If you live or work in a space where multiple wireless connections are available, you may always want to connect to the strongest Wi-Fi network. However, manually switching between networks as you move around the place can be tiring. Fortunately, there is a better way. And with it, you can configure your Windows PC to scan and automatically switch to the strongest Wi-Fi network available.
To achieve this, you will have to make some changes to your network adapter and modify its Roaming Capability value. Basically, it will force Windows to connect to a stronger Wi-Fi network. Of course, this can be useful if you’re using a Windows laptop and tend to move around a lot.
In this post, we will walk you through the necessary steps to set up automatic network switching on Windows. So without further ado, let’s get down to business right away.
We used a Windows 11 PC to take screenshots for this article. However, you can follow the same steps on your Windows 10 PC to enable automatic network switching.
Configure Windows to automatically switch to the strongest Wi-Fi network
By default, Windows does not scan for other Wi-Fi networks if it is already connected to one. However, you can always change that behavior by modifying the properties of the network adapter.
Let Windows scan for other wireless networks
To enable automatic network switching, you need to first allow Windows to scan for other wireless networks even when connected to one. Here’s what you’ll need to do.
Step 1: Click the Search icon on the Taskbar or press the Windows key + S on your keyboard to open the Windows search menu. Type dashboard in the box and select the first result that appears.
Step 2: In the Control Panel window, access the drop-down menu in the top right corner to change the view type to small or large icon.
Step 3: Click on Network and Sharing Center.
Step 4: Click Change adapter settings on the left sidebar. This will open the Network Connections window.
Step 5: Right-click on the Wi-Fi adapter and select Status from the list.
Step 6: Next, click the Wireless Properties button.
Step 7: Under the Connections tab, check the box that says ‘Find other wireless networks while connecting to this network’. Then click OK to exit.
Once you complete the steps above, Windows will actively search for nearby Wi-Fi networks.
Modify aggressiveness when roaming
Roaming flexibility is how fast your device scans for nearby access points (APs) or network hotspots. To automatically switch to a stronger wireless network, you need to increase the Roaming Aggressiveness value for your Wi-Fi adapter. That said, your computer will constantly be looking for a better network, and that may slightly affect your laptop’s battery life.
The default value for Roaming Aggression is Medium. Setting it to the highest force the network adapter to look for other stronger connections even if the current network strength is sufficient.
To change the value of Roaming Aggressiveness on Windows, follow the steps below.
Step 1: Right-click the Start button or press Windows key + X to open the quick links menu. Then select Device Manager from the list.
Step 2: Double-click Network Adapters to expand it.
Step 3: Right click on your network adapter and select Properties.
Step 4: In the Properties window, switch to the Advanced tab.
Step 5: Under Properties, select Roaming Features. Then use the drop-down menu under Value to select Highest from the list.
Finally, click OK to save the changes.
Close the Device Manager window and restart your PC for the changes to take effect. Windows will then proactively scan for nearby network connections and switch to a stronger network when available.
One important thing to note is that Windows only considers signal strength during network switching. If you want to make sure that Windows only connects to your preferred wireless networks, you can consider changing the priority for saved Wi-Fi networks on Windows.
Seamless transition
There are also third-party apps and programs for Windows that can help you automatically switch to the strongest Wi-Fi network. In addition to automatic network switching, these apps let you add, manage, and remove your wireless connections easily. However, you should use the original options for as long as possible.
Enabling automatic network switching can help you avoid any internet problems caused by weak signal strength or random disconnections. However, if you are experiencing slow internet speeds on Windows despite a stable signal strength, you may want to fix the problem immediately.
Categories: How to
Source: thpttranhungdao.edu.vn/en/
