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So I have a WIFI/client application which has some specific issues, in that several devices need to absolute priority.

Fortunately, i'm able to prevent MOST devices from joining the network, but I need to be able to further prioritize traffic, in order to avoid interference for the main priority app.

  1. are there particular methods in Wifi APs which would allow me to set a QOS level for particular MAC IDs, prevent lower priority devices from having any preference, etc?

  2. is there a particular class or series of AP which I should be considering to gain higher control over the network?

Currently we're running both 2.4 and 5ghz, are running on some ENgenius and Ruckus devices. However, I' wondering if there are different classes of APs which offer more 'under the hood' management?

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    First, doing anything based on a MAC address is pretty pointless because it is so easy to spoof a MAC address. Second, You can set QoS on the layer-3 packet, but it sounds like you want a non-existent layer-2 frame QoS. The 802.11 protocol requires fair sharing of the airwaves, and it requires devices to yield to other devices wanting to use the airwaves. Only one device at a time can use a frequency. That medium belongs to everybody. Commented Nov 13, 2016 at 18:27
  • I was afraid that would be the answer.... :( Commented Nov 13, 2016 at 18:44
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    There are QoS mechanisms for wireless, but only if the client agrees to use them. You are at the mercy of unmanaged clients who don't play by the rules. Commented Nov 13, 2016 at 19:05
  • How would one impliment the QoS for wifi? is this an app which the client needs to run? Is it something which can be implemented on iOS devices? Commented Nov 13, 2016 at 19:34
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    Many (wired) APs at low power serving as few devices (small physical areas) as possible would be one approach to minimizing airwave contention. It's also general good wifi design practice. Commented Nov 13, 2016 at 22:51

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There is a QoS implementation in WiFi networks called WMM. You can classify your traffic into 4 different categories. In bigger wireless environments like with the Cisco Wireless Lan Controller (WLC) you can create an SSID, assign it a priority (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum) and set the policy for WMM to required. This means, that all devices that join this network must understand and support WMM. Not all devices do. Activating WMM does however reduce the maximum throughput of your network. It introduces mini pauses in short intervals where noone in the network is allowed to speak expect somone having latency sensitive traffic (like voice).

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