PCAP Series #5 — Why clients won't move to 6 GHz
"The 6 GHz radio is idle. The 2.4 GHz radio is at 87% utilisation. Band steering is enabled. Something in the protocol is blocking the move." ·
Step 1 — Is RNR enabled?
Reduced Neighbor Report IE in the 2.4/5 GHz Beacon. If absent, clients have no way to know there is a 6 GHz option. Enable RNR in the AP config first — everything else is secondary.
Step 2 — Is BTM firing?
BTM Request Action Code 7. If followed by BTM Response Status=1, client refused. Check whether the candidate AP list includes the 6 GHz BSSID.
Step 3 — WPA3 block
6 GHz requires WPA3-only (MFPR=1). If the client RSN capabilities show MFPC=0, it cannot associate to the 6 GHz SSID. Band steering to 6 GHz is blocked by a security gap. Most common 6 GHz migration failure in mixed WPA2/WPA3 environments.
Most common chain
RNR not enabled → client never learns about 6 GHz → stays on 2.4/5 GHz permanently. Enable RNR first.