MK62 smart connect

[BabydD]

I just purchased the MK62 and already not liking it. Smart connect is not able to be disabled. My wifi connected devices are giving random speeds and I can tell that they are switching between the 2.4 and 5ghz connections. I called in to see if I can disable this stupid feature and they said that ALL their mesh routers (orbi's included) cannot have smart connect disabled.

[schumaku]

Modern wireless access points - no matter of they are configured to the same SSID or not - include IEEE_802.11k-2008 Radio Resource Management (RRM) which does bring information of neighbouring wireless stations to the client. This is what "Smart Connect" does.The client (not the Mesh system!!!) will decide on the best available access point (and SSID). If the 5 GHz connection is becoming weak, the clients will use the 2.4 GHz band.

[BabydD]

Yes, the client might decide that. However, the point I was making is that the ability to turn OFF smart connect is not available on any of the mesh nighthawks that netgear provides per the tech support representative. I can get an AX nighthawk and which would have that ability but I would also need to  purchase an additional MESH extender

[schumaku]

Look, for the first time in the 802.11 WiFi standards, with 802.11ax (WiFi 6) we have a design which is NOT designed for peak single client performance, but much more for enhanced concurrent usage. The MK62 we talk of here does inherit by far not the fastest WiFi 6 technology available, otherwise the low cost would not be possible. The key features are coverage and availability without much effort - no single client speed wonders. Taking the fact that most installations will have much more older standard wireless clients, even lower-end spec'ed WiFi 6, makes the MK62 (or MK63) kit a nice player.

Not having 802.11k RRM (Smart Connect) in place will lead to sticky clients: They won't change away from the "poor-but-long-reach" 2.4 GHz unless the signal and quality will go submerging - this will hit especially clients roaming into the coverage area of the network. That's certainly not what you are behind, too.

This is why all newer 802.11ac and WiFi 6 extender implementations make use of 802.11k RRM, too.

If there are to many clients falling over to 2.4 GHz, the mesh should be resized to a more dense set-up.

In my opinion, there is no reason for not operating anything from a single router with two (or three) radios, a small mesh, and up to large scale event location, hospitality, or enterprise class WiFi installations without 802.11k RRM aka. Smart Connect.

And no, I'm not Netgear - and known for not holding back with criticism where valid.

[BabydD]

what router would you recommend for peak throughput? My issue is that my wired speed was consistent at 275mbps but my wifi was peaking at 25mbps sometimes getting to 80mbps. This is standing INFRONT of the main router.