Wireless APs

[Adidaswood]

Since moving into my new house a few months back, I've been dealing with wireless issues.

1. I've been using my old consumer grade gear and apple airport extreme.  It is abut 5 years old.  The signal is week in one corner of the house, upstairs in the master bedroom.
2. To remedy the weak spot, i used a airport express I had laying around.  The hand off functionality is crap if it does it at all.  I have to restart wifi on my particular device.  it isn't a good solution.
3. Anytime there is any real load on it the wireless just stops.  I still have access to the internet on my wired devices.  A common phrase over the holiday has been "The wireless is out again".  

When I had the house built they offered PakEdge but wanted 1500 dollars for one unit.  I declined.  They were putting in a conduit from attic to rack so, i can get an ethernet cable up there.  I decided i would deal with it later.  PakEdge is still an option I guess, but I don't really know what a fair price is and it doesn't solve my need for a router.

 

Lately I've been looking at the Ubiquity products.  They seem nice and the configuration part doesn't scare me.  I just have a couple questions.  I'm thinking of the following setup which seems solid to me.

 

ISP --> EdgeRouter --> NetGear Prosafe Switch (Rack Location) --> 2 Unifi AP Pro (1 in basement, 1 in 2nd floor ceiling)

I

I---------> 2nd Netgear Prosafe Switch (Telecom Location) --> wired ports throughout the house

1. I've heard the AP Pros make noise.  Kind of like a Hard Drive ticking away while it works.  Does anyone have any knowledge of this.  is it loud?
2. Any concerns with my layout or gear.  Any gotcha's I should know with this or the ubiquity stuff?
3. Some notes:  the Netgear switches are existing and unmanaged.  I'd like to do more research in this area on midspans and/or switches with POE.  I don't have any really need for POE yet.  More thinking is needed on this subject.  I'll use the included POE adapters for the APs

Thanks for the input and feedback.

 

[cdepaola]

Solid set up, though I personally went with the LR version as it's far cheaper and unless you use 5 ghz no good reason to do the pro.

The pro does make some noise, but how loud it is has been debatable. Seems if they are ceiling mounted most people report not being able to hear them. The LR version makes no noise I've been able to hear.

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[SMHarman]

You could keep the airport extreme where you put the edge router and turn the WiFi off.

It will handle internet throughout and dns service just fine.

I have the pro. It is in the bathroom 9 ft up and I cannot hear it.

Ubiquiti Networks UniFi UAP-PRO Enterprise WiFi System https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0089QB1SC/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_WTdOub042AVZG

The 5ghz helps a lot in NYC

Works great. Guess which are my networks.

[Adidaswood]

so I think I've settled on a design here.  I just need to source some Ethernet cables.  At work I would use solid as opposed to stranded for my long Backbone runs.  I cannot seem find the terminated solid cat6 at 100 ft lengths.  maybe i'm just not looking in the right places.  I can terminate if absolutely needed, but I'd prefer to have it done and tested by a pro.  I'm running this from my rack up to the attic in a conduit and then over to my AP location.

 

Any place I can get the right cable?

[cdepaola]

http://www.amazon.com/Tripp-Lite-Gigabit-Conductor-Snagless/dp/B003XII7ZQ#immersive-view_1420483158885

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[Adidaswood]

Thanks Fire/Medic.  I should have added that I am looking for shielded and can only find cables 2 go stuff.  any concerns.  I dont' know much about them

[Adidaswood]

or how about cable matters?

[cdepaola]

Here ya go

 

 

http://www.blackbox.com/Store/Detail.aspx/CAT6-400-MHz-Shielded-Solid-Backbone-Cable-FTP-Plenum-Red-30-ft-9-1-m/EVNSL0273RD-0030

[cdepaola]

Thanks Fire/Medic.  I should have added that I am looking for shielded and can only find cables 2 go stuff.  any concerns.  I dont' know much about them

 

It's ok stuff but in in Cat6 STP Shielded patch they don't have a 100' just a 200'.  The stuff I linked above from Blackbox should do the trick.  I think the shielded is overkill, especially as its in conduit and only a 100' residential run, but thats your call. 

[duck_man]

i use Ubiquiti at home and at work and could not be happier.  I also use a lot of Apple gear (I work with shiny-white-enthusiasts) and for less or the same money the Ubiquiti is better gear, hands down.  I proudly operate an Apple-free house.

 

My Pro unit is silent.  Never heard a peep from it.  I have a 3 acre lot, so not much interferance, but I can get a bar or 2 at the back fence.  I had an LR unit before and traded to the Pro, just to see.  Turns out I do not use 5g much ( the range is not as good as 2.4, anywhere I've implemented it, and I don't need it due to my clear 2.4 band) so if I had it to do over I would keep the LR.  Only issue is the LR does not use standard POE and I power all my devices with a proper switch instead of the injectors, so the Pro lets me do that.  Not a deal killer.

 

A few weeks back I did a job with 6 Ubiquiti AC units.  Amazing speed and they hand off flawlessly.  I can wander around and watch the logs and there is no interruption.  I can say this about all of the Ubiquiti jobs I have done, mostly with the LR gear, biggest (residential) being 8 LR units.  This was a worst case type of house, little wiring and lots of interferance, terrible wifi range no matter what the gear, most of the units wedged behind a couch or dresser, the result of poor planning by the homebuilder.  Still, end of the day, solid wifi and no issues passing from one to the next around the house.  A similar situation I did with Apple, 1 Extreme and 5 Express, not nearly as reliable or fast.

 

I have to use Apple gear at work but if it were my money ... Ubiquiti all the way.

[zaphod]

If I wanted to replace the various APs that I have running in my house is this the type of Ubiquiti products that I am looking for (assuming I don't need AC):

http://www.amazon.ca/Ubiquiti-Networks-UniFi-Enterprise-System/dp/B004XXMUCQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1421036534&sr=1-1&keywords=ubiquiti

 

Do I need any sort of a master (or controller or whatever) or can I just buy 3-4 of these things and deploy them around my house, plugging them into my Ethernet outlets?

 

These look like they are meant to be ceiling mounted - do they have other units that would work better on a cabinet or wall mounted or can you just wall-mount these?

 

My router is an Asus RT-N66U connected to a Rogers Cable Hitron CGN3 (in bridge mode) for my 250/20 internet service.

[Cyknight]

You CAN wall mount them, but the tend to be directional - you'll get very littel coverage 'behind' them - keep that in mind when placing.

 

No you do not need a dedicated controller (computer). They'll work better, do handoffs more smoothly etc, but it's very unlikely it'll be of much benefit for a residential setup (or even a small business one).

You'd run the software for setup, and as needed for maintenance.

[zaphod]

But if it works better with a controller that isn't an issue - I have two servers running 24x7, one a SageTV media server running Win7, the second a WHS2011 box.  I also have an older PC running Ubuntu if that works better.

[cdepaola]

If you have a server running anyway you can install the controller software on there and just let it run. It's the same software you use to set up the ap

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[prabeau]

I installed the LR version on the ceiling in the basement in front of my rack for looks.

 

I had tested prior installation  and I have full signal on the second floor thats a good 27' above the unit ( back of it) 

 

Love this thing

[SMHarman]

So I mounted my pro thus weekend.

Before it was hanging around near a speaker hole in the ceiling.

Putting it by my ear I hear the HDD like clicking but not at 9ft away.

It is now in a closet and can't be heard at all.

[Cyknight]

But if it works better with a controller that isn't an issue - I have two servers running 24x7, one a SageTV media server running Win7, the second a WHS2011 box.  I also have an older PC running Ubuntu if that works better.

As Fire/Medic mentioned - if you have a running server, install it there. Again whether it'll be a noticeable difference is another matter - but if you HAVE one running, it certainly won't hurt having it up.

[zaphod]

I bought three of the Ubiquiti APs and they arrived yesterday.  The cost was exactly C$100 each including delivery and taxes.  I have only installed one so far but one thing is that they are bigger in person then they appear in photos.  They are about 8" in diameter whereas I was thinking that they would be more like 5-6".  They look kind of like smoke detectors except bigger.

[cdepaola]

They are also thinner and sleeker then a smoke detector.

I am shocked at the number of these people are putting in a home. I've got one indoor and one outdoor. That fully coverts a 4000 sqft home and a 1 acre lot without issue. Can't imagine needing 3 indoor

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[CFUG]

^After using multiple WAPs for 6 years now, I'm of the same opinion.  One outdoors, one maybe two in and that is it.  Here, that covers 4 levels of the house at full strength throughout.

[SY3]

Just ordered 1 based on all the feedback here.  Will install tomorrow and see how well my coverage is.  For $65, it sounds like a no-brainier.  

[Jaffacree]

I have actually considered buying one, based on the feedback too!

[SMHarman]

I bought three of the Ubiquiti APs and they arrived yesterday. The cost was exactly C$100 each including delivery and taxes. I have only installed one so far but one thing is that they are bigger in person then they appear in photos. They are about 8" in diameter whereas I was thinking that they would be more like 5-6". They look kind of like smoke detectors except bigger.

Bigger. Really. I stuffed my pro in the ceiling through a 6.5 in speaker cut out.

[SMHarman]

They are also thinner and sleeker then a smoke detector.

I am shocked at the number of these people are putting in a home. I've got one indoor and one outdoor. That fully coverts a 4000 sqft home and a 1 acre lot without issue. Can't imagine needing 3 indoor

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I think this is a location thing.

With the wet locations of my apartment in the middle. With 12 in thick brick exterior walls and a room in an addition to the building on the back. With 14 other signals in range.

All that means I am down to 1 bar at about 75ft.

[wappinghigh]

So I mounted my pro thus weekend.

Before it was hanging around near a speaker hole in the ceiling.

Putting it by my ear I hear the HDD like clicking but not at 9ft away.

It is now in a closet and can't be heard at all.

What HDD?

 

do these have a HDD? Why would they need a HDD?

 

I've just ordered 2 or these as well: http://www.scorptec.com.au/product/Networking_-_Wireless/Access_Points/52070-UAP-PRO?gclid=CPuZ5Zq8lMMCFQV8vQoda10AAg

 

those the ones you've got?

 

...that noise would drive me nuts..why aren't they silent???