How and When to Enable Client Match on Dell Networking Wireless Instant Access Points

Summary: How and When to Enable Client Match on Dell Networking Wireless Instant Access Points

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This article explains How and When to Enable Client Match on Dell Networking Wireless Instant Access Points.
 


Overview
 
  1. What is Client Match.
  2. When is it a benefit to enable Client Match.
  3. How to enable Client Match.
 
What is Client Match


Client Match allows the APs in a cluster to be divided into several logical AP RF neighborhood called domains, which share the same clients. The Virtual Controller determines the distribution of clients and balances client load across channels,regardless of whether the AP is responding to the wireless clients' probe requests.

The ARM client match feature continually monitors a client's RF neighborhood to provide ongoing client bandsteering and load balancing, and enhanced AP reassignment for roaming mobile clients. This feature supersedes the legacy bandsteering and spectrum load balancing features, which, unlike client match, do not trigger W-IAP changes for clients already associated to a W-IAP.
 

When is it a benefit to enable Client Match
 

When the client match feature is enabled on a W-IAP, the W-IAP measures the RF health of its associated clients. If one of the three mismatch conditions described below are met, clients are moved from one AP
to another for better performance and client experience. In the current release, the client match feature is supported only within a W-IAP cluster.

The following client or W-IAP mismatch conditions are managed by the client match feature:
 
  • Dynamic Load Balancing:   Client match balances clients across W-IAPs on different channels, based upon the client load on the W-IAPs and the SNR levels the client detects from an underutilized W-IAP. If a W-IAP radio can support additional clients, the W-IAP will participate in client match load balancing and clients can be directed to that W-IAP radio, subject to predefined SNR thresholds.
  • Sticky Clients:  The client match feature also helps mobile clients that tend to stay associated to a W-IAP despite low signal levels. W-IAPs using client match continually monitor the client's RSSI as it roams between W-IAPs,and move the client to a W-IAP when a better radio match can be found. This prevents mobile clients from remaining associated to an APs with less than ideal RSSI, which can cause poor connectivity and reduce performance for other clients associated with that W-IAP.
  • Band Steering:  W-IAPs using the client match feature monitor the RSSI for clients that advertise a dual-band capability. If a client is currently associated to a 2.4 GHz radio and the AP detects that the client has a good RSSI from the 5 GHz radio, the controller will attempt to steer the client to the 5 GHz radio, as long as the 5 GHz RSSI is not significantly worse than the 2.4 GHz RSSI, and the W-IAP retains a suitable distribution of clients on each of its radios.
 

 

NOTE:  Legacy 802.11a/b/g access points do not support the client match feature. When client match is enabled on 802.11n capable access points, the client match feature overrides any settings configured for the legacy bandsteering, station handoff assist or load balancing features. 802.11ac-capable access points do not support the legacy bandsteering, station hand off or load balancing settings, so these access points must be managed using client match.

 

 

NOTE:   Legacy client network cards do not support the advanced features (802.11k, 802.11v) to gather the required details in order to be compatible with the client match feature. If this is the case then enabling client match in your environment would not be a positive change.

 

How to enable Client Match
 

Client Match is disabled by default on the Instant Access Point.
  1. Click the RF link at the top right corner of the Instant main window.
  2. Click Show advanced options.  The ARM Tab details are displayed.
  3. Change the default "Disabled" to "Enabled" on the drop down option for Client Match:

 

Affected Products

W-IAP104/105, W-IAP108/109, W-IAP114/115, W-IAP134/135, W-IAP155/155P, W-IAP175P/AC, W-IAP204/205, W-IAP214/215, W-IAP224/225, W-IAP274/275, W-IAP3WN/P, W-IAP92/93
Article Properties
Article Number: 000120652
Article Type: How To
Last Modified: 16 Oct 2025
Version:  5
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