DE102022122559A1 - Device, computer program and method for a wireless network - Google Patents

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a device (300), a computer program and a method (100) for a wireless network and for controlling a connection of a client (210) to a wireless network with multiple access points (221, 222). The method (100) includes establishing (110) a first connection (231) between the client (210) and a first access point (221) of the wireless network and obtaining (120) information about a load on the first access point (221). The method (100) further comprises lowering (130) a signal strength of the first connection (231) through the wireless network based on the information about the load, for aborting the first connection (231) based on the signal strength of the first connection (231) and for Establishing a second connection (232) between the client (210) and a second access point (222) of the wireless network based on a signal strength of the second connection (232).

Description

Embodiments of the present invention relate to an apparatus, a computer program and a method for a wireless network. In particular, embodiments relate to a concept for controlling a client's connection to a wireless network with multiple access points.

Wireless networks play an important role, particularly in telecommunications applications. Wireless networks can also have several access points, e.g. so-called “gateways”, “access points” or “hotspots”, via which a client (e.g. a terminal device) can connect to the wireless network. In practice, clients connect to an access point that provides the best signal. However, the signal strength and/or signal quality of the connected access point may then deteriorate, in some cases to such an extent that the connection quality is no longer sufficient to carry out the desired applications. Clients tend to remain connected to the original access point. This phenomenon is also known as “stick clients”. This can lead in particular to poorer transmission rates or loss of information/data.

When multiple and/or data-intensive applications use the same access point, this can cause the access point to become overloaded, causing queuing delays, packet loss, and/or blocking of new connections.

There is therefore a need to provide an improved concept for controlling a client's connection to a wireless network with multiple access points. The subject matter of the attached claims takes this need into account.

Embodiments are based on the knowledge that clients can be designed such that they select one of several access points for connection to a wireless network depending on a signal strength. In practice, for example, a client selects the access point that provides the highest signal strength to the client. A fundamental idea of the present disclosure is to exploit this to avoid or resolve undesirably high workloads or overloads of an access point. According to the present disclosure, it is proposed to initiate a restoration of the connection between the client and the wireless network, so that the client's connection to a first access point is aborted and the client selects a second access point to restore the connection to the wireless network based on the signal strength. Embodiments are also based on the knowledge that breaking off an existing connection to the first access point and restoring the connection to the wireless network or the second access point can be achieved by the first access point temporarily or permanently lowering the signal strength for the connection to the client , so that this connection breaks down and the client selects one of the access points to connect to the wireless network based on their signal strength. In the event of an undesirably high utilization or overload of an access point, clients can be switched to another access point with a higher signal strength and the utilization of the (first-mentioned) access point can be reduced. So-called “stick clients”, i.e. subscribers who are connected to an access point that offers an undesirably low or insufficient signal strength, even though another access point with a higher signal strength is available, can be moved to change the access point in favor of a lower utilization of the access point become.

Embodiments provide a method for a wireless network with multiple access points and for controlling a connection of the wireless network to a client. The method includes establishing a first connection between the client and a first access point of the wireless network and obtaining information about a load on the first access point. The method further includes lowering a signal strength of the first connection through the wireless network based on the information about the load, for aborting the first connection based on the signal strength of the first connection and for establishing a second connection between the client and a second access point of the wireless network based on a signal strength of the second connection. This allows a signal strength-based restoration of the connection to be achieved in order to reduce the load on the first access point and to achieve higher connection quality.

The information about the utilization indicates, for example, whether the first access point is overloaded. Lowering the signal strength can occur in the case when the first access point is overloaded. This means that overloading of the first access point can at least be alleviated or, at best, resolved.

Optionally, the information about the utilization can be information about an impending outage specify the location of the first access point. This allows, for example, the client to be moved to change the access point early or before an overload occurs in accordance with the procedure in order to avoid an undesirably high utilization of the access point.

In some embodiments, the information about the upcoming utilization indicates, for example, a change in the utilization over time.

In some exemplary embodiments, the information about an impending load can indicate a time when the first access point is overloaded. In this case, the signal strength can be lowered based on the time of overload. The time of the overload makes it possible, for example, to cause the client to change the access point according to the procedure before the expected overload occurs in order to at least mitigate or at best prevent the expected overload.

Lowering the signal strength can include lowering the signal strength of the first connection below a predetermined threshold, so that the client aborts based on a comparison of the threshold with the signal strength of the first connection. The threshold value can be adjusted in such a way that the first connection breaks off as soon as the signal strength falls below this. In this case, the threshold value serves, for example, to determine the signal strength so that the signal strength does not have to be reduced excessively to abort the connection, for example to "zero" for the connection to be aborted, in order not to unnecessarily impair or abort any other connections of the first access point.

Optionally, the signal strength can be reduced gradually.

Correspondingly, lowering the signal strength includes, for example, lowering the signal strength by a predetermined first value, checking whether the first connection has been broken, and further lowering the signal strength by a predetermined second value if the connection has not been broken. A person skilled in the art who benefits from knowledge of the present disclosure will appreciate that a step size corresponding to the first and/or second value can be adjusted as desired. Larger step sizes can ensure that the first connection is aborted more quickly, while smaller step sizes can ensure that the signal strength in favor of other connections of the first access point is reduced less than is necessary for the first connection to be aborted. The gradual lowering thus allows the lowering to be adapted to any preferences.

Optionally, the signal strength can be reduced to “zero”. For this purpose, lowering the signal strength includes, for example, deactivating the first access point to terminate the first connection. For this purpose, for example, a transmitter and/or receiver of the first access point is switched off. This can ensure that all clients reconnect and, if necessary, connect to a different access point on the wireless network in order to achieve an optimal or better connection in the sense of the approach described. Additionally, disabling it can result in energy savings.

In practice, lowering the signal strength includes, for example, temporarily lowering the signal strength for a predetermined period of time. This has the advantage that the first access point is available again with the original signal strength after the predetermined period of time.

As a rule, the method results in the client connecting to another access point after the first connection to the first access point has been aborted. The first and second access points are, for example, different access points of the wireless network.

In the event that the first access point already provides sufficient signal strength or connection quality among the access points and the signal strength is only temporarily reduced, it may happen that the first connection breaks down and the client connects again when the second connection is established connects to the first access point, although the utilization of the access point can be at least temporarily reduced until then. It should therefore be noted that in some cases the second access point can also correspond to the first access point.

In other exemplary embodiments, the signal strength can also be permanently reduced. In order to permanently relieve the load on the access point, this can prevent the client from reconnecting to the same access point as described above.

The procedure can also provide for further changes to the access point that are not (exclusively) caused by the utilization of the access point.

For example, the method may further include obtaining information about at least one event in an environment of the wireless network, and lowering the signal strength may include lowering the signal strength based on the information about the event. This allows, for example, the connection to be restored to optimize or improve the connection quality on or after predetermined events that make a change from the first to the second access point particularly useful. This can avoid further inconvenient reconnections in favor of fewer interruptions in the connection between the wireless network and the client.

Optionally, the signal strength can be lowered repeatedly at regular intervals. This can ensure that the client is regularly connected to a cheaper or the cheapest access point.

In some applications, it may be desired for the client to switch from the first access point to the second access point due to signals, for example if the first connection has insufficient signal quality and/or signal strength for a particular purpose and/or if one or more access points are available to the client that provide higher signal quality and/or signal strength than the first access point. To take such situations into account, the method may further include obtaining information about a signal quality and/or signal strength of the first connection and lowering the signal strength may include lowering the signal strength based on the information about the signal quality and/or signal strength. The information about the signal quality and/or signal strength allows it to be assessed whether changing from the first access point to the second access point makes sense. As those skilled in the art will understand, this allows less sensible changes to be avoided in favor of fewer connection interruptions, for example if the first access point offers sufficient and/or higher signal strength than the second access point.

Further embodiments provide a computer program comprising instructions that, when the program is executed by a computer, cause it to carry out the method described herein.

Other embodiments provide a wireless network device with multiple access points and for controlling a connection of the wireless network to a client. The device includes one or more interfaces for communication and a data processing circuit which is set up to carry out an embodiment of the method proposed herein using the one or more interfaces.

• 1 ein Flussdiagramm zur schematischen Darstellung eines Ausführungsbeispiels eines Verfahrens für ein Drahtlosnetzwerk mit mehreren Zugangspunkten und zum Steuern einer Verbindung des Drahtlosnetzwerks mit einem Client;
• 2 schematisch einen Anwendungsfall des vorgeschlagenen Verfahrens; und
• 3 ein Blockdiagramm zur schematischen Darstellung eines Ausführungsbeispiels einer Vorrichtung für ein Drahtlosnetzwerk mit mehreren Zugangspunkten und zum Steuern einer Verbindung des Drahtlosnetzwerks mit einem Client.

Exemplary embodiments are explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying figures. Show it:

• 1 a flowchart schematically illustrating an embodiment of a method for a wireless network with multiple access points and for controlling a connection of the wireless network to a client;
• 2 schematically an application case of the proposed method; and
• 3 a block diagram schematically illustrating an embodiment of a device for a wireless network with multiple access points and for controlling a connection of the wireless network to a client.

Various embodiments will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some embodiments are shown. In the figures, the thickness dimensions of lines, layers and/or regions may be exaggerated for clarity.

According to existing concepts, a wireless network is not able to cause stick clients that are “stuck” at a non-ideal access point to optimize the connection quality. Therefore, it can be seen as an object of the present disclosure to take this problem into account.

The 1 illustrates a flowchart for schematically illustrating an embodiment of a method 100 for a wireless network with multiple access points and for controlling a connection of the wireless network to a client.

As can be seen from the flowchart, the method 100 includes establishing 110 a first connection between the client and a first access point of the wireless network (if the first connection does not already exist). Setting up 110 includes, for example, exchanging corresponding signals and/or messages to set up 110 the first connection.

A connection can be established in accordance with the IEEE 802.11 standard. For example, the client sends a so-called “Probe Request” with information about a so-called “Service Set Identifier (SSID)” and supported transmission speeds to the first access point. The first access point then evaluates the information sent to it and checks whether it can meet the parameters required by the client resulting from the probe request and responds with a so-called “probe response”. The probe response contains, for example, information about an SSID, supported transmission speeds, country information, permitted channels, permitted transmission power and supported encryption. The probe response allows the client to determine what connection quality the first access point offers. In practice, the client can determine the connection quality, for example, based on the signal strength of the probe response. For wireless networks with multiple access points, this allows the client to determine the connection quality of multiple access points and select an access point that provides sufficient or the highest connection quality to connect to the wireless network. For example, in the scenario described herein, the first access point provides the highest connection quality, so the client chooses the first access points to connect to the wireless network. To establish 110 the first connection, the client and the first access point can also exchange an authentication request and a subsequent authentication response as well as a corresponding association request.

For some clients, after establishing the (initial) connection, the connection quality may deteriorate and/or the connection quality provided by other access points of the wireless network may improve. In practice, this is the case, for example, if the client (relative to the access point) changes its position and/or disruptions occur that affect the established connection. As a result, the connection quality of the established connection can decrease to such an extent that it is lower than a connection quality that one or more other access points of the wireless network offer. The client can still hold on to the established connection despite the poorer connection quality. As mentioned above, this phenomenon is known as “stick client/s”. The client is then “sticky” to a suboptimal access point. This prevents the client from connecting to an access point that offers a higher connection quality. In certain use cases, this can even result in a desired application not being able to run and/or loss of information.

In addition, undesirably high utilization or overloading of the first access point can occur if the first access point is used by additional clients or several applications. An idea underlying the present disclosure is therefore to encourage the first client and/or further clients to change the access point in order to relieve the load on the first access point.

For this purpose, the method 100 provides for obtaining 120 information about the utilization of the first access point. The information about the utilization indicates, for example, a measure of the utilization compared to a maximum utilization of the access point (before the congestion occurs). Alternatively, the information may also contain any other information or indication that indicates a measure of utilization. Optionally, the information about the utilization can also indicate whether the first access point is overloaded and/or to what extent the first access point is overloaded. Those skilled in the art having knowledge of the present disclosure will appreciate that utilization or overload can be determined in various ways. The utilization or overload can be determined, for example, by means of interface monitoring via Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), flow monitoring (NetFlow), packet recordings, tests with traffic generation and/or active measurement sampling systems. In particular, utilization or overload can be determined based on packet losses. An undesirably high utilization or overload can be determined. For example, in the context of the present disclosure, an access point may be considered overloaded when it is carrying more data than it can handle, e.g., when there are too many requests that the access point cannot handle at a given time or the quality of service is below capacity due to utilization a desired dimension falls. When there is congestion, the wireless network can apply various congestion control measures. These include: exponential backoff in protocols like CSMA/CA in 802.11 and similar CSMA/CD in original Ethernet, window reduction in TCP, and fair queuing in devices like routers and network switches. Other techniques that address congestion include priority schemes, which transmit some higher priority packets before others, and the explicit allocation of network resources to specific flows through the use of admission control.

In order to relieve the load on the first access point, it is suggested to have the client change the access point. For this purpose, the method 100 sees a lowering 130 of a signal strength of the first connection through the wireless network based on the information about the load to abort the first connection based on the signal strength of the first connection and to establish a second connection between the client and a second access point of the wireless network based on a signal strength of the second connection. For example, the signal strength is reduced to such an extent that the first connection breaks off and the client is thus prompted to establish the second connection. As one skilled in the art who benefits from the present disclosure will understand, the signal strength can be lowered to such an extent that the client cannot receive and/or process signals from the first access point with the lowered signal strength. For example, if the client does not receive a signal from the first access point for a certain “time-out period,” the first connection will drop and cause the client to reconnect to the wireless network. To lower 130 the signal strength, a general signal strength of the first access point, i.e. the signal strength of all signals, or specifically the signal strength of connection-specific signals of the first connection can be lowered. In the context of the present disclosure, the signal strength can be understood in particular as a signal strength of signals from the first access point measured on or by the client. As those skilled in the art will understand, to lower 130 signal strength, for example, an output power of signals from the first access point may be reduced.

When establishing the second connection, the client proceeds, for example, in the same way as when establishing the first connection in order to select a (preferred) access point of the wireless network for the second connection based on signal strength. In the example mentioned here, among the access points of the wireless network, the second access point, for example, has the highest connection quality or signal strength. Accordingly, the client chooses the second access point for the second connection. By lowering 130 the signal strength, the client is prompted to connect to an access point that has a higher or the highest connection quality. This not only ensures that the client or other (stick) clients are connected to the optimal access point. In this way, a relief of the first access point can also be achieved in order to reduce the utilization of the access point (to a desired or tolerable level).

In order to reduce the load by a desired level, the signal strength of several clients that are connected to the first access point can, for example, be reduced until so many clients have broken off the connection to the first access point that an acceptable load is achieved .

In practice, the lowering 130 may occur when the first access point is overloaded to counteract the overload.

In some embodiments, the workload information may indicate information about impending workload. For example, upcoming utilization is an expected utilization in the future. An underlying insight is that the workload in some applications is predictable. In passenger aircraft, for example, increased utilization of the access point in the entrance area of the passenger aircraft to which clients connect during boarding can be expected during or immediately after boarding. In office environments, for example, increased workload can be expected at a certain start of work. Accordingly, the information indicates, for example, when undesirably high utilization or overload is to be expected. In the examples mentioned, the information indicates, for example, a time of boarding or starting work. This allows the client or clients to change the access point in accordance with the procedure if undesirably high utilization or overload is to be expected. Referring to the examples mentioned, the client can then be prompted to change the access point, for example during or immediately after boarding or starting work.

The information about the upcoming utilization can, for example, be based on user input or be determined based on a history of the utilization.

Optionally, the information about the upcoming utilization indicates information about a change in the utilization over time. The information includes, for example, a time profile of the expected upcoming workload. This allows applications to control the workload more precisely by causing clients to change access points according to the proposed method.

The information about an impending load optionally indicates a time when the first access point is overloaded. Lowering the signal strength can then be done based on the time of overload. In practice, based on the time point, the first access point can be relieved preventively, i.e. before the overload occurs, in accordance with the proposed method in order to prevent or mitigate the impending overload. Accordingly, the signal strength can be reduced before the time at which overload is expected in order to relieve the first access point and avert the overload.

A wireless network can be understood as any wireless local area network (WLAN) with multiple access points. In the context of the present disclosure, the wireless network may also be referred to as “WiFi”. The wireless network can in particular be designed according to a standard from the IEEE 802.11 family. The (wireless) access points, also known as “access points” (AP), “hotspots” or “base stations”, can be any wireless interface for the client. In practice, these include, for example, a wireless network router. As the person skilled in the art will understand, the client can be understood as any device which is designed for wireless connection to the wireless network. In practice, the client is or includes, for example, a mobile phone, a computer, a tablet, a smartwatch or the like.

When carrying out the proposed method, the signal strength is preferably not reduced to “zero” in order not to disconnect any existing connections from the first access point to other clients. In some applications, however, it can also be intended that the signal strength is reduced to “zero”. For this purpose, the first access point can be deactivated/deactivated, for example. For example, one or more transmitters and/or receivers of the first access point can be switched off or the sending and/or receiving of signals can be stopped. This makes it particularly reliable to ensure that the first connection breaks off. Disabling it can also result in energy savings.

In exemplary embodiments, the signal strength can only be temporarily reduced in order to then provide a desired higher signal strength again. One can speak of a temporary signal reduction in the WiFi for hotspot optimization. For this purpose, the signal strength can be reduced for a predetermined period of time. The signal strength is then raised again, for example, to the initial level of the signal strength before it was lowered. This has the advantage over a permanent reduction in the signal strength that the first access point will later be available again for connections to the wireless network with the same or even higher signal strength as before this was lowered. Those skilled in the art who will benefit from the present disclosure will appreciate that the predetermined period of time can be chosen to ensure that the first connection breaks down. For this purpose, the period can be chosen so that it is at least as long as or longer than the time-out duration mentioned above. In exemplary embodiments, the predetermined period of time is, for example, between 1 and 60 seconds. In other embodiments, the predetermined period of time can also be shorter or longer.

In practice, the signal strength can be reduced below a predetermined signal strength threshold, which indicates the signal strength below which the client terminates a connection to one of the access points. The threshold value corresponds, for example, to a minimum signal strength value that is necessary or desired for communication between the client and the wireless network. The client can then abort the first connection if the signal strength falls below the predetermined threshold. In exemplary embodiments, the threshold value and the signal strength can be communicated with the wireless network so that the signal strength can be reduced in a targeted manner. The signal strength can, for example, be reduced just enough for the first connection to break off so as not to lower the signal strength any further than necessary. This allows, for example, connections of the first access point with other clients not to be unduly affected.

Optionally, the signal strength can also be reduced gradually. Here, the signal strength can first be reduced by a predetermined first value, after which it is checked whether the first connection has been broken. To check whether the first connection has been aborted, it is checked, for example, whether the client continues to send signals to the first access point. In the event that the first connection has already been aborted, the signal strength can be refrained from further gradually lowering. Otherwise, the signal strength can be further reduced by a predetermined second value. It can then be checked again whether the first connection has been broken and, if necessary, as described above, the signal strength can be further reduced in a further step or not done. This means that the signal strength can only be reduced by enough steps so that the first connection breaks off. In favor of less interference with other connections of the first access point to other clients, the signal strength is not reduced unnecessarily further.

As the person skilled in the art will understand, the lowering can be divided into any number of and/or any size steps. In practice, the steps can be regular or the same size. Accordingly, the above-mentioned first value may correspond to the second value. A smaller step size can ensure that the signal strength is reduced less than with a larger step size. However, a smaller step size may require a larger number of steps. In practice, this means it can take longer until the first connection breaks down. Accordingly, by choosing a specific step size, a preferred compromise can be achieved with regard to the duration and overall extent of the reduction.

Some embodiments of the present disclosure are based on the recognition that there are particularly favorable moments for carrying out the proposed method 100. Carrying out the method 100 can be particularly useful in practice, for example, at or after certain events or at or after certain points in time.

Optionally, the signal strength can be lowered 130 on a recurring basis at regular intervals. This means that the connection quality can be improved and/or optimized with the desired regularity. Depending on your preference, the time intervals can be chosen to be smaller or larger.

In some exemplary embodiments, the signal strength can also be lowered 130 depending on demand, for example if the signal quality and/or signal strength of the first connection falls below a certain desired or necessary signal quality or signal strength. For this purpose, the signal strength can be reduced based on information about the signal quality and/or signal strength. This information can be obtained, for example, from the client, which can determine the signal quality and/or signal strength through measurement.

Alternatively or additionally, this information can be determined or estimated based on a signal strength and/or signal quality of signals from the client.

The method 100 described can be carried out by any component of the wireless network that is designed to carry out the method steps mentioned. In exemplary embodiments, the method 100 can be carried out, for example, by one of the access points and/or a separate control unit. Accordingly, lowering 130 the signal strength may include lowering the signal strength of the first connection below a predetermined threshold so that the client aborts based on a comparison of the threshold with the signal strength of the first connection. The signal strength is only reduced if the signal strength falls below the predetermined threshold value. Otherwise, you can refrain from lowering 120 the signal strength. This can avoid unnecessary interruptions in the connection between the wireless network and the client.

In summary, a concept is proposed according to which a wireless network (“WiFi infrastructure”) that includes several hotspots, one or more clients to relieve the load on hotspots in the event of undesirably high utilization or overload of an access point/hotspot and optionally also at definable times, intervals or Events prompt you to change the access point for connecting to the wireless network. In particular, clients that already have a low or insufficient signal strength should lose the connection to the hotspot by reducing the signal strength. This would cause clients to look for another hotspot where they get better signal strength. Instead of the temporary reduction, a temporary inactivation could also occur.

2 schematically shows an application of the proposed method 100. Here, the client is, for example, a mobile phone that is designed to connect to a wireless network. In the present application, the wireless network includes a first access point 221 and a second access point 222. The first and second access points 221 and 222 are, for example, a first and a second router. First, the cell phone 210 may be closer to the first router 221 than to the second router 222. According to the above-mentioned signal strength-based selection of an access point for the connection to the wireless network, the mobile phone 210 may therefore first establish a first connection 231 to the first router 221. The mobile phone 210 may then approach the second router 222, as shown schematically, so that the mobile phone 210 is closer to the second router 222 than to the first router 221. A signal strength of signals from the second router 222 present on the mobile phone 210 may then be higher than a signal strength from the first router 221. According to the method, the signal strength of the first router 221 can then be temporarily reduced at least to such an extent if the first router 221 is under undesirably high utilization or overload. that the first connection 231 breaks off, and then again to the off signal strength level must be raised before lowering. When selecting an access point based on signal strength to restore the connection to the wireless network, the mobile phone 210 may then prefer the second router 222 over the first router 221 because of the higher signal strength. Accordingly, the mobile phone 210 may then connect to the second router 222 for connection to the wireless network. The change from the first router 221 to the second router 222 may therefore reduce the load on the first router 221 and, in some scenarios, a better distribution of the load between the routers 221 and 222 of the wireless network.

It should be noted that the use case described serves only as an exemplary explanation of the concept proposed herein, and applications of this concept are not limited to the use case described.

In particular, it should be noted that the present method 100 can also be applied to wireless networks with more than two access points or routers and for more than one client.

Additionally, the concept proposed herein may be used as hereinafter referred to 3 explained in more detail, can be implemented in a device.

3 shows a block diagram for schematically illustrating an embodiment of a device 300 for a wireless network with multiple access points and for controlling a connection of the wireless network to a client. The device 300 includes one or more interfaces 310 for communication and a data processing circuit 320 which is set up to carry out the method proposed herein using the one or more interfaces.

The one or more interfaces 310 may, for example, correspond to one or more inputs and/or one or more outputs for receiving and/or transmitting information, such as digital bit values, based on a code, within a module, between modules, or between modules of different types Entities. These are designed, for example, to communicate with other network components via a (radio) network or a local connection network.

In embodiments, data processing circuit 320 may correspond to any controller or processor or programmable hardware component. For example, the data processing circuit 320 can also be implemented as software that is programmed for a corresponding hardware component. In this respect, the data processing circuit 320 can be implemented as programmable hardware with appropriately adapted software. Any processors, such as digital signal processors (DSPs), can be used. Embodiments are not limited to a specific type of processor. Any processor or even multiple processors are conceivable for implementing the data processing circuit 320.

For example, device 300 may be implemented as a component in a wireless network. In particular, the device 300 may be implemented in one or more access points of the wireless network.

In general, embodiments of the present invention may be implemented as a program, firmware, computer program or computer program product with a program code or as data, the program code or data being effective to perform one of the methods when the program is on a processor or a programmable hardware component. The program code or the data can also be stored, for example, on a machine-readable carrier or data carrier. The program code or data may be in the form of, among other things, source code, machine code or byte code, as well as other intermediate code.

The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of the principles of the present invention. It will be understood that modifications and variations of the arrangements and details described herein will occur to others skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that the invention be limited only by the scope of the following claims and not by the specific details presented from the description and explanation of the exemplary embodiments herein.

Reference symbol list

100

Method for a wireless network

110

Establishing an initial connection

120

Obtaining information about the utilization of the first access point

130

Lowering a signal strength of the first connection

210

Mobile phone

221

first router

222

second router

231

first connection

232

second connection

300

contraption

310

one or more interfaces

320

Data processing circuit

Claims (10)

A method (100) for a wireless network with multiple access points (221, 222) and for controlling a connection of the wireless network to a client (210), the method (100) comprising: establishing (110) a first connection (231) between the client (210) and a first access point (221) of the wireless network; Obtaining (120) information about a utilization of the first access point (221); and Lowering (130) a signal strength of the first connection (231) through the wireless network based on the information about the load to terminate the first connection (231) based on the signal strength of the first connection (231) and to establish a second connection (232) between the client (210) and a second access point of the wireless network based on a signal strength of the second connection (232). The procedure (100) according to Claim 1 , wherein the utilization information indicates whether the first access point (221) is overloaded; and wherein the signal strength is lowered (130) when the first access point (221) is overloaded. The method (100) according to Claim 1 or 2 , lowering (130) the signal strength comprising: lowering the signal strength by a predetermined first value; Check whether the first connection (231) is broken; and further lowering the signal strength by a predetermined second value if the first connection (231) is not aborted. The method (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the information about the utilization indicates information about an impending utilization of the first access point (221). The method (100) according to Claim 4 , where the information about the upcoming utilization indicates a change in the utilization over time. The method (100) according to Claim 4 or 5 , wherein the information about an impending load indicates a time of overload of the first access point (221), and the signal strength is reduced based on the time of overload. The method (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein lowering the signal strength comprises deactivating the first access point (221) to terminate the first connection (231). The method (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein lowering the signal strength comprises temporarily lowering the signal strength for a predetermined period of time. Computer program comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the method (100) according to one of the preceding claims. A device (300) for a wireless network having multiple access points (221, 222) and for controlling a connection of the wireless network to a client (210), the device (300) comprising: one or more interfaces (310) for communication; and a data processing circuit (320) which is set up to use the one or more interfaces (310) to carry out the method (100) according to one of Claims 1 until 8th to carry out.

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