So What Is Smartroam?
We all take for granted as we drive along the highway that our cell phones will seamlessly transition from one cell base station to another. We are only aware of it when it doesn’t happen! Depending on the technology, this transition is taking place between the base stations. Garden variety 802.11 doesn’t take care of the passing off of moving clients between access points very well; dropped connections or long delays are common. The 802.11r standard promises to alleviate the issues but requires functionality in the client and the access point to work. Years ago, the Lantronix engineers decided to create a solution for this that was client based only and implemented it in the MatchPort family of modules. SmartRoam, as it is called, continuously tracks the signal strength of nearby access points and prevents any disruption in the wireless connection by proactively managing a smooth, automatic transition to the access point with the strongest signal. This provides enhanced mobility within a building or warehouse and ensures uninterrupted connectivity to the wireless network without degrading the application performance.