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>In theory, WiFi can do this too.

WiFi actually can't do this. It's a shame, but fully network-directed roaming is not a thing in 802.11 yet, and I don't know when it's going to bother to show up.

The major protocol extensions you can use are 802.11k, 802.11r, and 802.11v. They have a compounding increase in roaming performance in roughly that level of significance.

802.11k is a pure win. It should always be used.

802.11r is hit or miss. When it works, roaming can take under 10ms. When it doesn't, you disassociate entirely and reconnect. I have an SSID with it enabled but never use it.

802.11v is a pure win, but not very well supported.

I use Cisco hardware specifically for this feature set, but I can't really say I recommend it. I kinda hate the controller software, and it's licensed separately. Cheap hardware on eBay though.



Thanks!

Do those extensions require client support, and if so, is it supported by consumer devices?


Yes.

iOS supports them all: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202628

Mac OS doesn't support any of them (much to my chagrin).

On Windows, it has to be implemented by the driver. I suggest using Intel: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000...

With Android, it's hit or miss. All modern flagships support them AFAIK. Going back in time, it's limited to premium vendors. I'd expect the majority of devices to support 802.11k, although they're quiet about it. You'd have to check logs on your AP (if available) to determine if it's in use.




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