Curious what people here are using for WiFi, as I’m considering upgrading my current system:
anything I could wire, I wired
for everything else (~20 WiFi devices in a 2-bedroom ground-level apartment + small yard), I use a Linksys WRT1200AC, which I got mainly for its processing prowess (2x1.3 GHz CPU + 512MB RAM)
total area is around 100sqm, single-level, in a WiFi-congested area to which I’ve been also piling on some Bluetooth stuff (Mi Flora, Tiles…)
I’ve been considering the Linksys WRT3200AC, mainly because it stacks so neatly with the WRT switches I currently have under the router, but am open to a mesh system if you think it would be better for this use case…
I’ve also seen many people talk about Ubiquiti and am curious what their approach is: router (what router?) + Unifi APs (one per room for max. performance?) linked to it via RJ45? Or should I go mesh?
The apartment is well wired, with at least 3-4 RJ45 plugs in each room that all arrive at the central location where I currently keep my router.
Been using it for 3 years, covering a 2600 sq ft home (upstairs and down) and it covers nearly my entire half acre lot. It is connected via CAT6 to my router getting POE off the router.
My router is a Ubiquiti Edge Router POE (but I have also used the Edge Router Lite, and my own home built routers.
I also have a Cisco 48 port 3750X switch.
That’s a personal preference. Personally, I will just use standard APs everywhere I need one. So far in the last 3 years, my single AP has done everything I need, and covered my entire property. I have a bloomsky weather station out at the very end of my property, and it still connects to the wifi.
This Ubiquiti solution is indeed tempting, how many IP devices do you have? I currently have about 15 wired “things” besides the 20ish on WiFi, so would like decent routing power.
What do you use for the management software? Do you host it on a VM?
I use the nanoHD, cost a bit more and it’s a bit faster than the AC-LR, both by Ubiquity. Both of them are managed by Ubiquiti UniFi controller, which can run on many platforms. I run mine on a Windows VM. My router is a Unify USG 4P. If you muck around with things, the UniFi interface is a dream, and free.
I have a Synology rt2600ac. It is an amazing router. 5200 sq ft home with no loss of signal strength. I use wireless outside while mowing and have no problems. I have around 40 devices on wireless and everything is smooth. Also Synology just created a mesh system that can connect to the Synology rt2600ac. https://www.synology.com/en-us/company/news/article/PR_router_MR2200ac
I have the unifi mesh APs, inwall APs, APLR, AP-AC.
My home has 2’concrete walls and floor(2ndfloor) in most of space so radio signal very difficult. Also long distance from end to end and outdoor coverage needs.
I used or using same in parents home (normal wood construction) and other homes so I have good comparisons
Mesh AP are good for outdoor(very weather resilient) but not impressive in home (average performance. Use them outdoor but inside use the round APs. They simply seem to perform (range) better or more likely there coverage patterns and such is better for home/interior environments. I use one indoor as main now with about 20-30 wireless devices, 3 of which are streaming TV and others just wifi switch or cell phone. It does cover well but also not best placement. I did have similar coverage with the other APs. Currently I plan to swap this with my aclr or acap.
AP-in walls are amazing. I cover 1800sqft single story with one. Cover about 50’ surrounding home as well. No drops and great signal with added benefit of wired ports. I use same to cover 1600sqft space(4 rooms 400sqft each full concrete walls 2’ thick). AP is at furthest corner of one of rooms and areas has amazing signal with up to 20 guest users while streaming 2k video (about 13-25mbps) to wired port. I love these things for what they can do.
I have the APLR, standard AP and AP-AC used in various spots/homes. These are all around great. APLR can be Overkill for many but adjust signal accordingly and it’s fine. In all cases of these they easy cover up to 2500sqft(if placed properly).
EDIT
All this to say mesh not a big deal. Take it or leave it.
Really I ignore. I like the other better and the new round APs with mesh are a bit pricey if I remember.
For those with Unifi, how are you placing them?
My main Internet connection is in the basement. If I placed he AP there, I could either place it facing up or mount it to the ceiling. It I mount it to the ceiling I am concerned about coverage on the main floor because the AP is directional pointing down.
I do not really want to ceiling mount an AP on the main level. I currently have 2 ASUS APs, one on each floor but they sometimes “fight” with each other.
I had Orbi, which are some of the best mesh. They were pretty good till I reached 50 devices.
Had to switch. Moved to ubiquity; best product in my opinion.
I’ve been using UniFi gear for over 3 years now (USG added a year after the APs) with 1 AP AC LR, 2 AP AC Pros, 1 USG, 1 24 port switch, and 1 16 port PoE switch. I cannot recommend them enough. I have the controller running on my Mac Pro which also has my automation stuff in VMWare Fusion VMs.
I have a 1600 sq ft house which is a split level (basically 3 floors with the middle floor off to the side of the other 2) and have 1 access point on each level. It is definitely overkill for my needs. On one floor, the AP is mounted in the closet with all my equipment and works fine; on the other 2 floors, the AP is mounted next to a smoke detector. The install was clean (cable comes from the top) so it is hardly noticeable.
If you can wire the AP on a different floor, you’re going to get better coverage. The saucer shaped APs are designed to have the radio signal go down (or out if you wall mount it). That will give you the best performance. However, the only way to really tell is to try it out as every situation is different.
If you decide to go with multiple UniFi access points, I’d recommend putting each one on a separate channel and changing the transmit power a little bit so that your devices can have a better chance of roaming to a closer access point. Some devices tend not to give up the connection easily and keep trying to talk to a far access point.
The UniFi gear can handle a great number of devices; in a home setup it won’t be any kind of problem. I have about 40 devices with about 15 of them being wireless. If you’re into networking, the UniFi controller can do all kinds of magic. One thing to note is that if you don’t go all UniFi including the router (USG), you won’t get all the advantages of an easy interface. For example, I have 6 VLANs and 4 SSIDs; I can assign each SSID to a VLAN. You can definitely just go with the access points, but it may be more work to setup VLANs and associate them with SSIDs.
The cost of going all UniFi is going to be more than getting a router/access point all-in-one, but the flexibility in my opinion far outweighs the cost. I’ve been so happy with the gear, I setup my dad’s house with it as well and he has had 1 minor problem in 2 years that I was able to fix remotely in a few minutes.
I was going to go for Ubiquiti AC pro stuff but didn’t like the idea of cabling all around the house, so opted for the uniquity amplifi HD mesh system instead. (literally last week I changed over) I currently have around 35-40 devices connected across a 3 story house which is breeze block cavity walls downstairs! Coverage is great and so far so good no drop outs. It was ridiculously easy to set up too. Also my measured download and upload speeds have increased even when in the same room as the router so great results all around.
I had a similar setup to yours to start with, 65m2 single story house. Concrete block garage in the rear of the garden. Using a Linksys WRT1900ACS
The router was in the middle of the house with an almost direct line of site to the Garage mostly through Glass windows and some plasterboard stud walls. I had a Sonoff Basic switch in the Garage window which would not connect to WiFi at all.
I bought a Ubiquiti NanoHD which is expensive at £150 ish but when I first set it up at the front of my house (computer room) it had no direct line to the garage other than 2 Brick walls, but that Sonoff connected with 20% signal strength!
I have since moved it to the same place as where the Linksys was and I have never noticed less than 54% Signal strength.
Being a standalone AP you can just disable the WiFi on the Linksys on use the Ubiquiti with it. Although you might get carried away and buy a Ubiquiti Managed POE switch and build a pfSense box with pfBlockerNG…
Add me to the list of satisfied Unifi customers. I just recently replaced my TP-Link router, that had been fine for awhile but just couldn’t handle the number of devices I was throwing at it anymore (we usually have 20-25 wireless devices on the network on average). I tried a Netgear R7000P first, but had some random connection dropouts and our phones were really slow to reconnect when getting home (which was no good since we use Wi-Fi based presence detection). Heard good things about Unifi so I decided to return the Netgear and try a UAP-AC-LITE, with my old router serving as a wired router only. I’m already getting greatly improved performance, and I’m hooked. I’ll definitely be adding an AP or two, and a Unifi router and switch to my setup. The quality difference between their gear and any consumer Wi-Fi gear I’ve used is night and day. I am also running the Unifi Controller add-on in Hassio and it works great.
i am happy with unifi too… I have 5 access points . 2 outside and 3 inside… 2 inside are on basement ceiling at each end of house. then have a lite ap in my split level living room which is behind a massive cinderblock chimney. Have a 48 port 500w switch… cloud key gen 2 and usg pro 4.
Love my Unifi APs. Initially concerned the 2 UAP-AC-PROs in the ceiling (one on each floor) would bug me, but now I love the look of that blue circle Guess I’ve become a true Ubiquity fan boy.
I have the same as @AZDane but I have so far been too lazy to fix them to the ceiling. One sits on the desk in my study (near centre of house). One sits on top of the kitchen cupboards (about 1.8m high). Has good coverage over the 320 sq m house over 4 levels. There is a dead spot in the upstairs bathroom.
Guess I’ve become a true Ubiquity fan boy.