What is Wi-Fi roaming?
In one sentence: When a phone or laptop hops from one Wi-Fi base station to another as you move around, without picking a new network.
A little more
Roaming is when a phone or laptop switches from one Wi-Fi base station to another as you walk around, for example between the units of a mesh system, without you choosing a new network.
The device decides when to switch, not the router. Some devices hang on to a faraway unit with a weak signal for too long, and some older ones briefly drop off while switching. Routers can give hints and shortcuts (called 802.11k, v and r) to make the hand-over quicker.
It's a bit like… Passing a relay baton: the runner keeps going, but a clumsy hand-over can drop it for a moment.
See it in action
- 7Why does Wi-Fi get weaker through walls?Build a little house, drag the router around and watch the Wi-Fi signal spread room by room.7 min · interactive
- BonusWhy does the video call freeze when you walk to the kitchen?A phone holds one Wi-Fi box's baton at a time, and the phone decides when to pass it on.7 min · interactive
Do it for real
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