Since introducing ST into my band's setup, there's been one issue I've not yet ironed out, and that is client iPads getting network disconnect messages randomly while connected to our Host iPad.

Background
In our band's IEM rig, we have been using a TP-Link TL-WR902AC Wireless Travel Router (https://www.tp-link.com/au/home-networking/wifi-router/tl-wr902ac/) so all the band members could connect tablets/phones (Android and iOS) to our Behringer X32 Rack mixer to control their IEM mix using the Behringer mixer app. The Drummer and I also connected laptops (Windows and MacOS) for running the main Behringer mixer app. This has been working perfectly for many years and has 100's of hours of use with no-one ever experiencing any network connection issues.

The Problem
Now I've added ST. I have a 9th Gen iPad (iOS 18.4) as our main Host ST3 iPad running multitrack audio backing tracks and serving up timestamped lyric sheets.
5 band members have client iPads that connect to the Host to have lyric sheets pushed to them. With our current setup, 2 x 4th Gen iPads running iOS 16.7.10 are rock solid, however the 2 x 9th Gen iPads and iPad PRO running iOS 18.3.2 / 18.4 all suffer from random and inconsistent (i.e. not all at same time) 'Connection closed' errors (i.e. Connection closed. Host has closed or denied the connection)

Troubleshooting
I've made sure the firmware on the TP-Link router is latest. We've tried using 2.4Ghz instead of 5Ghz. Nothing has made a difference. So, this does make me question, are these Network Disconnections an iOS issue? or a ST issue?
I've had years of devices connecting using mixer apps with zero issue, but now ST is throwing connection closed errors? And oddly, only the devices with iOS 18 and not the devices running iOS 16?

I know the standard answer here is try a different Wireless Router/Access Point (WAP), and I am going todo exactly that, but please bear with me. I'm sharing the above because this just doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Is iOS just rubbish with network connectivity? Is there something in the way ST3 is establishing and maintaining the Client-to-Host network session that could be made more robust? Rather than give me an error, which means I have to just click OK, close the ST3 connection, then rejoin the Network Session, and I'm up and running again - could ST handle that better and actively try to reconnect?

Yes, I'm not saying the WAP isn't part of the issue. I've just spent the last few hours 'stress testing' a setup of:

Host - 9th Gen / iOS 18.4
Client 1 - 9th Gen / iOS 18.4
Client 2 - 4th Gen / iOS 16.7.10
Client 3 - 10th Gen / iOS 18.3.2

..at home connected to my home wireless mesh network (Netgear Orbi RBR860). It has worked flawlessly. I left a Playlist on Autoplay running throuigh 30 songs until my old 4th Gen iPad ran out of battery after about 3 hours. Not a single Connection closed error.
So, yes, I will be breaking out a spare WAP to test tomorrow, and if it holds up, use at rehearsal next week and see if it holds up under the normal 'band load'.

This brings me back to my original question (sorry, long journey 🙂) - I'm looking for a small form factor (SFF) wireless router/access point to replace our TP-Link TL-WR902AC. I want SFF so we can mount/store it in our IEM rack. Based on what is available today to purchase (no Apple Airport Express recommendations please ;-) ) does anyone have any recommendations based on what that they have successfully used with ST and at least 5 band members connecting to network sessions? Please, only recommendations on devices you have actually used and proven to be reliable in this scenario.

Thanks in advance! Anthony.