Ubiquiti Amplifi the answer?

Forums › LAN (ethernet/Wifi/routers/Bluetooth) › Ubiquiti Amplifi the answer?

dwilson

162 posts

Master Geek

#238195 6-Jul-2018 13:51

I have been looking at the Router recommendation thread: https://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=66&topicid=197871

I current have:

1x Huawei HG659, front of house, next to ONT, plugs into, the wired network, provides good wifi in the area.
1x Netgear R7000, other end of house, plugs into the wired network, provides good wifi in the area.

I do also need a reasonable connection on the far corner of the house though which I am not getting.

There is no practical way to run a cable and POE is unsuitable.

Potentially a nice clean shared configuration page would be helpful, rather than indivdual ones.

I think I need:

1x Ubiquiti Amplifi, front of house, next to ONT, plugs into the wired network, provides good wifi in the area.
1x Ubiquiti Amplifi, other end of house, plugs into the wired network, provides good wifi in the area.
1x Ubiquiti Amplifi, corner of house to complete the house coverage, meshes with other 2, provides okay wifi coverage.

Does this seem reasonable? If so, which 3 unit pack would best fulfill these requirements?

Do you have an alternative idea?

Cheers.

michaelmurfy

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#2050451 6-Jul-2018 13:53

The mesh nodes don't have Ethernet so you're basically using them to create a mesh network over WiFi only. It is an option that works well for most people regardless.

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dwilson

162 posts

Master Geek

#2050455 6-Jul-2018 13:56

Oh darn. I really need to take advantage of that ethernet cable running to the other end of the house.

Back to the drawing board.

BMarquis

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#2050457 6-Jul-2018 14:02

You could use Ubiquity UAP-AC-M, they have either mesh or Ethernet input.
They also work in combo with the UAP-AC-Lite/LR, etc products.

mattgreen

133 posts

Master Geek

#2050485 6-Jul-2018 14:30

michaelmurfy:

The mesh nodes don't have Ethernet so you're basically using them to create a mesh network over WiFi only. It is an option that works well for most people regardless.

I haven't used them myself but was looking at them before settling on Unifi.. From what I read ethernet backhaul between the nodes is supported for Amplifi.

https://help.amplifi.com/hc/en-us/articles/115006826048-Ethernet-Wired-Backhaul-How-To

michaelmurfy

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#2050533 6-Jul-2018 14:47

Yes - if you're wanting awesome wireless then consider purchasing 2-3 UniFi AC-Lite LR's.

Purchase 2 to begin with and maybe a third later if you need it. They're very good access points. You're also welcome to use the cloud controller in my signature to manage them. Basically install one near your router, the other at the end of the house and done.

mattgreen

133 posts

Master Geek

#2050553 6-Jul-2018 15:11

In the end I decided to wire in a bunch of stuff so the need for mesh went away for me. Plus I wanted to setup a couple of PoE cams. I managed to acquire myself a cloudkey, UAP-AC-Pro, USG and US-8 at really good prices on TM over a few months. Turns out I get good enough coverage with the single UAP anyway but at least now if we move I can just add APs as required.

dwilson

162 posts

Master Geek

#2050909 7-Jul-2018 03:41

So taking what has been recommended and adapting the advice to suit me, does this look like a viable option, or have I missed something obvious?

1x Edgerouter X, next to ONT, plugs into the wired network, provides internet access and management of the APs.
1x Unifi AP LR, front of house, next to ONT, plugs into the wired network, provides good wifi in the area. (With POE adapter)
1x Unifi AP LR, other end of house, plugs into the wired network, provides good wifi in the area. (With POE adapter)
(BUY ONLY IF REQUIRED) 1x Unifi AP LR, corner of house to complete the house coverage, meshes with other 2, provides okay wifi coverage. (With POE adapter)

This appears to give me the ability to manage the whole lot from a single web page. Good coverage as before, but with a chance it will also cover the 'opposite corner of the house', but if it doesn't adding the third AP LR should complete the job.

When I looked, it became apparent I need to buy the LR units separately to get the POE adapters.

Where does Michael Murphy's cloud controller fit into the mix? Not sure how this is used?

Cheers.

lxsw20

3527 posts

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#2050910 7-Jul-2018 04:42

Don't think the EdgeRouter can be managed in dashboard the same as the UniFi AP's. You would need a Unifi USG to get that feature.

I'd personally go for the AP-AC-Lite over the AP-LR.

BMarquis

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#2050911 7-Jul-2018 05:38

4. The LR won’t mesh with the others. You would need to use a UAC-AC-M there it will mesh with the others.

I agree on just using AC-lites rather than LR.

dwilson

162 posts

Master Geek

#2050913 7-Jul-2018 06:14

Thanks guys.

So, something like this?

1x Unifi USG, next to ONT, plugs into the wired network, provides internet access.
1x Unifi AP Lite, front of house, next to ONT, plugs into the wired network, provides good wifi in the area. (With POE adapter)
1x Unifi AP Lite, other end of house, plugs into the wired network, provides good wifi in the area. (With POE adapter)
(BUY ONLY IF REQUIRED) 1x UAC-AC-M, corner of house to complete the house coverage, meshes with other 2, provides okay wifi coverage. (With POE adapter)

I think if I don't get the Unifi USG and just leave the Huawei doing that job then that's when I would need to use Michael Murphys controller for the other 2 (.. or 3) APs? But if I did shell out the extra cash for USG then I wouldn't need too?

bignose

142 posts

Master Geek

#2050914 7-Jul-2018 06:28

dwilson:
Oh darn. I really need to take advantage of that ethernet cable running to the other end of the house.

Back to the drawing board.

however the AFi-r does support wired backhaul - so to do what you’re describing you’d need 2 * AFi-Rs and a single wireless mesh node in the spot with no cable. Mesh node can either be one of their plugin/dedicated mesh nodes OR yet another AFi-R (since the cube can be a router, a wired mesh node or a wireless mesh node)

https://help.amplifi.com/hc/en-us/articles/115006826048-Ethernet-Wired-Backhaul-How-To

gives you what you want in terms of a single management interface - but be aware that the amplifi range DOES NOT use web-based management, it’s via an app (android/ios)

bignose

142 posts

Master Geek

#2050915 7-Jul-2018 07:11

other possibility for a mixed wired/wireless mesh system would be ASUS aiMesh - lets you mix/match nodes (pretty much all the current range can be aiMesh nodes - so you can choose based on needed features and cost), fully supports wired/wireless backhaul and gives you the more conventional web based management you’re probably used to

Crowdie

228 posts

Master Geek

#2051299 8-Jul-2018 10:05

You need to be careful of any of the consumer grade mesh solutions as their RF performance is generally poor and, as we found out with the spectrum analysis of an Amplifi system with no clients connected, can adversely affect the performance of neighbouring wireless network. i.e. If your neighbour deploys a consumer mesh system the wireless performance of your wireless network can be severely affected.

For those with a technical bent the spectrum analyser capture below was taken from an Amplifi system with no clients connected and user data being carried in the 5 GHz spectrum. The mesh control data is still be carried in the 2.4 GHz spectrum (I couldn't find a way to change this) and this is what the capture is showing. You can see two access points on center channels 1 and 6 (weak) with the Amplifi from channels 7 right up to channel 14.

In the Spectrogram (middle) graph you can see:

The high transmit power of the Amplifi (red and yellow area vertical area from center channels 10 to 12).
The Amplifi continuously "pulsing" from loud (red and yellow) to quiet (blue) on the previously mentioned channels.
A loud "blast" (horizontal yellow and red area) across the entire 2.4 GHz spectrum. This occurred every couple of minutes and is similar to a Bluetooth device in discovery mode.