Need some guidance on network please

morkfromork · 27 Dec 2019 at 10:52

I need some help with extending my network for both wifi and wired please.

Currently I have a virgin hub3 running vivid 350 that can be placed either upstairs and downstairs. Due to building work and renovation I have had to remove an internal cable that run from downstairs to up that I had a solution that worked but wasn't the best. I have now run an external cat 6 cable between the two floors and these are terminated via faceplates at either end. Due to the way Virgin cabled the house I can place the hub either upstairs or down so one of the floors can get wifi. due to the thickness of the walls in the house when I place the hub downstairs the wifi upstairs is either very slow or does not work. The same happens when I put the hub upstairs I have poor wifi downstairs.

What I now need is a devise that has at least 4 wired ports and can also do wifi across the floor it is placed in. Can anyone suggest either a router or an access point that will do the job please.

WJA96 · 27 Dec 2019 at 13:48

Ubiquiti UniFi UAP-IW-HD.

Wave 2 access point with 4-port switch and PoE pass-through. Unscrew the upstairs faceplate, reterminate with an RJ45, screw Access point into existing back box. Job done!

morkfromork · 27 Dec 2019 at 17:20

That looks like I could do the job thanks. I will get one on order.

WJA96 · 27 Dec 2019 at 20:14

Don’t forget to also order a PoE power injector because they don’t come with one.

Something like the Ubiquiti 802.3af injector would do - U-PoE-AF

bremen1874 · 27 Dec 2019 at 21:03

I've never been convinced about these for covering more than one room. Ethernet sockets are rarely positioned in ideal locations for access points.

Unless adding additional cabling is impossible I'd have gone for one of their more traditional access points mounted centrally on the ceiling and a separate switch.

WJA96 · 27 Dec 2019 at 21:30

bremen1874 said:
I've never been convinced about these for covering more than one room. Ethernet sockets are rarely positioned in ideal locations for access points.

Unless adding additional cabling is impossible I'd have gone for one of their more traditional access points mounted centrally on the ceiling and a separate switch.

As regards the ability to cover more than one room, it’s exactly the same TX/RX was unit as a UAP-NanoHD, same antenna gain etc. The only difference is the antenna array is arranged to work sideways rather than in a curtain like the ceiling mounted units. Check out the radiation pattern.

https://help.ubnt.com/hc/en-us/articles/115005212927-UniFi-UAP-Antenna-Radiation-Patterns#uap-iw-hd

Scroll down to see the UAP-NanoHD.

bremen1874 · 27 Dec 2019 at 21:35

Not trying to say they're bad in any way.

It's just that assuming the wiring isn't an issue I'd prefer a centrally and high mounted access point to one mounted at shin level.

neil_g · 29 Dec 2019 at 18:12

bremen1874 said:
Not trying to say they're bad in any way.

It's just that assuming the wiring isn't an issue I'd prefer a centrally and high mounted access point to one mounted at shin level.

Agreed.

Imagine drawing a semi circle from the wall mount vs a full circle of a central ceiling location. You're going to get more coverage for your money in a central position.

WJA96 · 29 Dec 2019 at 21:03

neil_g said:
Agreed.

Imagine drawing a semi circle from the wall mount vs a full circle of a central ceiling location. You're going to get more coverage for your money in a central position.

Yes, and no. It's a 180-degree semi-circle that covers EVERYTHING in front of it. And a bit above and a bit below.

The ceiling mounted access point gives a donut shaped zone of coverage (there is very little directly under the access point) and the OP specifically requested a separate upstairs/downstairs option.

The OP has a cable going into a backbox. Installation of the UAP-IW-HD only requires the retermination of the existing cable (or it could be mounted next to it) and screwing onto the existing backbox. And it has a 4-port PoE switch built-in (again meeting the requirements of the OP). The OP made it very clear there was very little through-floor signal transmission, so a ceiling mounted access point won't get you any more signal downstairs.

I use pretty much every Unifi access point in my work and the in-walls have a place, just as the ceiling mounts do.