PoE ceiling mount AP with EasyMesh compatibility

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GMAN03

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Does anyone perhaps know of a PoE ceiling mount AP that is compatible with the Wi-Fi EasyMesh standard?
 
VlakVark_ZA said:
The only device I know off is the TP-Link HX510-PoE

www.tp-link.com

AX3000 Whole Home Mesh WiFi 6 AP with PoE

Equipped with two PoE ports and a versatile case design, HX510-PoE adapts to various installation scenarios, ensuring strong signals and stable WiFi throughout your home.
www.tp-link.com www.tp-link.com
Click to expand...
That's also the only one I found but I can't find any for sale anywhere. It looks like it's an ISP only device.

Guess I'll have to reconfigure my network from scratch and dump TP-Link. Just feels quite wasteful to throw out the existing routers I have.
 
Give Linkqage a call. They are one of the better TP-Link partners and distributor in SA. According to the TP-Link website it is a new device. Maybe stock is an issue.
 
GMAN03 said:
That's also the only one I found but I can't find any for sale anywhere. It looks like it's an ISP only device.

Guess I'll have to reconfigure my network from scratch and dump TP-Link. Just feels quite wasteful to throw out the existing routers I have.
Click to expand...

It sounds like you have other non mesh capable hardware. Is there a specific reason why you want to go the mesh route? In my view the only benefits of a mesh solution is that it provides a simple method for non technical people to configure multiple nodes as if it was a single device and secondly the wireless back haul that is handled between the nodes.

It is possible to get the same wifi coverage by using wired access points, but you would have to configure each access point individually. If you setup all access points to use the same network name, password and authentication method then your wireless devices will roam seamlessly between them. Wired back haul (ethernet cable) is the preferred way to build a high capacity network.
 
bobcpt said:
It sounds like you have other non mesh capable hardware. Is there a specific reason why you want to go the mesh route? In my view the only benefits of a mesh solution is that it provides a simple method for non technical people to configure multiple nodes as if it was a single device and secondly the wireless back haul that is handled between the nodes.

It is possible to get the same wifi coverage by using wired access points, but you would have to configure each access point individually. If you setup all access points to use the same network name, password and authentication method then your wireless devices will roam seamlessly between them. Wired back haul (ethernet cable) is the preferred way to build a high capacity network.
Click to expand...
I am actually a non-technical person which is why I assumed a mesh would be my go to option. However, on further consideration it may not be what I'm actually after. In the past (quite a few years ago though) I've experienced issues with APs where the client devices will hold onto a sub-optimal connection for dear life and only roam onto another node when they lose connection altogether. I have however configured an old TP-Link router via EasyMesh in my garage with a wired backhaul and have no roaming issues with it, but that may be down to the more modern tech on the client side than anything to do with EasyMesh.

I guess the reason there aren't many PoE mesh options out there is because the question immediately becomes "Well if you have Ethernet for power why not just use it for the backhaul as well?" which is a very good point and perhaps I should take a punt on a decent PoE AP and configure it with the same SSID, password and authentication method and see how devices roam on it. If it works out well I can then add more.

Thanks for the advice. Looking forward to trying it out.
 
GMAN03 said:
I am actually a non-technical person which is why I assumed a mesh would be my go to option. However, on further consideration it may not be what I'm actually after. In the past (quite a few years ago though) I've experienced issues with APs where the client devices will hold onto a sub-optimal connection for dear life and only roam onto another node when they lose connection altogether. I have however configured an old TP-Link router via EasyMesh in my garage with a wired backhaul and have no roaming issues with it, but that may be down to the more modern tech on the client side than anything to do with EasyMesh.

I guess the reason there aren't many PoE mesh options out there is because the question immediately becomes "Well if you have Ethernet for power why not just use it for the backhaul as well?" which is a very good point and perhaps I should take a punt on a decent PoE AP and configure it with the same SSID, password and authentication method and see how devices roam on it. If it works out well I can then add more.

Thanks for the advice. Looking forward to trying it out.
Click to expand...

Not quite true.

PoE systems like UniFi are still Mesh systems in that the “server” side handles the handover and the network is presented as one single network not a bunch of networks with the same name competing.

Wireless uplinks are just one extra ability of the underlying network which main focus is self-healing and load balancing.

So if you haven’t bought any hardware yet UniFi is a good option for you.

The special here of AP + Cloud Gateway is actually great.

Ubiquiti Networks U6+ Access Point, Wi-Fi 6 4 Spatial Streams, White : Amazon.co.za: Electronics

Ubiquiti Networks U6+ Access Point, Wi-Fi 6 4 Spatial Streams, White : Amazon.co.za: Electronics
www.amazon.co.za

Stupidly doesn’t have PoE on the Gateway but in a small setup the injectors would be fine just not as neat.
 
Last edited:
SauRoNZA said:
Not quite true.

PoE systems like UniFi are still Mesh systems in that the “server” side handles the handover and the network is presented as one single network not a bunch of networks with the same name competing.

Wireless uplinks are just one extra ability of the underlying network which main focus is self-healing and load balancing.

So if you haven’t bought any hardware yet UniFi is a good option for you.
Click to expand...
I was contemplating either UniFi or Omada if I had to re-do the whole network but feeling a little put-off by TP-Link due to the fact that they advertise EasyMesh but so few of their APs actually support it so leaning towards UniFi.

My initial desire was to be able to continue using my existing router as it's a decent router with all the functionality I need, but alas, might need to start again.
 
GMAN03 said:
I was contemplating either UniFi or Omada if I had to re-do the whole network but feeling a little put-off by TP-Link due to the fact that they advertise EasyMesh but so few of their APs actually support it so leaning towards UniFi.

My initial desire was to be able to continue using my existing router as it's a decent router with all the functionality I need, but alas, might need to start again.
Click to expand...

If you have somewhere to run the controller then you can just keep the router and run the AP’s no problem.

Pi or Home Assistant or NAS the controller app is free.

Or you could even just use the phone app but I seem to remember you can only setup a single AP with the app only, but things may have changed.

****
Yup still the case if AI can be trusted.

Yes, you can run a basic UniFi network with just the mobile app using "Standalone Mode" for a single Access Point (AP), but it's very limited—you only get basic Wi-Fi setup (SSID/password) without seamless roaming or advanced features; for a full network with switches, gateways, and central management, you need a controller (like a Dream Machine or Cloud Key) for the app to manage remotely.
Click to expand...
 
GMAN03 said:
I am actually a non-technical person which is why I assumed a mesh would be my go to option. However, on further consideration it may not be what I'm actually after. In the past (quite a few years ago though) I've experienced issues with APs where the client devices will hold onto a sub-optimal connection for dear life and only roam onto another node when they lose connection altogether. I have however configured an old TP-Link router via EasyMesh in my garage with a wired backhaul and have no roaming issues with it, but that may be down to the more modern tech on the client side than anything to do with EasyMesh.

I guess the reason there aren't many PoE mesh options out there is because the question immediately becomes "Well if you have Ethernet for power why not just use it for the backhaul as well?" which is a very good point and perhaps I should take a punt on a decent PoE AP and configure it with the same SSID, password and authentication method and see how devices roam on it. If it works out well I can then add more.

Thanks for the advice. Looking forward to trying it out.
Click to expand...
Some of the newer access points support a wifi feature that allows roaming to occur without causing a connection drop. The AP controller software will monitor the signal strength and if it drops below a certain level it will trigger a request to roam to another node. As far as I know both the AP and client device must support the standard to take advantage of it. If you have old hardware or access points from different manufacturers then it is up to the client device to decide whether to roam to another available node depending on the signal strength etc.

If you have multiple network names (eg main_ssid and main_ssid_ext) then devices will only switch nodes when the signal drops out. When multiple nodes with the same name is available, then the client device decides when to roam. If all things are equal (name, password, authentication methods, channel width etc) then signal strength becomes the determining factor. The client device disconnects from the one AP and reconnects to another node.

If you setup multiple access points then rather use the 5Ghz frequency as it offer higher speeds with shorter range compared to the 2Ghz frequency which offers lower speed but greater range. Perhaps you can borrow an old router to test it out before spending any money.
 
The TP Link Deco is a excellent system, the wired and wireless backhaul - just works..
I have put in X50 (Outdoor) into celings and they work well together
Only thing I do not like is they do not allow you to force static WiFi Channels.
 
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