Smart Connect routers and Apple products

[Allograft]

Does anyone have any experience with these new Smart Connect routers? the ones with two 5Ghz networks and one 2.4 Ghz network. In theory, the router automatically moves the clients between the three networks to ensure performance and connectivity. This seems dependent on how well clients accept being moved from one network to another, so I was wondering if people have had experiences with these and how well they do with Apple products in real life. As it is, I often have to manually force my Macs and iOS devices to the 5Ghz network on my 6th gen Airport Extreme when they are in the same room, line of sight, within 10 yards, and with the 5Ghz network having a separate name with a earlier alphabetical letter (5Ghz network starts with "f" and 2.4 starts with "g" and being prioritized higher in the System Prefs-Network-Advanced-WiFi list). So given that is with Apple and Apple, I am skeptical as to how Apple would play with others. I'm not worried about how well the Apple products connect to the router, but rather how effectively the router's smart connect feature is able to shift Apple products across bands

 

[Weaselboy]

A lot of the newer wifi features such as MU-MIMO and others require a compatible client device to even do anything, but from what I have read about Smart Connect it would work with any client device and no special features need be present, so it should work with any Apple wifi device. The site Small Net Builder has had some articles on this in reviews of the newer AC3200 routers and it seems like the jury is still out on whether it provides a real world improvement.

 

[Allograft]

Ah yes, I am quite familiar with SNB. great place

 

[Born Again]

Long time lurker and fanboy here

I've never been so concerned about the future of Apple than I am now.

An iPhone 7 that is just a 6, a mouse that is useless when charged, a lipstick on a pig of a MacBook pro, and now my beloved airport.

The focus on the best of the best is gone .