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#270205 28-Apr-2020 12:39
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Hi folks, I'm looking for recommendations. I'm moving house soon and my home network set up will have to change.

 

My home is currently wired with Cat 5, has made it wonderfully simple to ensure there are no dead-spots in my house without having to compromise on Wi-Fi speed. I just had access points around the house that allowed my family to roam around without anyone complaining about signal.

 

I have:

 

  • Max speed fibre from Spark
  • Ubiquiti EdgeRouter PoE 5
  • A static IP from spark 
  • A plex server that is accessed both internally and externally
  • A number of Apple airports: 1 x Extreme, 4 x Express -  all LAN connected (I got these years ago to stream music around the house, long before the advent of Spotify and Alexa, and now they are used purely as access points on the network and still do a good job of that)

Anyway, as I said, all about to change. The next property does not have cat 5 around the house. And I definitely do not want to use those Airports as wi-fi extenders. I'm trying to decide whether I get myself Google WiFi 3 pack as I have heard they are simple to set up and provide good range. I could have one connected directly to the existing router, and then simply distribute the other two wherever gives best coverage around the house, or... have the main one as my router and no longer use the EdgeRouter.

 

I'm wondering if any one has a recommendation based on the above scenarios? i.e. problems when using Google Wifi purely as APs, whether it would make more send to replace the router in that scenario, working with the fibre model at max speed, working with a fixed IP etc? 

 

I'm after low maintenance as that is what I have had for the past few years with my current set up.

 

Any help appreciated.

 

 

 

 


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PJ48
295 posts

Ultimate Geek


  #2472771 28-Apr-2020 13:05
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I am also with Spark Max Fibre, and have recently replaced a very similar Apple Airport setup with the Spark Smart modem and 2 x Smart Mesh units. I am very impressed by the coverage and ease of setup. Because I changed my plan, I got the Spark Smart Modem for free , and only had to pay for the Smart Mesh units. I dont know how they would compare to the Google Wifi, but as an ISP supported solution - it is a lot of bang for your buck. My one slight caveat is that I am able to use the Smart MESH over wired backhaul and havent tested them over wireless backhaul. I think Michael Murphy was very impressed by the setup though.

 

I would strongly recommend that you look at the Spark system as well as Google wifi.




hio77
12999 posts

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Lizard Networks

  #2472774 28-Apr-2020 13:13
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I have to agree with @PJ48 the smart mesh over Ethernet Backhaul has seriously impressed me, to the stage i use it as my primary AP's.

 

 

 

i still run my E400s for my IOT VLAN etc





#include <std_disclaimer>

 

Any comments made are personal opinion and do not reflect directly on the position my current or past employers may have.

 

 


  #2472783 28-Apr-2020 13:56
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Thanks for the responses. Really helpful and I am looking into the smart modem and mesh devices right now.

 

I just want to make sure that I can access the admin settings of the smart modem so that:

 

     

  1. I can do port forwarding for the Plex Services
  2. I can change the default DNS it send to DHCP devices so that it uses the DNS4Me IP addresses I have for region masking

 

I can also get the modem for free if I choose one, as I haven't received one from them since the days of VDSL. The modem/mesh spec does make them look like surprisingly good devices though.

 

Thanks again


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