An apparatus, method, and computer-readable recording medium perform client optimized onboarding in a wireless network. A network controller of a gateway device determines a first received signal strength indicator (RSSI) of a new client device, receives a second RSSI of the new client device from each of one or more wireless extenders, and determines a strongest RSSI among the determined first RSSI and the received second RSSI from each of the one or more wireless extenders. The network controller of the gateway device receives an onboarding request with respect to any one or the gateway device and the one or more wireless extenders, and sends a command to proceed with an onboarding operation of the new client device to any one of the gateway device and the one or more wireless extenders having the strongest RSSI from the new client device.