I am currently running a network based on Synology RT2600AC + MR2200 in mesh config which is far to be satisfactory in terms of stability.
Synology routers have a lot of functions but really lacks the most wanted from IoT point of view: stability (together with ability to create vlans).
I would like to move to Ubiquiti Unifi and have a couple of questions on the gear needed and how it can be configured.
For my system I think (I think as…see below questions) I need:
then it comes to the AP which are the most important thing for me.
I would like to setup the system as follows:
2 x Unifi Flex HD
1 x Unifi AP-AC-Lite
Questions:
can I create a mesh network using the two wired connected Unifi Flex HD? Or they will have each a different SSID? Will it be a proper mesh network or simply “same SSID” network?
In case it will be a mesh network which is the HW responsible of managing it? Security gateway?
can i create a separate SSID for the Unifi AP-AC-Lite or UniFi is just creating a single SSID for all devices connected?
Do I need a cloud-key? I would prefer to run Unifi controller on Hass.IO but currently my system is based on Intel Gemini Lake N4100 micro-PC with 4GB of ram set up with ProxMox and debian VM on the top of which Hass.IO is installed. Not sure I will have enough ram for it? how can i check?
can I create a mesh network using the two wired connected Unifi Flex HD? Or they will have each a different SSID? Will it be a proper mesh network or simply “same SSID” network?
If they are wired there is no reason to mesh them. Mesh is used to reach other APs that have power but do not have a wired connection.
You can have separate or the same SSID, your mobile devices should roam seamlessly if using the same SSID. If the coverage area of the two APs overlaps you need to use non-interfering channels. Very easy on 5GHz but for 2.4GHz use a pattern of channels 1, 6 and 11 to minimise interference.
can i create a separate SSID for the Unifi AP-AC-Lite or UniFi is just creating a single SSID for all devices connected?
As before you can have many (up to 8 I think on the AP-lite, less if meshing them) or one. Up to you. Again be aware of overlapping coverage areas.
Do I need a cloud-key? I would prefer to run Unifi controller on Hass.IO but currently my system is based on Intel Gemini Lake N4100 micro-PC with 4GB of ram set up with ProxMox and debian VM on the top of which Hass.IO is installed. Not sure I will have enough ram for it? how can i check?
You do not. If you are happy to just manage the APs and not collect data you can run the Unifi software on any PC when management is required. However data collection by having Unifi running 24-7 does have very useful diagnostic benefits.
Thank you very much for your answer, very clear.
Just a couple of questions more:
you said I can have up to 8 on ac-lite…8 what?
I now understand ubiquiti uses “mesh” in a slightly different way with respect to other vendors: my question in fact is exactly who is managing which client is connected to which AP in case of overlapping regions. I mean clear the point of not overlapping 2.4ghz channels but a given client (in overlapping region) couldn’t jump from one AP to the other hence being unstable? I guess there should be a bit of management, isn’t it?
in terms of Unify control software: I see people running it on Rpi3 hence shouldn’t be too demanding, isn’t it?
I think the limit is 4 SSIDs per AP. I may be wrong on this, but i think the management of overlapping region is not that clever. The client chooses to which AP it wants to connect and that’s it. It can roaming but it’s the client decision and not some controller decision based on load/signal/etc. Because of this I have a common SSID on all APs as well a SSID specific for each one, so I can configure my devices to “roam” or not (i.e. sonoffs join the specific SSID and not the common one). Unifiy controller is a bit hungry in terms of memory. You can tweak a few settings to make it less hungry.
Thanks for sharing.
So do you suggest to have different SSID per AP to avoid IoT stuff jumping from one to another AP?
Isn’t this (having multiple ssid) contesting the network?
I mean it will create quite a few overlapping channels, isn’t it?
I want to move away from synology mesh exactly because sonoffs and other devices can’t have a stable connection, I would really make sure Unifi can lead to it (a stable connection) before moving.
How big is your property? I run a single long range AP which covers a double brick house on a 1001m2 property. I get wifi coverage to all corners of the property without any issues. You may not need multiple AP’s at all.
You can easily run it on the RPi. You really only need it for initial setup unless you want to retrieve diagnostics etc.
I have been running Ubiquiti gear for about 8 months now and it has been rock solid. It has been awesome
I have a AC-pro and AC-lite (the AC-pro is kind overkill, but…). The AC-lite is on a part of the house where i dont have wired network and it connects by wireless on AC-Pro (you dont need the MESH APs to do that). Wireless channels are fixed because too much channel 11 mess with my xiaomi zigbee. Notebooks/phones/computers can use the 5Ghz band and they are just fine. IOTs devices mostly uses 2.4ghz :-(, and once they choose a AP they usually stay there even if it’s not the best one, and this is the reason I use multiple SSIDs. BTW multiples SSIDs on the same AP uses the same channel, so you dont create overlapping by just using more SSIDs. Unify controller lets you scan your neighbourhood to find the best channels but at the end of the day it’s useless because channels changes all the time. What I really wish is that people realized that using less transmit power is better… this is why i have two APs instead of “powerful one” but I digress :-).
Thank you both!
So my property is not huge but quite a lot of hard concrete walls and a courtyard.
I currently have multiple APs (3) to cover it as my main router (synology 2600ac) is not well placed due to WAF (wife acceptance factor).
I had the “go” for ubiquiti AP as they are more pleasant haestetically
So main one could be placed in the center of the house: I had a thought for a long range one but in “free air” it will need to cover like a sphere of 15-20m (but there are walls in between)
I am not an expert by i see my synology “full of external antennas) which can’t do it currently (although not well placed) and I struggle to understand like a flex HD can.
Should I go for a long range AP and then adjust (reduce) the transmit power if needed?
Also why a low power transmission would be better than a strong one?
What about reception sensitivity? Is the long range better also in that respect? (I am thinking to IoT stuff sending signals instead of receiving)
Just to give you an idea, I use a single long range AP roughly in the center of my property which goes through multiple brick walls to a radius of about 20m without any issues.
Another nice feature of the Unifi controller is the “Map page” where you can upload your flooplan, place your(s) AP(s) and it draws the signal coverage. Here’s mine:
Since my main ap is in the room with the rest of IT stuff (left/center room) I got a few corners of the house with poor signal. I tried to place it more towards the centre of the house but because of the brick walls the result was not so good so I bought the second ap (right). As I said, I prefer low power/more density than a single powerful AP. There’s some pros about this approach as your devices need less transmit power to reach the AP, there’s less overlapping of signals, less interference with the neighbours and so on.
edit: ahh… there’s another nice thing about Unifi, they are PoE. If you are going to buy more than one, consider also to buy a PoE switch.
so i downloaded the Unifi SW but as far as I can see I can’t add “virtual” devices.
I mean I can try to put in position devices I do not own to pre-check what I should buy.
Is that correct?
Also I can’t see how to plan if a house (like mine) is on multiple levels. Correct?
