AP6 6GHz and the band steering checkbox in Sophos Central

Hi Wayne Folta ,

Thank you for reaching out to the community, Only devices that support WiFi 6E can connect to the 6 GHz WiFi, devices that only support WiFi 6 can only use 2.4GHz and 5GHz WiFi.23

Yes, I get that part. The purpose of band steering, as I understand it, is to push devices towards the higher-speed band, when they are capable of both. This has historically been from 2.4GHz to 5GHz -- obviously only if the client supports 5GHz, and a client can push past the steering and insist on 2.4GHz operation if it wants (even if it's capable of 5GHz operation).

I was just wondering how this works in the Wifi 6E world of the 420E. Is it no longer operable? Does it only steer from 2.4GHz to 5GHz? Surely it wouldn't push 6GHz down to 5GHz, right? But would it steer 5GHz to 6GHz (assuming the client is capable of both)? I think I've read that there's some provision in the standards for clients to find Wifi 6E APs on the 5GHz band and then jump up to the 6GHz band, since the 6GHz space so large. (But this is not traditional band steering, which is more of a trick.)

Just saw the setting and it's phrased as old-school Wifi 5 and was wondering.

Yes, I get that part. The purpose of band steering, as I understand it, is to push devices towards the higher-speed band, when they are capable of both. This has historically been from 2.4GHz to 5GHz -- obviously only if the client supports 5GHz, and a client can push past the steering and insist on 2.4GHz operation if it wants (even if it's capable of 5GHz operation).

I was just wondering how this works in the Wifi 6E world of the 420E. Is it no longer operable? Does it only steer from 2.4GHz to 5GHz? Surely it wouldn't push 6GHz down to 5GHz, right? But would it steer 5GHz to 6GHz (assuming the client is capable of both)? I think I've read that there's some provision in the standards for clients to find Wifi 6E APs on the 5GHz band and then jump up to the 6GHz band, since the 6GHz space so large. (But this is not traditional band steering, which is more of a trick.)

Just saw the setting and it's phrased as old-school Wifi 5 and was wondering.