Ubiquiti Friendly Consultant

[Jollity]

Our wi-fi network is a Ubiquiti Unifi setup that I have gradually built up to full site coverage over the last few years. It is a mix of N and AC APs, and has served us fairly well, but has only really been for staff BYOD and a limited number of pupil devices. We are now looking at getting into class sets of devices in a big way, and I can see a substantial increase in density may well be needed.

 

It has been suggested to me that I get a consultant in to take a look, especially at AP placement, and I do see a value in getting a second opinion. However I suspect most consultants are going to want to sell me one of Ruckus, Meru, Aerohive, etc. I am open to being told it would be worth us getting a different system, but it would have to be a case that would persuade me and the management that it was worth the money. I need someone as unbiased as possible.

 

Does have any thoughts on finding a consultant who is Ubiquiti friendly?

 

Maybe I should just be going for the approach of slapping a unifi AC Pro in each classroom?

[markwilfan]

Millgate do ubiquiti. Speak to Bryn I'm sure he can sort you out.

[gh5000]

I think you are the best consultant you can get - at the price of an AC Pro put one in each classroom on low transmit power.

 

Would you be better off with another system? Maybe but could your money be better spent on switches etc.

 

Is there an area you could test your one per classroom theory on a smaller scale. Maybe someone's had a more recent survey done but and will tell me different but they'll likely all be one per classroom with the range of AC being so poor/low. Even had one survey with Xirrus recently that was one AP per room because AC wouldn't sufficiently penetrate the admittedly old thick brick walls. But on speaking to the surveyor one per room was the easiest way for any company to cover their ass so that's all you might get after spending the money on a consultant.

[Blue_Cookeh]

Millgate do ubiquiti. Speak to Bryn I'm sure he can sort you out.

 

+1, they've sold us all our Ubiquiti APs/cabling/switches/antennas, couldn't be happier.

 

We use Ubiquiti and have an AP per classroom, which is vastly overdoing it in our school but it provides a great service for our Netbook and iPad trolleys, just make sure you turn the power right down in the Ubiquiti management software.

Edited April 4, 2017 by Blue_Cookeh

[Jollity]

I have used Millgate for some of my APs. I had not thought of them for consultancy, it is a good thought. Has anyone had on site assistance from them on wi-fi?

[AlanD]

My advice to everyone - including myself - is to set up a trial and test. You want to use a class set in a room - you need an AP in that room (because 5Ghz is useless through walls ...not even good through bodies....so the AP needs to be on the ceiling). Don't use wide channels where there are several neighbouring classrooms - you probably can't use wider than 40Mhz channels successfully. I'd be trying to turn off 2.4GHz channels on every other (or more) access points as that signal does go through walls - and set that to 20MHz channel (unless you only have 2 access points within ear shot of each other in which case one of them could be a 40MHz channel). Most APs will adjust their own power level = but if not it needs to be down low for areas with lots of classrooms. It doesn't matter how good your wireless APs are - if your client devices don't support "ac" an "ac" access point is not going to help! And if your devices don't support 3 or 4 streams even if they are wave 1 "ac" you are just as well off using an "n" AP. Only the very latest APs support wave 2 "ac" - and with that you get MU-MIMO - which if your devices support it is worth having. All too often - teachers have 2 (or 1) seam radios in "cheap" laptops or tablets having invested tens of thousands in wireless AP kit..and then complain students can't login in under 10 minutes. If you don't have decent client kit wireless does not work that well. And even with the best at both ends don't expect it to work like wired kit....because it won't.

[Mark-wilde]

I have consulted with Ubiquiti rep about the compatibility issue of ES-16-XG switches and SFP+ DAC cables, they are nice but can't solve my problem. So in the end, I bought several cheap compatible DACs from fs.com to check the problem. Fortunately, it ends well.

[markwilfan]

I have consulted with Ubiquiti rep about the compatibility issue of ES-16-XG switches and SFP+ DAC cables, they are nice but can't solve my problem. So in the end, I bought several cheap compatible DACs from fs.com to check the problem. Fortunately, it ends well.

Why don't you post the cables that worked and which ones didn't?

[Mark-wilde]

Here is the link for you: https://community.ubnt.com/t5/EdgeSwitch/ES-16-XG-SFP-DAC-cable-hell/m-p/1683163/highlight/true#M9459 Their rep tells me that they are working on it. Edited April 12, 2017 by Mark-wilde