Home wireless AP

[gshaw]

Need some ideas to sort out my pitiful home wireless

 

Back when I first had cable installed I was the only person using Internet so had the coax installed into the top front room where I use my PC. Internet is via a bog standard Netgear router, thinking about it the box is getting on a bit now as it's not 802.11n compatible.

 

Trouble is we now need iPad, digital box and a couple of laptops connecting to streaming media and it's tragic tbh; wireless on 1-2 bars and cutting out constantly. Moving the Virgin cable isn't really an option so need to box clever with what I have already.

 

First thoughts...

 

- find a router that allows me to plug in an external aerial and mount that in the middle of the hall so signal starts from the middle of the house rather than in one corner

- replace the wireless functions of the router with a separate AP using PoE... maybe a Unifi would do the trick perfectly for this?

- move the router (although this is messy with all the cabling extensions)

 

Hadn't thought about a Unifi AP until now, was actually wondering if Ruckus do home kit but either way that should do the trick?

[Michael]

You could look at wireless bridging, however installing Ethernet ports in most rooms (what I've done) works a treat. You can then install normal WAPs around your home or plug a Smart TV (for example) directly via Ethernet.

[gshaw]

You could look at wireless bridging, however installing Ethernet ports in most rooms (what I've done) works a treat. You can then install normal WAPs around your home or plug a Smart TV (for example) directly via Ethernet.

 

Would much prefer that although running cables from upstairs to downstairs is something I have no idea how to do from a DIY perspective

[chazzy2501]

Use an old access point as a repeater.

[Michael]

Would much prefer that although running cables from upstairs to downstairs is something I have no idea how to do from a DIY perspective

 

I suppose a lot depends how old your property is, but typically you can run CAT5 behind skirting board. Ideally chasing a wall gives better results, but of course recommended before you decorate!

[OhDear]

I'd give Virgin Media a ring, ask them for a SuperHub the wireless range really impressed me!

[m25man]

Unifi by itself is not really a solution nor Ruckus for that matter.

 

You could throw caution to the wind and use a Ubiquiti Pico AP throw away the rule book and run it on High Power but it makes more sense to look carefully at your home layout and potential interference from neighbours first.

 

I would suggest you update your old router and look at power line alternatives if your not comfortable installing CAT5 around your home

[CyberNerd]

I found that moving to 5GHz at home made a real difference to avoiding wifi pollution.

I use an old 3com device, theres plenty of 5GHz AP's around on ebay as organisations move toward managed wireless.

[Chris_]

Unifi by itself is not really a solution nor Ruckus for that matter.

 

You could throw caution to the wind and use a Ubiquiti Pico AP throw away the rule book and run it on High Power but it makes more sense to look carefully at your home layout and potential interference from neighbours first.

 

I would suggest you update your old router and look at power line alternatives if your not comfortable installing CAT5 around your home

 

Out of interest why wouldn't you use UniFi in this scenario?

 

Sounds like you could have a UniFi AP connected to the router.. then have another UAP connected wirelessly to the first UAP to avoid running more cables?

[gshaw]

@OhDear if I didn't know better I'd suggest there's a healthy dose of sarcasm there having read the VM forums regarding the Superhub

 

The wireless issue is all down to location, hence the thought if the modem can't be moved the antenna can be and to do that I split the AP from the router. The reason I thought of Unifi is partly because of the design, the little white disc won't look too intrusive in the hallway.

 

The Unifi / Ruckus idea is partly because I don't trust the quality of a lot of consumer kit these days but willing to be proved wrong! I can get a cable from the router to where I want the AP pretty easily so no worries there.

Edited October 16, 2012 by gshaw

[timbo343]

Home plug kits with wireless?

[m25man]

Out of interest why wouldn't you use UniFi in this scenario?

 

Slightly hypocritical of me as I DO use Unifi at home myself, a Pro downstairs in the living room and a Std in the Loft and a 300mb 5Ghz bridge between house and workshop!

 

Unifi is an enterprise solution intended to be managed using the controller software, Ubiquiti have a complete range of standard equipment better suited to domestic installations.

The Unifi wireless uplink feature is not perfect, it is a repeater arrangement where the remote unit operates on the same channel as the wired unit, this limits the throughput considerably and may not deliver the level of performance for certain applications such as HD streaming especially when you have legacy b/g devices consuming time slots.

The current firmware doesn't enable the use of 5Ghz as a backhaul for 2.4Ghz channels or vice versa (yet) although I'm informed that this may be activated in future releases.

 

Im therefore reluctant to recommend Unifi in environments where there is little knowledge of managed wireless or see it being used in a configuration that is likely to offer degraded performance, for standard use the Airmax range of UBNT gear is a much better solution and still very well priced.

 

That said if your a power crazed geek that wants the ultimate in home wifi, fill your boots I have

[pcstru]

Home plug kits with wireless?

 

Works for me! I run a BT homehub thang and a couple devlovo Powerline 200 WAP's to cover the rest of the house. Works well here.

[Arthur]

Asus RT-AC66U?

 

The ASUS RT-AC66U features a wireless Media Bridge mode which allows one to create a high throughput 802.11ac wireless link between two RT-AC66U. So you can link up 2 locations wirelessly through the high speed 802.11ac.

 

So if you are going down to the nearest store and don’t know what to pick up, my advice will be getting the ASUS RT-N66U if you are tight on budget. However, if you need to link up your multimedia set up at home, then getting the ASUS RT-AC66U will be a wiser choice as 802.11ac is supposed to perform better than 802.11n on the 5.0GHz spectrum. (Source)

[gshaw]

That said if your a power crazed geek that wants the ultimate in home wifi, fill your boots I have

 

That does sound like me to a tee

 

Like I say, don't need to do the wireless bridge, just one AP with an Ethernet cable tracking back to the router over PoE... the smaller and less obtrousive it looks the better. Thought about Powerline but I'd need a couple to do upstairs and downstairs whereas I think one AP dead centre will do the trick nicely (as opposed to beaming into the loft and halfway across the street!)

 

@m25man did you mean UBNT or Airmax i.e. two different products or the same thing?

Edited October 16, 2012 by gshaw

[m25man]

That does sound like me to a tee

@m25man did you mean UBNT or Airmax i.e. two different products or the same thing?

 

PicoStation2 | Ubiquiti Networks, Inc.

 

Same outfit different products, Unifi is the managed system whereas the Pico is a more conventional unit using the AirOS system and behaves like a conventional AP. (Can be converted to Unifi though).