Is it possible to set one WiFi network as "favorite" so device will prefer it over other networks?

[raspabalsa]

Here's the thing: At work I installed several WiFi routers, each covering a certain area. When I move around, my GP5 will connect to one network or another depending on availability. This is very nice, but the problem is that one of the routers (router B) is mounted very high on a tower, so it covers a much wider area than the others, even overlapping router A's coverage. When my GP5 is connected to the office's router (A) and I move away from it, it will eventually hook on to router B. But when I return to the office, it will remain connected to B because of its wider coverage. Problem is, the office is near the limit of B's coverage, so sometimes I can't browse even though my GP5 is connected to B. I have to manually connect to router A to be able to browse. So, is there a program, widget, or property I can set that will make my GP5 jump to router A whenever it detects it, even if it's connected to another network? I couldn't find an answer here, at XDA, or in the Market. Ideas?

[Hook]

Not too knowledgeable here and probably not suggesting anything you haven't already considered, but I see two sorts of things in the Market that might help.

One is this wifi manager that lets you put tapable icons for a network on your home screen which at least would provide one touch switching to network A:

https://market.android.com/details?i...iManager&hl=en

The other is a wifi manager like this that uses rules-- just can't tell how flexible those rules are for your situation:

https://market.android.com/details?i...also_installed

Of course, speaking of rules, Tasker might be able to handle this, though it has a bit of a learning curve. You can get a 7 day renewable trial if you download from their website instead of the market. Tasker has context rules.

Tasker for Android

Don't know if any of this helps.

[raspabalsa]

Not too knowledgeable here and probably not suggesting anything you haven't already considered, but I see two sorts of things in the Market that might help.

Good ideas all, Hook. Thanks! I'll try them and report back. I had actually guessed Tasker could be a solution, but sicne it's a pay app I didn't want to commit without prior knowledge. I'll test the trial, see if it can help. I had seen WiFi Manager on the Market, but there are a few reviews of FCs and crashes, plus some customers complaining that the app is a crippled front to advertise the pay version, so I dismissed it for these reasons. I think I'll revisit it.

EDIT: Yes, WiFi Manager is a very crippled app. The feature you mentioned, switching via widget, is part of the premium app, not available on the free version. The option does appear on the menus, but as soon as you tap on it, a message pops up telling you to buy the premium version to use it. Now I remember that I did try this app a couple of weeks ago and deleted it for this very reason. My memory is worse every day! The Premium version is very cheap (less than $2) but I don't like being tricked into thinking certain features are available when they're not! I'll try other solutions, and if none work I may have to buy this app.

[raspabalsa]

Wi-Fi Ruler seemed a better option, but doesn't do the trick either. It allows you to create "rules", each one giving the network a connection priority, i.e.: Home has the highest priority. I gave this rule to router A, and created a new rule called Secondary, with the lowest possible priority for router B. Still, doesn't make the switch as I get into A's range. The reason from this is stated on the program's Help (quoting from it):

If you have a connection with an access point that isn't the current highest priority it will not disconnect. You can do that manually if you wish.

Really? But that's exactly what I want to do! If I'm connected to a low priority router and then get in range of the highest priority router, I want the connection to be switched automatically. Having to do it manually is just what I've been doing all this time.

From what I've seen, the priorities are only good for the first time you connect, i.e. you turn WiFi on, it detects several networks and checks priority, then connect to the one with the highest one. But it won't recheck priority once it's connected, unless it get out of range of the router, then it will scan for networks, check their priorities, and connect.

Seems Wi-Fi Ruler isn't the answer either. Time to try Tasker, I guess.

[raspabalsa]

Almost due for the one-month update , and I finally have a working solution. I couldn't find a way to auto-switch networks with Tasker, and as time passed I kept returnign to WiFi Manager, so I ended purchasing it. This app allows the user to create shortcuts to networks, as icons on the desktok (each icon icon is a widget). So I created a shortcut to router A, and whenever I return from B to A I simply have to tap the icon to force the device to disconnect from B and connect to A. Works well, except for one thing: if you're connected to a given network, and you tap the shortcut for another network that's out of range, the device will try to connect to that network and will ignore other available networks until the device goes to sleep (or the power button is pressed).If you then awake the device, it will then rescan and connect to another network, if available. I don't think this is a big deal, though.

Unless I find a way to set my Player to automatically switch to a network when within range of it, I'll keep using the shortcuts.