Systems and methods for handling a transition of a roaming mobile user
device (i.e., a roaming client) from one access point (AP) to a target
AP, referred to herein as soft inter-AP handoff. This technique involves
a second mobile user device that is already connected with the target AP,
called a roaming coordinator, assisting in handoff coordination between
the APs. This coordination includes assisting the roaming client in
establishing a client-to-client connection to relay data traffic during
the handoff, while the roaming client establishes a connection with the
target AP using traditional techniques. Soft inter-AP handoff allows a
faster hand-off between APs than traditional techniques, and may reduce
jitter in communications with the roaming device during the transition.