Unifi Wireless Network Move

[petben]

Hello our current Ruckus wireless network is going EOL soon-ish and the pricing of a complete refresh to Unifi AP's and it's cloud controllers is quite attractive. So a quick Qs if anyone can offer thoughts:
- A suggested model of Unifi AP

- A comment on the fact our switches only support PoE+ and nearly all the cabling is Cat5e. Most AP's we've looked at 'require' (?) PoE++.

- The solution for the Wireless Authentication/Smoothwall/Azure link so students will get the correct level of filtering once signed in.

- Any other thoughts.

 

Thanks for any advice.

 

 

[DavR]

I can't comment on Unifi kit specifically, but, we've just done a new wifi network with Cambium, which is a similar level.

 

I did compare a lot of other kit in the process, and regarding your PoE question, most WiFi6/7 APs I saw will run happily at full power on PoE+ (and, anecdotally, CAT5 and above legacy cabling). The PoE++ requirement is for if they'll be powering downlevel devices on a second ethernet or USB port, ie, doing PoE passthrough.

 

Obviously, it varies per manufacturer, but that was the general rule.

[RedwayNetworks_Michael]

36 minutes ago, DavR said:

I can't comment on Unifi kit specifically, but, we've just done a new wifi network with Cambium, which is a similar level.

 

I did compare a lot of other kit in the process, and regarding your PoE question, most WiFi6/7 APs I saw will run happily at full power on PoE+ (and, anecdotally, CAT5 and above legacy cabling). The PoE++ requirement is for if they'll be powering downlevel devices on a second ethernet or USB port, ie, doing PoE passthrough.

 

Obviously, it varies per manufacturer, but that was the general rule.

Cambium is a good solution, Cloud managed but with full vendor support.

Thats the one part of Unify i cant justify when comes to education or business, No vendor support is risky. 

 

[Primus]

2 hours ago, RedwayNetworks_Michael said:

Cambium is a good solution, Cloud managed but with full vendor support.

Thats the one part of Unify i cant justify when comes to education or business, No vendor support is risky. 

 

You can have Unifi vendor support if you want it...

[RedwayNetworks_Michael]

17 minutes ago, Primus said:

You can have Unifi vendor support if you want it...

I stand corrected i can see its now something they do offer as an extra. 

Be interesting to hear how people have found the support.