WiFi fast roaming setup but devices prefer to stay on more distant AP

[darksky]

I have two dumb APs setup with identical SSID/password combos using fast roaming. There is a smart TV very close to one of the APs but it never connects to that particular AP. It always connects to the one much further away. When I look at the LuCI clients on the further AP, it has only two bars. I am wondering why it doesn't connect to the closer AP which I assume offers it a stronger signal.

For reference:

/etc/config/wireless
onfig wifi-device 'radio0'
	option type 'mac80211'
	option path 'platform/soc/18000000.wmac'
	option channel '1'
	option band '2g'
	option cell_density '0'
	option txpower '14'
	option htmode 'HE20'

config wifi-device 'radio1'
	option type 'mac80211'
	option path 'platform/soc/18000000.wmac+1'
	option band '5g'
	option country 'US'
	option cell_density '2'
	option he_bss_color '8'
	option he_su_beamformee '1'
	option txpower '24'
	option beacon_int '100'
	option channel '100'
	option htmode 'HE160'

config wifi-iface 'wifinet2'
	option device 'radio1'
	option mode 'ap'
	option network 'lan'
	option ssid 'MYSSID'
	option encryption 'sae-mixed'
	option key 'mypassword'
	option dtim_period '3'
	option wpa_disable_eapol_key_retries '1'
	option ieee80211w '2'
	option ieee80211r '1'
	option mobility_domain 'f457'
	option ft_over_ds '0'
	option ft_psk_generate_local '1'

I can force it to connect to the closer AP by turning the radio on the further one off.

[psherman]

802.11r does not always produce the desired result... some devices just don't work well with it enabled.

I usually recommend first tuning your APs for best standard (non-assisted) roaming... in many cases, this performs as well (or even better) than setups with 802.11r (including k/v/w) configured.

So, to start, I'd recommend turning off 802.11r and w and any 'roaming assist' technologies you've setup. Then, tune your APs... this video from Crosstalk Solutions does a good job of explaining how to do this (it uses Unifi as the example, but the concepts apply to all wifi, as long as you've got the appropriate controls).

[darksky]

Thanks for the advice. My experience matches your description of the protocol at least in my use case. Perhaps if the two APs were further apart/bigger space it would preform better.