Wifi mesh systems

Ray Donovan

Took the plunge with a deco m5 3 pack today in Power City (€189) and have it all hooked up.

I have Eir fibre to the home 150 mbps

1 node connected to router and wifi turned off on the ISP router. 2nd node ethernet connected to first node and 3rd node wirelessly.

Pros:
Very easy to set up

2 nodes using ethernet backhaul working really well. Hitting speeds well over 100mbps.

Now have 40mbps outside in back yard where I previously had no coverage

Cons.
For the craic I tried to set up the second node wirelessly at first and the main deco looked like it couldn't find it. As soon as I plugged in ethernet to it, it found it straight away.

The third node which is the one working wirelessly has improved things upstairs but I am very very sceptical of the speed tests I am doing on the Deco app. It has me over 130mpbs everywhere I tested. Totally different result then on speedofme.

If I didnt have the ethernet backhaul I would be concerned about the outlay of cash for this product to be perfectly honest.

Hi Ray good info.
So you think if you can string the 3 nodes together its a good system ?
Would suit my bungalow if so with its long open attic.

grogi

BrownFinger wrote: »

Hi Ray good info.
So you think if you can string the 3 nodes together its a good system ?
Would suit my bungalow if so with its long open attic.

If you can have ethernet backbone, don't bother with any mesh system.

Start with one UniFi AP AC Lite. If it won't be sufficient, just add another one. You'll need controller software, but only to configure the AP.

grogi

grogi wrote: »

Start with one UniFi AP AC Lite. If it won't be sufficient, just add another one. You'll need controller software, but only to configure the AP.

Speak English to me man

grogi

BrownFinger wrote: »

Speak English to me man

Get this: https://www.ui.com/unifi/unifi-ap-ac-lite/

I am not going to be convinced that any super-duper mesh system will behave better UniFi system.

kala85

grogi wrote: »

Get this: https://www.ui.com/unifi/unifi-ap-ac-lite/

I am not going to be convinced that any super-duper mesh system will behave better UniFi system.

How much and where to buy

Shefwedfan

grogi wrote: »

Get this: https://www.ui.com/unifi/unifi-ap-ac-lite/

I am not going to be convinced that any super-duper mesh system will behave better UniFi system.

Those are 300 quid a pop and require wiring around the house, not a possibility for some people

Gooey Looey

Shefwedfan wrote: »

Those are 300 quid a pop and require wiring around the house, not a possibility for some people

You missed the bit above where he said anyone already has or can easily run Ethernet should be using ap's instead of mesh. I actually agree, mesh is the new buzz word but Irish houses are built with blocks and concrete and don't suit mesh. I have ap's in my house and when I roam from one to the other I get a single dropped ping.

They're 85 quid btw:
https://www.komplett.ie/ubiquiti-networks-uap-ac-lite-wlan-toegangspunt/80042070/product?channable=e46247.ODAwNDIwNzA&gclid=Cj0KCQjwwr32BRD4ARIsAAJNf_1mIfe_WwZLTKSmHqbW9sKBhBNsjdkQii2Vaz-zPc1CpYnKtK_mlFYaAozFEALw_wcB

Shefwedfan

Gooey Looey wrote: »

You missed the bit above where he said anyone already has or can easily run Ethernet should be using ap's instead of mesh. I actually agree, mesh is the new buzz word but Irish houses are built with blocks and concrete and don't suit mesh. I have ap's in my house and when I roam from one to the other I get a single dropped ping.

They're 85 quid btw:
https://www.komplett.ie/ubiquiti-networks-uap-ac-lite-wlan-toegangspunt/80042070/product?channable=e46247.ODAwNDIwNzA&gclid=Cj0KCQjwwr32BRD4ARIsAAJNf_1mIfe_WwZLTKSmHqbW9sKBhBNsjdkQii2Vaz-zPc1CpYnKtK_mlFYaAozFEALw_wcB

Most Irish house, especally the new ones are not built with blocks. Timber frames etc


Running cables is not possible for some people, including me, and other don't want the hassle.



Mesh wifi is perfect for people like that, combining with powerline gets around the issues in older houses with blocks walls.



I am not saying running ethernet and having these devices are not better, they are. But it is not possible and too complicated for some people. Especially when you can pick up a Mesh wifi system cheap and its more or less plug and play

Gooey Looey

Shefwedfan wrote: »

Most Irish house, especally the new ones are not built with blocks. Timber frames etc


Running cables is not possible for some people, including me, and other don't want the hassle.



Mesh wifi is perfect for people like that, combining with powerline gets around the issues in older houses with blocks walls.



I am not saying running ethernet and having these devices are not better, they are. But it is not possible and too complicated for some people. Especially when you can pick up a Mesh wifi system cheap and its more or less plug and play

I'm not denying any of that, I'm commenting on the statement above that if you have Ethernet backbone most of the advantages of mesh get negated. Unifi is very easy to configure and we'll documented with guides and videos. And it's also very easy to expand, just plug it in and adopt a new Unifi and all the settings get pushed to it.

degsie

Gooey Looey wrote: »

I'm not denying any of that, I'm commenting on the statement above that if you have Ethernet backbone most of the advantages of mesh get negated. Unifi is very easy to configure and we'll documented with guides and videos. And it's also very easy to expand, just plug it in and adopt a new Unifi and all the settings get pushed to it.

UniFi requires separate software to set up, so is a little more involved than plug'n'play mesh systems.

Gooey Looey

degsie wrote: »

UniFi requires separate software to set up, so is a little more involved than plug'n'play mesh systems.

Yes, but you only need run the software once to setup initially, or to add new Unifi.

Shefwedfan

I dont see how anyone can say mesh is just a buzz word. If you can run ethernet then great but how many houses in Ireland have or can run ethernet? how many people will know how to run and setup the network correctly?

A mesh wifi is a very easy plug n play option to get proper wifi coverage across a large area. Also with more and more people using IP calls it allows you to move around while on those calls. Not stand in random positions in the house and not dare move in case you can drop a call.

Yes the unifi devices are great for people who know how to use them. But for your standard punter they are a pain and if they go wrong the person will have zero chance of knowing how to fix.

I think it is best to leave it at Mesh wifi is excellent for some people, but alternatives are available which might suit other peoples needs.....personally I know networks etc at a basic level but I couldn't be ar*ed running cables and messing around with routers and then wifi nodes etc. The Huawei kit I got was plug in, start the app, set up one box and the rest just replicated the settings from the main one :-) happy days

bk

The term "Wifi Mesh System" has sorted of become abused and inaccurate.

Strictly speaking a wifi mesh system is one where the individual devices communicate with one another over wifi.

However a lot of the newest systems are hybrid and allow you to not only connect over wifi, but also over ethernet and/or powerline. If connected over ethernet/powerline, then strictly speaking it isn't a "wifi mesh" and is instead a series of access points. But that doesn't really matter to the users who get great performance.

I prefer the term "wifi system" as that is agnostic to the backhaul solution you are using. Basically it incorporates the idea that rather then having just one router, you have multiple devices throughout your home, delivering wifi everywhere, over the best backhaul option avialble to you.

I'd certainly consider the Ubiquiti gear to be a "wifi system" and a very capable one, one of the best around.

Again, I'd always say, if is is an option, then ethernet backhaul is by FAR the best solution. Of course that isn't an option for everyone, so triband mesh or powerline are the next best option.

bk

Shefwedfan wrote: »

I dont see how anyone can say mesh is just a buzz word. If you can run ethernet then great but how many houses in Ireland have or can run ethernet? how many people will know how to run and setup the network correctly?

The term "wifi mesh" has become a major buzzword in the consumer networking industry and as I mentioen above, it is often incorrectly used.

Shefwedfan wrote: »

I think it is best to leave it at Mesh wifi is excellent for some people, but alternatives are available which might suit other peoples needs.....personally I know networks etc at a basic level but I couldn't be ar*ed running cables and messing around with routers and then wifi nodes etc. The Huawei kit I got was plug in, start the app, set up one box and the rest just replicated the settings from the main one :-) happy days

Ironically the Huawei Kit is actually a hybrid system and if you use it's powerline or ethernet option, is isn't actually a "wifi mesh" then, it a series of access points, exactly the same as the Ubiquiti setup.

The ease of setup of the Huawei system, isn't what makes it a "wifi mesh" system. That is simply a result of it being a consumer oriented kit, rather then an enterprise oriented kit that Ubiquiti is. I'm sure the Huawei system is just as easy to setup using ethernet/powerline as it is in mesh mode.

If you can, ethernet connected is always far better option then any mesh or even powerline system.

Gooey Looey

Ubiquiti have seen the market and have released their own Ubiquiti Amplifi kit which is mesh, is plug and play and more novice friendly. It's supposedly good, it can integrate with Unifi and the Unifi controller. Anyone here have any experiences?

Although knowing my own experiences, being a new Ubiquiti product you're probably better off letting them catch up with the bugs first, but probably no worse than many of the other mesh offerings.

irishgeo

Gooey Looey wrote: »

You missed the bit above where he said anyone already has or can easily run Ethernet should be using ap's instead of mesh. I actually agree, mesh is the new buzz word but Irish houses are built with blocks and concrete and don't suit mesh. I have ap's in my house and when I roam from one to the other I get a single dropped ping.

They're 85 quid btw:
https://www.komplett.ie/ubiquiti-networks-uap-ac-lite-wlan-toegangspunt/80042070/product?channable=e46247.ODAwNDIwNzA&gclid=Cj0KCQjwwr32BRD4ARIsAAJNf_1mIfe_WwZLTKSmHqbW9sKBhBNsjdkQii2Vaz-zPc1CpYnKtK_mlFYaAozFEALw_wcB

would this my router wifi or repeat it?

Gooey Looey

irishgeo wrote: »

would this my router wifi or repeat it?

It's an access point. You still need a modem/router, this world just extend or replace the WiFi. Personally I would disable wireless on your main router, cable to and add 1 or 2 Unifi in more central locations.

These are designed to be wall or ceiling mounted for better coverage. The ceiling is a great place to cover your house from as you usually get great coverage directly above them covering two floors (joists, not concrete). It's a very good idea to run cat 6 cables to ceilings in new builds or renovations, even if you've no plans to use them. You just don't know what tech is coming down the road

Bored Accountant

I'm living in a bungalow and have run ethernet into different rooms of the house. I have a archerC1200 set up in middle of the house replacing the eir supplied modem, and another tp-link modem at one end of the house and another access point at other end. So reception is perfect around the house.
I've everything set up on same SSID's with different channels so devices will jump to strongest channel.

The Mrs has WiFi calling on her mobile so that works great cause mobile signal is patchy in the house. If she moves around the house, the call drops when she moves from from one AP to another.

Do any of the mesh systems create a wifi network that has no drop, or is that just downfall of WiFi calling

grogi

Bored Accountant wrote: »

I've everything set up on same SSID's with different channels so devices will jump to strongest channel.

No, they won't. Devices generally tend to stay with the same AP for as long as possible.

The Mrs has WiFi calling on her mobile so that works great cause mobile signal is patchy in the house. If she moves around the house, the call drops when she moves from from one AP to another.

Do any of the mesh systems create a wifi network that has no drop, or is that just downfall of WiFi calling

There are three IEEE standards relevant for roaming: 802.11k, 802.11r and 802.11v. You'd need to validate what is the support in various products for those.

degsie

Gooey Looey wrote: »

Yes, but you only need run the software once to setup initially, or to add new Unifi.

Or for software updates, which are fairly frequent with UniFi systems.

Gooey Looey

degsie wrote: »

Or for software updates, which are fairly frequent with UniFi systems.

That's no biggie, most homes have a PC or laptop. The software doesn't need to run all the time.

kala85

What's the consensus on this so.

What's the best and what's the worst.

What's velop tri band linksys like?

vintagevrs

Hi all, I would appreciate some guidance on my home set up. I have Eir FTTH and up until recently had various old routers acting as APs in different parts of the house, as I am lucky to have ethernet cabled throughout house. One of the tplink routers I was using was causing some odd issues and delays when trying to connect to it, so I started reading about mesh systems. I ended up ordering a ubiquiti AC pro and installed it on the upstairs ceiling in the hallway.


This allowed me to get rid of a few old aps I had set up.

Current set up now is eir ont into f2000 (WiFi disabled) into my switch. These are all in my node 0 location. I then have ubiquiti AP and another f2000 acting as an AP hooked up for WiFi in house.

Is there any benefit to binning the f2000 access point for a ubiquiti unit?

Is there any benefit to binning the f2000 modem/router for ubiquiti kit?


I do like the management portal that ubiquiti runs on, even though I only have one ap on there now. I am wondering is there any real benefit to switching out kit that is working fine now for ubiquiti stuff, or is this just a pure nice to have all the hardware in the one management interface.

Cheers

Gooey Looey

vintagevrs wrote: »

Is there any benefit to binning the f2000 modem/router for ubiquiti kit?


I do like the management portal that ubiquiti runs on, even though I only have one ap on there now. I am wondering is there any real benefit to switching out kit that is working fine now for ubiquiti stuff, or is this just a pure nice to have all the hardware in the one management interface.

Cheers

You said it already. Having all wireless under the same management UI means you can do other things like simply add a virtual guest network, parental control, band steering and bandwidth prioritising/limiting. Or get more advanced features, vlans, firewall and captive portal.

Shefwedfan

kala85 wrote: »

What's the consensus on this so.

What's the best and what's the worst.

What's velop tri band linksys like?

Mesh WiFi is good

Best system depends on requirements

Tri band linksys excellent but expensive

Short answers I know but would need more info

grogi

vintagevrs wrote: »

Hi all, I would appreciate some guidance on my home set up. I have Eir FTTH and up until recently had various old routers acting as APs in different parts of the house, as I am lucky to have ethernet cabled throughout house. One of the tplink routers I was using was causing some odd issues and delays when trying to connect to it, so I started reading about mesh systems. I ended up ordering a ubiquiti AC pro and installed it on the upstairs ceiling in the hallway.


This allowed me to get rid of a few old aps I had set up.

Current set up now is eir ont into f2000 (WiFi disabled) into my switch. These are all in my node 0 location. I then have ubiquiti AP and another f2000 acting as an AP hooked up for WiFi in house.

Is there any benefit to binning the f2000 access point for a ubiquiti unit?

Is there any benefit to binning the f2000 modem/router for ubiquiti kit?


I do like the management portal that ubiquiti runs on, even though I only have one ap on there now. I am wondering is there any real benefit to switching out kit that is working fine now for ubiquiti stuff, or is this just a pure nice to have all the hardware in the one management interface.

Cheers

Monitoring and configuration is simply easier when you have everything on one portal. But not much above that.

Roaming between AP would be possible if all AP are Unify. So if they are in same site, I would replace the existing hardware and got UAP.

Unify switches are solid and integrate nicely with the Unify controller. They do run a bit hot tough, which might be an issue when you have them in the attic in summer. The PoE switches are well priced, but I would avoid the US 8 150w, it can cause fire hazard. US 16 150w is better, as have variable speed fan built in and most of the time will stay silent.

USG is not the most feature rich router too. It is severely limited by software... EdgeRouter are much better.

If the existing router does the job, keep it. No point in spending hard earned money.

Gooey Looey

I recommend Amazon price watch sites like Keepa. There's nothing like a drop in price to convince me I "need" something (*_*)

My missus says I always have a list, we refer to it as "the list". She often asks me "what's on the list these days?" The list is long, always long!

vintagevrs

grogi wrote: »

Monitoring and configuration is simply easier when you have everything on one portal. But not much above that.

Roaming between AP would be possible if all AP are Unify. So if they are in same site, I would replace the existing hardware and got UAP.

Unify switches are solid and integrate nicely with the Unify controller. They do run a bit hot tough, which might be an issue when you have them in the attic in summer. The PoE switches are well priced, but I would avoid the US 8 150w, it can cause fire hazard. US 16 150w is better, as have variable speed fan built in and most of the time will stay silent.

USG is not the most feature rich router too. It is severely limited by software... EdgeRouter are much better.

If the existing router does the job, keep it. No point in spending hard earned money.

So keep the Eir f2000 as my router? I agree as it hasn't caused me any issue so far.

I have a Cisco unmanaged gig switch at the min but it doesn't do POE, but will replace with another Cisco POE that I may be able to get free of charge. I presume there is no real benefit of having a unifi switch.

I will prob buy another couple unfi APs this week. The one I bought last week (broadband buyer ) came with a 3 year cloud managed service. Should I ditch that and buy a little controller or use the cloud service as its free? I presume use the cloud in the mean time.


Last question (for now ) which is the bit I don't fully understand. If for example I have 3 unifi APs. Does WiFi roaming then improve compared with random access points I had before from old routers? If so, how or why?

Many thanks

kala85

Shefwedfan wrote: »

Mesh WiFi is good

Best system depends on requirements

Tri band linksys excellent but expensive

Short answers I know but would need more info

If you were to rank the mesh wifi routers what would be your best.