Considering replacing Ubiquiti setup with Wifi 6 Mesh

[xrapidx]

So having also started out with 2 x LR’s thinking more for less and longer range is going to be a good idea…I now recommend people buy 3 x Lites instead and it’s pretty much always better in every way.

Problem with the high output AP’s like this is that while they reach the clients just fine, the clients don’t reach back and that’s where things fall apart.

So my opinion is just get a Lite and add it to the mix. Drop the LR’s to Medium while you are at it.

Can get a Lite Wi-Fi6 if you fancy, but it’s really not all exciting.

Yeh, I realised after buying the LRs they don't really offer much benefit with the short range on the IoT stuff.

 

[capd]

Aren’t LRs and Lites both outputting the same dBm these days after regulations and a FW update a year or two ago?

@xrapidx, I would rather add another Lite for the dead area, and perhaps even reposition the other LRs for better overall coverage. Used Lites are cheap. In my view Asus and TP-Link/mesh stuff can’t compare… It’s consumer vs prosumer/enterprise in the Ubiquiti stuff.

You could also set up a Lite as a repeater if you don’t want to cable it in.

Otherwise what about a cheap R300 TP-Link range extender for the dead spot?

 

[SauRoNZA]

Aren’t LRs and Lites both outputting the same dBm these days after regulations and a FW update a year or two ago?

@xrapidx, I would rather add another Lite for the dead area, and perhaps even reposition the other LRs for better overall coverage. Used Lites are cheap. In my view Asus and TP-Link/mesh stuff can’t compare… It’s consumer vs prosumer/enterprise in the Ubiquiti stuff.

You could also set up a Lite as a repeater if you don’t want to cable it in.

Otherwise what about a cheap R300 TP-Link range extender for the dead spot?

Nee jirre, **** range extenders.

The LR still has a third antenna which does it’s own special thing and while the output is limited I do believe it’s still a bit higher on the LR than the Lite but marginal.

 

[capd]

Nee jirre, **** range extenders.

The LR still has a third antenna which does it’s own special thing and while the output is limited I do believe it’s still a bit higher on the LR than the Lite but marginal.

Nothing wrong with range extenders when done correctly. TP-Link's WA855RE at the entry-level and RE450 at the mid- to high-end are bulletproof, including monitoring packets/packet loss.

My UAP-AC-Lites and UAP-AC-LR both output at a maximum of 17dBm. Hopefully the third antenna helps a bit.

 

[lkswan747]

Aren’t LRs and Lites both outputting the same dBm these days after regulations and a FW update a year or two ago?

@xrapidx, I would rather add another Lite for the dead area, and perhaps even reposition the other LRs for better overall coverage. Used Lites are cheap. In my view Asus and TP-Link/mesh stuff can’t compare… It’s consumer vs prosumer/enterprise in the Ubiquiti stuff.

You could also set up a Lite as a repeater if you don’t want to cable it in.

Otherwise what about a cheap R300 TP-Link for the dead spot?

 

[Saba'a]

I have unifi ACLR which I use/d for my LTE. Basically moved everything off it onto fibre.

Unifi is fine in a funny house with angles, bricks, concrete and metal.

Had Linksys (router and APs) in the past but their prices for mesh too prohibitive.

Used the Asus Zenwifi CD6 triple pack. Had only one weak/dead spot. Added yesterday an Asus Zenwifi XT8 as router. Moved cd6 "router" to deadspot as a node and great connection (wireless even without wired backhaul). So now the 3 x CD6 nodes cover entire house.

Only other weak/deadspot is a storage room with my DB. Signal reaches but it is weak. Will get another XT8 and move a CD6 node to the storage room.

Personally happy with coverage and ease of use and power features of Asus. Only issue is how slow it is to add a node. Easily 8 minutes! Otherwise rock solid performance.

Being fibre and having solar, loadshedding not an issue.

 

[Saba'a]

Happy to buy ACLRs as backup LTE coverage for a guest network.

 

[xrapidx]

So for now I guess I'll keep the APs

Decided to properly fit the ceiling mount - my **** - wtf is wrong with who ever designed it. The bracket on the AP LR doesnt align properly with the network cable, if you do it as per the instructions, it pinches the cable quite badly with you put it in position to twist on.

After much swearing, I moved the bracket 20 degrees off what they said and it goes on perfectly.

 

[lkswan747]

So for now I guess I'll keep the APs

Decided to properly fit the ceiling mount - my **** - wtf is wrong with who ever designed it. The bracket on the AP LR doesnt align properly with the network cable, if you do it as per the instructions, it pinches the cable quite badly with you put it in position to twist on.

After much swearing, I moved the bracket 20 degrees off what they said and it goes on perfectly.

Sonetimes "Murphy" is just not your friend! I have mounted 3 AP's around my house in never had an issue with pinching the cable.
I am glad that you managed in the end though.

 

[SauRoNZA]

So for now I guess I'll keep the APs

Decided to properly fit the ceiling mount - my **** - wtf is wrong with who ever designed it. The bracket on the AP LR doesnt align properly with the network cable, if you do it as per the instructions, it pinches the cable quite badly with you put it in position to twist on.

After much swearing, I moved the bracket 20 degrees off what they said and it goes on perfectly.

Yeah I’ve also sworn at that thing plenty as you say their idea of how to install it makes no sense.

Suspect it’s because they anticipate it going into a dry wall type office ceiling board and not a real one.

 

[RonSwanson]

Sonetimes "Murphy" is just not your friend! I have mounted 3 AP's around my house in never had an issue with pinching the cable.
I am glad that you managed in the end though.

That's a great topic for youtube video, you should make one.

 

[xrapidx]

Sonetimes "Murphy" is just not your friend! I have mounted 3 AP's around my house in never had an issue with pinching the cable.
I am glad that you managed in the end though.

Weirdly, it was only the one AP - the other one went up fine with the template. I wonder if the base of the AP itself wasn't put in wrong.