Adaptive client steering in an access point using a monitoring radio

A method comprising:

• receiving at a monitoring radio via a first antenna coupled to a first radio comprising a first radio attribute, a first client performance metric from a first client device, the first client performance metric comprising at least one of a received signal strength indicator (RSSI), client data rate, or link budget;
• receiving at the monitoring radio via a second antenna coupled to a second radio comprising a second radio attribute, a second client performance metric from a second client device the second client performance metric comprising at least one of RSSI, client data rate, or link budget,
• wherein the monitoring radio is configured to receive radio signals and is separate from the first radio and the second radio,
• wherein the monitoring radio monitors client attributes for one or more clients coupled to the first radio, using the first antenna and without using the first radio, including receiving the first client performance metric via the first antenna without using the first radio, and
• wherein the monitoring radio monitors client attributes for one or more clients coupled to the second radio, using the second antenna and without using the second radio, including receiving the second client performance metric via the second antenna without using the second radio;
• determining, based on the first client performance metric received at the monitoring radio via the first antenna without using the first radio, a first calculation of performance metrics assuming the first client device is coupled to the first radio;
• determining, based on the second client performance metric received at the monitoring radio via the second antenna without using the second radio, a second calculation of performance metrics assuming the first client device is coupled to the second radio;
• determining that the first radio will improve performance for the first client device by comparing the first calculation of performance metrics with the second calculation of performance metrics;
• and
• steering, based on the determining, the first device to the first radio.

Logic encoded in one or more non-transitory tangible media for execution and when executed operable to:

• receive at a monitoring radio via a first antenna coupled to a first radio comprising a first radio attribute, a first client performance metric from a first client device, the first client performance metric comprising at least one of a received signal strength indicator (RSSI), client data rate, or link budget;
• receive at the monitoring radio via a second antenna coupled to a second radio comprising a second radio attribute, a second client performance metric from a second client device the second client performance metric comprising at least one of RSSI, client data rate, or link budget,
• wherein the monitoring radio is configured to receive radio signals and is separate from the first radio and the second radio,
• wherein the monitoring radio monitors client attributes for one or more clients coupled to the first radio, using the first antenna and without using the first radio, including receiving the first client performance metric via the first antenna without using the first radio, and
• wherein the monitoring radio monitors client attributes for one or more clients coupled to the second radio, using the second antenna and without using the second radio, including receiving the second client performance metric via the second antenna without using the second radio;
• determine, based on the first client performance metric received at the monitoring radio via the first antenna without using the first radio, a first calculation of performance metrics assuming the first client device is coupled to the first radio;
• determine, based on the second client performance metric received at the monitoring radio via the second antenna without using the second radio, a second calculation of attributes performance metrics assuming the first client device is coupled to the second radio;
• determine that the first radio will improve performance for the first client device by comparing the first calculation of performance metrics with the second calculation of performance metrics;
• and
• steer, based on the determining, the first client device to the first radio.