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mentalinc

3239 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#3396999 25-Jul-2025 11:26

Something from Alta maybe?

https://www.alta.inc/access-points

Provide a cloud management platform, have suite of switches and a router as wel..

CPU: AMD 5900x | RAM: GSKILL Trident Z Neo RGB F4-3600C16D-32GTZNC-32-GB | MB: Asus X570-E | GFX: EVGA FTW3 Ultra RTX 3080Ti| Monitor: LG 27GL850-B 2560x1440

Quic: https://account.quic.nz/refer/473833 R473833EQKIBX

nitro

658 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3397053 25-Jul-2025 13:51

i totally get your point about having a backup router configured identically to the one in-service for a quick swap, should the need arise. my old RB3011 is one such for me.

as for access points, i doubt you'd find anything more discrete than unifi. as you seem to put aesthetics above other requirements (if you even have any), you might as well settle on them.

serious question though... how often do you look at your ceiling to notice the access point/s? performance was my highest priority, and consequently i have a Ruckus R750, which in your terms would outright be a torso! it's mounted a third of the way from the wall in the hallway ceiling, but we don't even notice it anymore. i guess it might be different if it was in the living room where people actually spend time in. the chosen hallway location allowed me to have one AP rather than 3 puny little ones. i had AC-Pros some years ago now, even the R600 blew it out of the water in signal quality.

Earbanean

944 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3397070 25-Jul-2025 14:33

nitro:

as for access points, i doubt you'd find anything more discrete than unifi. as you seem to put aesthetics above other requirements (if you even have any), you might as well settle on them.

serious question though... how often do you look at your ceiling to notice the access point/s? performance was my highest priority, and consequently i have a Ruckus R750, which in your terms would outright be a torso! it's mounted a third of the way from the wall in the hallway ceiling, but we don't even notice it anymore. i guess it might be different if it was in the living room where people actually spend time in. the chosen hallway location allowed me to have one AP rather than 3 puny little ones. i had AC-Pros some years ago now, even the R600 blew it out of the water in signal quality.

As per the OP, aesthetics is a priority, but it's not the highest priority. Multi SSID, VLAN tagging, handoff/roaming, etc are more important. However, given these network config requirements are pretty modest and should be feasible across all these brands, then aesthetics is looking like the determining factor.

We have a 3-level house. The upper level WAP is in a hall between bedrooms, so aesthetics no so important. The basement has a self contained flat with WAP in a living area. It's in a reasonably visible location, but it's a fairly basic flat that we rent out, so again no hugely important. However, the main level WAP is in the ceiling of a pretty stylish (in no way due to me) open-plan living/dining area. So aesthetics are pretty important - including to my marriage.

nitro

658 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3397111 25-Jul-2025 16:21

Earbanean:

So aesthetics are pretty important - including to my marriage.

all your "other" requirements are met by any decent WAP, which kinda leaves you with just one.

but that right there says it all.

RunningMan

8961 posts

Uber Geek

#3397129 25-Jul-2025 17:16

Grandstream have different shaped APs - there's more square wall mounted ones as well.

Radiotron

180 posts

Master Geek

#3397180 25-Jul-2025 20:05

Stray thought, the OP has an ER-Lite, with some patience on a yellow site, it's not difficult to find a spare one cheap, flash it with local config and keep it as a spare, along with the power supply. Still routes 500/100 no problem.

olivernz

498 posts

Ultimate Geek

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Lifetime subscriber

#3397185 25-Jul-2025 20:24

Love my unifi gear. I have a UDM Pro, XG-16 aggregation switch and a 24 port Poe Gen 2 switch + 3 APs. I'd probably buy other/newer gear but I'd always stay with unifi. Just easy to manage and it does what I want it to. But I am also a geek. Just a word of warning, Mikrotik stuff is great especially for the price but you have to be a highly skilled network angineer to run that stuff. Can't talk to other makes.

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Asteros

265 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3397399 27-Jul-2025 13:10

I went from a Unifi stack to a Ruckus + Mikrotik combo. Much better performance and luckily I don't really notice the APs on my ceiling. ! I wouldn't go back to Unifi - software gives me nightmares.

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