Wireless Setup Ubiquiti UniFi Pro For New Double Story House.

Forums › LAN (ethernet/Wifi/routers/Bluetooth) › Wireless Setup Ubiquiti UniFi Pro For New Double Story House.

joutei

308 posts

Ultimate Geek

#157672 9-Dec-2014 12:02

Hey guys, been a while since I have been on here.

My friends are building a new double story house next year and they were asking me about how they should install wireless around the house.
From what I have read in here previously, first we should make sure they get a Network cupboard in the garage so the Internet , Switches and Cabling
can all meet in one place.

They want both 2.4ghz and 5ghz coverage. I was thinking of getting the Ubiquiti UAP-PRO and placing three of these all in the bottom floor of the home, mounted on the ceiling.
One Left, Right and Center throughout the house where there is a decent open space. Cat5e cables will be running to these access points, don't like the idea of a repeater setup.
Since they are mounted on the ceiling, I'm hoping they shoot up wireless to the second floor with decent signal strength.

I haven't really done anything like this before, I know that Wireless signal can be significantly reduced by concrete walls or even just walls.
I have read pretty good reviews on the Ubiquiti product range, the one feature I really like is how you can have a single SSID throughout the house
even with multiple access points.

So what do you guys think of my plan, any advice? Also is there any software that i can upload the house plan and try emulating how the coverage would be like?

Cheers and thanks a bunch!

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#1192072 9-Dec-2014 12:07

I love the UniFi gear, but for a domestic installation, do you want the 'hassle' of having to install a web based console to manage these devices?

I do like the idea of a couple off ceiling mounted access points powered from the central wiring area.

http://www.ekahau.com/wifidesign/ekahau-heatmapper is awesome for checking wireless signal. Free version runs for 10 minutes per session if I remember correctly. Have a play with it. :)

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wasabi2k

2098 posts

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#1192082 9-Dec-2014 12:16

Dynamic: I love the UniFi gear, but for a domestic installation, do you want the 'hassle' of having to install a web based console to manage these devices?

You can install the console - run it once to set them up, then turn it off. They will just keep working.

Or if you are motivated you can run up an AWS instance to run the controller in "the cloud"

Unifi also gives you detail on client behavior and the ability to block clients from a nice gui if required (again if the console is running).

joutei

308 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1192085 9-Dec-2014 12:19

Thanks for the replies guys. In terms of the web based console, Wouldn't I just open the software on my PC whenever I wanted to
make changes or view the status of the APs ? It doesn't always have to be ON right, otherwise maybe I should look into Open-Mesh ?

http://www.open-mesh.com/products/access-points.html

lxsw20

3555 posts

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#1192087 9-Dec-2014 12:20

3 of them? How big is the house? Steel or wood construction? What are the floors to be made out of?

joutei

308 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1192088 9-Dec-2014 12:21

Dynamic: I love the UniFi gear, but for a domestic installation, do you want the 'hassle' of having to install a web based console to manage these devices?

I do like the idea of a couple off ceiling mounted access points powered from the central wiring area.

http://www.ekahau.com/wifidesign/ekahau-heatmapper is awesome for checking wireless signal. Free version runs for 10 minutes per session if I remember correctly. Have a play with it. :)

Thanks for that software, will definitely try it out!

michaelmurfy

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#1192106 9-Dec-2014 12:22

Get an Ubiquiti Security Gateway: http://www.ubnt.com/unifi-switching-routing/usg/ (they're available from GoWiFi here: http://www.gowifi.co.nz/ubiquiti-networks/ubiquiti-networks-voip/ubiquiti-unifi-security-gateway.html)

From here, adopt the UAP's to that and set that up for routing, connect it to a gigabit switch and depending on their broadband setup either use a Draytek in bridge mode or set up the security gateway w/ VLAN Tagging etc to connect straight to their ONT. You can also set up zero handover.

The UAP's will be sufficient with covering a building like this.

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joutei

308 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1192110 9-Dec-2014 12:27

lxsw20: 3 of them? How big is the house? Steel or wood construction? What are the floors to be made out of?

Will get back to you on the details, thanks!

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joutei

308 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1192112 9-Dec-2014 12:29

michaelmurfy: Get an Ubiquiti Security Gateway: http://www.ubnt.com/unifi-switching-routing/usg/ (they're available from GoWiFi here: http://www.gowifi.co.nz/ubiquiti-networks/ubiquiti-networks-voip/ubiquiti-unifi-security-gateway.html)

From here, adopt the UAP's to that and set that up for routing, connect it to a gigabit switch and depending on their broadband setup either use a Draytek in bridge mode or set up the security gateway w/ VLAN Tagging etc to connect straight to their ONT. You can also set up zero handover.

The UAP's will be sufficient with covering a building like this.

Hey Michael, is the Security Gateway really necessary ? I think the 3 APs alone are costing just under $1000 :)

michaelmurfy

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#1192150 9-Dec-2014 13:08

joutei:
michaelmurfy: Get an Ubiquiti Security Gateway: http://www.ubnt.com/unifi-switching-routing/usg/ (they're available from GoWiFi here: http://www.gowifi.co.nz/ubiquiti-networks/ubiquiti-networks-voip/ubiquiti-unifi-security-gateway.html)

From here, adopt the UAP's to that and set that up for routing, connect it to a gigabit switch and depending on their broadband setup either use a Draytek in bridge mode or set up the security gateway w/ VLAN Tagging etc to connect straight to their ONT. You can also set up zero handover.

The UAP's will be sufficient with covering a building like this.

Hey Michael, is the Security Gateway really necessary ? I think the 3 APs alone are costing just under $1000 :)

You want the UniFi controller to be always on + ready, this way the router is the UniFi controller so in this situation I think it is necessary.

richms

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#1192152 9-Dec-2014 13:08

For the added cost, the AC model is probably what you want, since that is able to deliver what fiber can get to the house, whereas the PRO's are only doing 802.11n on 5GHz.

Richard rich.ms

wasabi2k

2098 posts

Uber Geek

#1192154 9-Dec-2014 13:11

joutei: Thanks for the replies guys. In terms of the web based console, Wouldn't I just open the software on my PC whenever I wanted to
make changes or view the status of the APs ? It doesn't always have to be ON right, otherwise maybe I should look into Open-Mesh ?

http://www.open-mesh.com/products/access-points.html

Yes - if you want to you can just run the controller when you want to make changes.

The only stuff that won't work is guest portal/gateway stuff (i.e. charging for access/landing pages) - and obviously the stats gathering.

michaelmurfy

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#1192160 9-Dec-2014 13:21

wasabi2k:
joutei: Thanks for the replies guys. In terms of the web based console, Wouldn't I just open the software on my PC whenever I wanted to
make changes or view the status of the APs ? It doesn't always have to be ON right, otherwise maybe I should look into Open-Mesh ?

http://www.open-mesh.com/products/access-points.html

Yes - if you want to you can just run the controller when you want to make changes.

The only stuff that won't work is guest portal/gateway stuff (i.e. charging for access/landing pages) - and obviously the stats gathering.

This is one of the best things about owning an UniFi - for $190 this router is a good deal and a perfect companion to the UniFi setup.

wasabi2k

2098 posts

Uber Geek

#1192163 9-Dec-2014 13:26

michaelmurfy:
wasabi2k:
joutei: Thanks for the replies guys. In terms of the web based console, Wouldn't I just open the software on my PC whenever I wanted to
make changes or view the status of the APs ? It doesn't always have to be ON right, otherwise maybe I should look into Open-Mesh ?

http://www.open-mesh.com/products/access-points.html

Yes - if you want to you can just run the controller when you want to make changes.

The only stuff that won't work is guest portal/gateway stuff (i.e. charging for access/landing pages) - and obviously the stats gathering.

This is one of the best things about owning an UniFi - for $190 this router is a good deal and a perfect companion to the UniFi setup.

Not arguing with you (my controller runs 24/7) - but it is possible.

lxsw20

3555 posts

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#1192165 9-Dec-2014 13:29

What is the advantage of running the controller 24/7? They run fine without it from what I can tell.

joutei

308 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1192184 9-Dec-2014 13:37

richms: For the added cost, the AC model is probably what you want, since that is able to deliver what fiber can get to the house, whereas the PRO's are only doing 802.11n on 5GHz.

Isn't residential Fiber just 100 Down / 50 Up at the moment ?

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