New WiFi - mesh?

ShivP · 6 Aug 2020 at 10:42

Hello chaps,

I am looking at upgrading home WiFi.
Currently, downstairs I have an RT AC87U connected to the Virgin Hub in modem only mode. Of course, I managed to choose the only Asus router that doesn't support their mesh functionality.

This signal does not reach to the further corners of the house upstairs, so I would like to potentially replace this.
Upstairs I also have a Ubiquiti Outdoor+ which is 2.4G only. This is not great, and to be honest I would like to use it outside as it is intended.

Hence, I am looking for probably a new mesh system with 2 or 3 access points. Everywhere has ethernet as the house was recently renovated. All the PCs, TVs etc are ethernet'd in.

What is a decent mesh system? I know Ubiquiti has their own system, however it is very pricey?(!) Is it worth looking at Google home etc?

WJA96 · 6 Aug 2020 at 10:57

If you have Ethernet then just add more AP-AC-Lite access points where your signal is weak. You should be able to pick them up for £80-ish each. Must better than any mesh system. Or if you want good, FAST wireless lan then the UAP-FlexHD is probably the fastest WiFi5 access point around at the moment and it’s a free-standing omni-directional unit unlike the ceiling mount devices. It is quite a lot more expensive though at about £160. But I suspect two of those would cover your whole home.

ShivP · 6 Aug 2020 at 12:33

WJA96 said:
If you have Ethernet then just add more AP-AC-Lite access points where your signal is weak. You should be able to pick them up for £80-ish each. Must better than any mesh system. Or if you want good, FAST wireless lan then the UAP-FlexHD is probably the fastest WiFi5 access point around at the moment and it’s a free-standing omni-directional unit unlike the ceiling mount devices. It is quite a lot more expensive though at about £160. But I suspect two of those would cover your whole home.

OK. Are you aware of any better roaming feature?
The problem is changing WiFi network every time we go kitchen to bedroom etc, especially for mobile phone WiFi calling as my mum and dad are crap at managing this sort of stuff on their mobile phones

sadat · 6 Aug 2020 at 12:38

I tried Google WiFi and it was amazing although it's relatively expensive.

WJA96 · 6 Aug 2020 at 12:40

ShivP said:
OK. Are you aware of any better roaming feature?
The problem is changing WiFi network every time we go kitchen to bedroom etc, especially for mobile phone WiFi calling as my mum and dad are crap at managing this sort of stuff on their mobile phones

They all have the same SSID, and they roam automatically depending on signal strength.

ShivP · 6 Aug 2020 at 12:51

WJA96 said:
They all have the same SSID, and they roam automatically depending on signal strength.

I tried this using the AC87U and the Ubiquiti outdoor - the phone just ties itself to one 2.4G network and won't connect to the other access point despite the same SSID

WJA96 · 6 Aug 2020 at 13:06

The extra access points are added to your UniFi controller (the one that runs your AP-Outdoor) and you turn off the Wi-Fi on the ASUS.

And it just works.

ShivP · 6 Aug 2020 at 13:07

WJA96 said:
The extra access points are added to your UniFi controller (the one that runs your AP-Outdoor and you turn off the Wi-Fi on the ASUS.

And it just works.

Hmm OK, that sounds good.

Would it be worth getting a Ubiquiti 'edgerouter' like this on the MM? - https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/t...gerouter-4-ubiquiti-cloud-key-usb-c.18891878/ as long as it will work with my normal gigabit switches etc
I wouldn't mind having everything under one manufacturer

WJA96 · 6 Aug 2020 at 13:16

If you want everything in the controller then buy the UniFi Security Gateway 3P. And a small UniFi PoE switch to power the access points without a whole pile of PoE injectors. Then you get everything all controlled from within the app.

What type of broadband do you have currently?

ShivP · 6 Aug 2020 at 13:18

WJA96 said:
If you want everything in the controller then buy the UniFi Security Gateway 3P. And a small UniFi PoE switch to power the access points without a whole pile of PoE injectors. Then you get everything all controlled from within the app.

What type of broadband do you have currently?

Virgin 500 down/40 up

WJA96 · 6 Aug 2020 at 14:20

ShivP said:
Virgin 500 down/40 up

yes, just leave the current VM box in modem mode and set the USG-3P into DHCP and it will all just work fine.

ShivP · 6 Aug 2020 at 14:24

OK, great, thanks. And the AP-AC-LITEs definitely have better range than the AC87U (even with a single one)?

WJA96 · 6 Aug 2020 at 14:36

ShivP said:
OK, great, thanks. And the AP-AC-LITEs definitely have better range than the AC87U (even with a single one)?

No, that’s not what they’re for. They’re as good as an AC87U, and you need several cover the whole house. But they only work properly when fitted to the ceiling.

ShivP · 6 Aug 2020 at 14:57

WJA96 said:
No, that’s not what they’re for. They’re as good as an AC87U, and you need several cover the whole house. But they only work properly when fitted to the ceiling.

Hmmm OK. So if I put it ontop of the small server cabinet I have like I have the AC87U at the moment it would not work well?

WJA96 · 6 Aug 2020 at 15:01

Probably not. A UAP-FlexHD would be as good or better.

Avalon · 6 Aug 2020 at 19:42

Surely by running cable, you've done the hard part, installing ceiling mounted AP's should be easy by comparison - they even have pass through. Pandemic pricing has added £15 to prices per AC-lite, but it's not like you normally need more than 1-2 for your average 4-5 bed property unless it was built when walls were solid rather than plasterboard, a FlexHD will cost you 2.5x the price of an AC-lite for a single unit, but either option is likely to be significantly better than better than your current set-up, it also means you're free of the compromises of an AIO router next time round and can choose cheaper/better options in future.

ShivP · 10 Aug 2020 at 11:31

Thanks guys. Am I right in saying an AC-Lite will be limited to around 300mbps?
Reason I ask is the internet we have is 500mbps+, and the AC87U will deliver that at reasonably close range.

I am happy to mount a first floor and ground floor UAP on the ceiling now, so that isn't an issue

WJA96 · 10 Aug 2020 at 12:19

The AP-AC-Lite will do 2x2 802.11ac which is 250-350Mbps with most clients (most WLAN devices are still 2x2 at 5GHz). If you have a 4x4 client then it will only connect at 2x2. The UAP-FlexHD or UAP-HDNano are 4x4 devices and will do 400-550Mpbs with a 4x4 client, and they don’t need to be at close range. If you can hold off until January then the new UAP6-Lite has and UAP6-LR will do 1Gbps with a WiFi6 client. And that’s limited by the fact that the current devices have 1Gbps uplink ports. Production models should have 2.5GbE uplink ports and be able to do over 1200Mbps. But that’s all theory at the moment.

ShivP · 10 Aug 2020 at 13:15

WJA96 said:
The AP-AC-Lite will do 2x2 802.11ac which is 250-350Mbps with most clients (most WLAN devices are still 2x2 at 5GHz). If you have a 4x4 client then it will only connect at 2x2. The UAP-FlexHD or UAP-HDNano are 4x4 devices and will do 400-550Mpbs with a 4x4 client, and they don’t need to be at close range. If you can hold off until January then the new UAP6-Lite has and UAP6-LR will do 1Gbps with a WiFi6 client. And that’s limited by the fact that the current devices have 1Gbps uplink ports. Production models should have 2.5GbE uplink ports and be able to do over 1200Mbps. But that’s all theory at the moment.

OK, I am not in a desperate rush so it may be an option to just wait until then. I guess my OnePlus 6T must be 4X4 as it gets the full ~500mbps through the 5G on the AC87U

WJA96 · 10 Aug 2020 at 13:33

I would say so.

This is my iPad Pro (4x4 client) on a 900Mbps service with AP-AC-SHD as the access point. The access point is ceiling mounted, on the other side of a wall, about 25 feet away.

New WiFi - mesh?

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