802.11ac mesh

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Mirddes

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#168579 18-Mar-2015 23:33

i want to build a robust wireless network with no cables.

there will be 17 fixed nodes on the network and a few dozen mobile devices.

mesh topography for the fixed nodes and star topography for the mobile devices is forseen.

what hardware/software solutions will render this vision possible?

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#1262088 19-Mar-2015 07:12

If performance is critical, then forget it. What you're wanting to do is nothing more than a dream.

I hate mesh networks for all the obvious reasons, but even in a best case scenario trying to build a network with no cabled nodes is just a terrible idea.

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Mirddes

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#1262146 19-Mar-2015 09:42

to be fair, terrible performance on 802.11ac sounds livable.

i care about building a robust network, not the fastest one.

networkn

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#1262158 19-Mar-2015 09:58

Wireless and Robust should only be in the same sentence if the words "is" and "not" are also in that same sentence.

If you want reliability, security and or performance, cables.

sbiddle

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#1262160 19-Mar-2015 10:01

networkn: Wireless and Robust should only be in the same sentence if the words "is" and "not" are also in that same sentence.

If you want reliability, security and or performance, cables.

Exactly. A mesh network with 17 nodes with only one cabled AP point will neither be fast, nor reliable. There will be far, far, far too many wireless hops.

Mirddes

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#1263528 19-Mar-2015 16:24

0 cabled APs.

AP is a cellphone.

sbiddle

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#1263536 19-Mar-2015 16:33

Mirddes: 0 cabled APs. AP is a cellphone.

You've completely lost me there.

Mark

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#1263686 19-Mar-2015 20:22

sbiddle:
Mirddes: 0 cabled APs. AP is a cellphone.

You've completely lost me there.

I'd hope he is not saying that internet access would be provided via a phone running as a WiFi hotspot .....

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#1263689 19-Mar-2015 20:37

Mirddes: to be fair, terrible performance on 802.11ac sounds livable. i care about building a robust network, not the fastest one.

256QAM is great fun in noisy environments.

richms

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#1263695 19-Mar-2015 21:19

I havent even seen any 802.11ac APs that have listed WDS on them as of yet, but I admit I have not been looking hard.

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noroad

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#1263697 19-Mar-2015 21:29

Well, I have not tried it with WDS (yes it does have WDS with AP as a mode option) but I use this AP http://www.dlink.com/me/sr/business-solutions/wireless/access-points/access-points/dap-2695-wireless-ac1750-simultaneous-dualband-poe-access-point and it is simply awesome in its performance and coverage.

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#1264384 21-Mar-2015 00:41

noroad: Well, I have not tried it with WDS (yes it does have WDS with AP as a mode option) but I use this AP http://www.dlink.com/me/sr/business-solutions/wireless/access-points/access-points/dap-2695-wireless-ac1750-simultaneous-dualband-poe-access-point and it is simply awesome in its performance and coverage.

Thanks for that. Im considering buying 1 of these now. No I don't want to try and do what the OP purposes. But because im currently using a Fritzbox as a WIFI ap. (which is a waste of a fritzbox). And so I can get faster Wifi speeds.

Mirddes

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#1264396 21-Mar-2015 01:42

cellphone as AP is not intended as primary internet connection, only useful in event of failover.

anyhow, meshing 802.11ac, how do we go about this? (im not wanting WDS so much, this is still star topography)

sbiddle

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#1264439 21-Mar-2015 10:30

Mirddes: anyhow, meshing 802.11ac, how do we go about this? (im not wanting WDS so much, this is still star topography)

I don't have a recommendation because what you want to do is incredibly poor from a network design perspective and won't deliver a reliable, robust network. A 16 node mesh with a single cabled node is just a crazy idea and will only deliver two end results - frustration and tears.

Mirddes

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#1264469 21-Mar-2015 11:34

you have no sense of vision. if basic internet connectivity can be achieved, what do you care for my blood, sweet and tears? multiple internet connections on the mesh is a given. being able to failover to a cellphone is a luxury.

let us be generous as to be conducive to productivity.

half the nodes are wired, half are not.

now what?

sbiddle

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#1264471 21-Mar-2015 11:36

Mirddes: you have no sense of vision. if basic internet connectivity can be achieved, what do you care for my blood, sweet and tears? multiple internet connections on the mesh is a given. being able to failover to a cellphone is a luxury.

Building wireless networks is my job. I'm offering you my honest advice which is that what you want to do can't be done in a way that will deliver a robust network. If somebody can to me asking to do the same thing I'd give exactly the same advice I'm giving you.

Can it be done? Yes it can. Would I contemplate such an idea in the real world? No I wouldn't. Why? Because it's an incredibly poor approach from a network point of view and fraught with potential issues. Just because something can be done doesn't mean you should do it, or that it's a good idea. Mesh networks are fraught with issues, and in a best case scenario you should never rely on more than 2 hops for wireless. My personal view is that mesh should be avoided at all costs unless it's absolutely necessary.

If you want to build such a network your best choice is Ruckus and it'll probably cost you about $10 - $15k for a network with APs and controller.

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