3.8 Preferred Networks (Profiles)

Preferred networks or profiles refer to Wi-Fi networks that you have explicitly pre-defined or that have been learned and stored by WLAN-capable devices. A preferred network definition consists of a Wi-Fi network name, security definition, hidden/non-hidden network, and a priority of network.

These networks are written in the WLAN supplicant configuration file and used for automatic connection once one or more of them have been discovered during a scan phase initiated by an application that intends to invoke connection. The decision to start a connection scan varies between operating systems and applications that manage connection. Typically, once Wi-Fi is enabled on the device, and one or more profiles are defined, the scanning starts.

After getting a scan result, the device checks one or more networks that are suitable to one of stored profiles that were detected. In case of suitability, the device will invoke a connection to this device. The suitability is expressed in the same network name and security type. However, in case of a network with security, if the profile's security type is correct - but the security key is wrong, the connection process will start - but a complete connection will fail. After the scan cycle, if there is more than one match with the stored profiles’ list, the user that manages the connection process will prefer the Wi-Fi network with the higher RSSI. However, the selection depends on the user preferring to connect to the network with a higher priority, actually, meaning to the last connected network.