless") in the user interface of the Mesh Master.
  2. Click "Wi-Fi Network" ("Radio Network") in the "Wi-Fi" ("Wireless") menu.
  3. In the list "Known Wireless Devices", click the (Edit) button next to the wireless device you want to configure.

    Important:The FRITZ!Box only displays wireless devices in the list that are currently connected with the FRITZ!Box. Make sure that the respective wireless device is located inside the range of the FRITZ!Box's Wi-Fi.

  4. Check whether the entries "11k" and "11v" are displayed in the section "Wi-Fi connection" by your wireless device under "Signal properties".
  5. If the entries "11k" and "11v" are displayed, then the respective wireless device supports Mesh Wi-Fi steering. In this case, proceed as described in the section "Setting up FRITZ! Mesh for Mesh Wi-Fi steering".
      If the entries "11k" and "11v" are not displayed, then the respective wireless device does not support Mesh Wi-Fi steering. In this case, proceed as described in the section "Configuring a separate Wi-Fi network for Mesh Repeaters".

2 Setting up FRITZ! Mesh for Mesh Wi-Fi steering

The Mesh Master can seamlessly steer wireless devices that support Wi-Fi Mesh Steering to another Mesh Repeater or to the other frequency band if required. Normally wireless devices comply with this request:

  1. Set up FRITZ! Mesh as described in the guide Optimizing the Wi-Fi network of the FRITZ!Box.

3 Configuring a separate Wi-Fi Network for a Mesh Repeater

The Mesh Master cannot steer wireless devices that do not support Mesh Wi-Fi steering. To connect these devices with a specific Mesh Repeater you must disable the adoption of settings on the Mesh Repeater and give it its own Wi-Fi network name:

Disabling the adoption of settings in the Mesh Repeater

  1. Click "Access to Home Network" in the user interface of the Mesh Repeater. If you are using a FRITZ!Box as the Mesh Repeater:
    1. Click "Home Network" and then "Mesh".
    2. Click on the "Mesh Settings" tab.
  2. Disable the option "Adopt settings enabled".
  3. Click "Apply" to save the settings.

Giving the Mesh Repeater a new Wi-Fi network name

  1. Click "Wi-Fi" ("Wireless") in the user interface of the Mesh Repeater.
  2. Click "Wi-Fi Network" ("Radio Network") in the "Wi-Fi" ("Wireless") menu.
  3. Enter a unique name in the field "Name of the Wi-Fi network (SSID)".
  4. Click "Apply" to save the settings. All Wi-Fi connections to the Mesh Repeater are cleared when you apply the new Wi-Fi network name.

Now the Mesh Repeater makes its own Wi-Fi network with its own Wi-Fi network name available and you can specifically connect wireless devices to the new Wi-Fi network. Wireless devices that have the access information for both wireless networks decide themselves which Wi-Fi network to connect to. The Mesh Master can no longer steer devices that are connected with the new Wi-Fi network.

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