Disable WiFi roaming or use alternative WiFi client?

[pgoelz]

I have been trying to achieve perfect live local audio streaming over my LAN. The application is remote audio for a ham radio which I control with software via Windows remote desktop. One of the ends is on WiFi, and the audio is interrupted periodically as (I assume) the WiFi client scans for other APs. I'm using the standard Windows WiFi client.

On XP, there was a utility that could disable this scanning behavior, but I have lost track of it and as I recall it did not work on Win7.

Does anyone know of a way to disable WiFi scanning or perhaps use an alternative WiFi client where this behavior can be controlled? It seems to me a MUCH more intelligent behavior would be to disable roaming altogether unless the currently connected AP becomes disconnected.

There are roaming settings in the 4965AGN entry under the Windows device manager, but roaming cannot be disabled... just minimized.

The streaming clients have adjustable buffering, and increasing the buffering does reduce or eliminate the problem. But in order to totally eliminate the gaps and stuttering, I need to increase buffering to a couple seconds, and that causes an objectionable lag between the audio and the radio control actions.

I'm using an X61s, Win7 (x64), Intel 4965AGN, and the AP is a Netgear WNDR3700 v2. I connect on 5.4GHz with excellent signal strength. This is not a speed issue.... the connection speed is vastly higher than what is needed for my audio streaming clients (IPSound). It is almost certainly caused by the periodic WiFi scan behavior and can be stimulated by right clicking the connection icon in the accessory tray.

I tried installing Thinkvantage Access Connections, but that seems to use the Windows WiFi client core, and the scanning behavior is unchanged. I have not been able to find other alternative clients.

Paul

[pgoelz]

Interesting. This is potentially solved. Turns out my Netgear WNDR3700v2 router has a setting called "Enable video network" for the 5.4GHz radio. When that is checked, the router "uses video algorithms to reduce jitter". It also seems to inhibit the 4965AGN card from searching for other APs while connected. I have read that when streaming, a WMM compliant device is supposed to inhibit searching but my audio streaming has never triggered that behavior. Until now.

With the setting checked, I can use the minimum buffer allowed in my streaming clients with zero issues. I can stimulate the stutter if I open the WiFi connection dialog box (forces it to search). But with the box closed, it streams perfectly.

It also explains why audio used to stream better a while back. I think I had that checkbox checked in the router setup, but lost the setting when I reverted the router to factory settings in an attempt to solve a really weird issue with the Netflix player in my Logitech Revue (another story).

Paul