Recommendations for a Wireless Access Point please

[Matrix]

Evening

I'm looking to put a wireless access point upstairs so we all get better wifi in upstairs .

At the moment where I'm thinking of putting it I have a TP-Link PoE Switch 5-Port Gigabit there. Which has a direct ethernet cable from the main router downstairs going to it . This holds the house camera system and one cable off it to my sons xbox.

But wifi isn't great a lot upstairs so was hoping off the TP-Link PoE Switch 5-Port Gigabit I could connect a wifi access point.

Could this be done and which one should I be looking at . I had been looking at something like a Netgear wireless access point (WAC104).

Also I assume moving from downstairs to upstairs it will stay on the same network using one of these access points ?

Thank for your time .

 

[Matrix]

Unifi AC-Lite

Never even heard of this , would this allow everything I require and to keep everything on the same network passwords etc ?

Easy enough to set up?

Thanks

 

[Matrix]

Archer C6 V3.2, it's on sale for £38.
Does ~500Mbps on 5Ghz.

I had the WAC104 for a month but returned it as it was very inconsistent

Thanks for the reply just had a quick look at few vids so say my network was called
ID :-house1
Password :- 123456789

Am I right in thinking in the new router/access point I just put the same details ? That's the bit that's really throwing me at the moment .

I do have a very old TL-WDR3600 main router so another TP link product to use as an access point would be decent

Thanks

 

[Matrix]

You can have two different access points/router providing the same SSID and password, but make sure they're on non-overlapping channels (eg for 2.4GHz, main router on channel 1, AP on channel 6). It will still be up to the client device to roam between the two.

On the other hand another option is a mesh setup with ethernet backhaul for seamless roaming (meaning the APs can hand off devices to the other). The Unifi mentioned above does offer this but it starts to get expensive since you need two, and you'll also need to set up the Unifi controller to set it up properly. There is the Deco M5 which is a cheaper option and simpler to set up if you want to stick with TP-Link.

Thanks for the reply and information . Yeah i really just want same SSID and password on all which would be better for us all here .

Just had a quick look the Deco M5 they look pretty simple and easy to hide etc i assume that would still work first being plugged in to the TP-Link PoE Switch 5-Port Gigabit, 4 PoE+ ports up to 30 W for each PoE port and 65 W for all PoE port.

Thank you

 

[Matrix]

I don't think the M5s can be powered via PoE but assuming the switch is smart enough it should detect they're not PoE devices.

They can't be powered PoE which is a real shame to be fair .

So think it will the Archer assuming that can be powered via Poe if not the Unifi AC-Lite then maybe .

Thanks

 

[Matrix]

The Archer I mentioned can't be powered by PoE, your best bet is the TP-Link EAP series if you want the AP to be powered through PoE.

Oh is it not thought I read it was must have been another one I looked at . Yeah I'll take a look at the tp link EAP then.

Thank you once more for your time

 

[Matrix]

if you want cloud managed get a ZyXEL Cloud WiFi6 AX1800, its WiFi 6 POE and 70 pounds.

Never heard of them they good then ?

Just want to really plug and play it using the same SSID and password as the main router network we have . My son struggles upstairs for wifi when on his VR and to be fair it's a bit flaky when I've used my phone upstairs too can drop out here and there so just want that fixing really .

 

[Matrix]

To be fair both look like there'll do a job . I just require the simplest set up with PoE and to be able to use the same SSID and password . Other than that i won't be touching the interface really .

Just nee the access point to plug in the PoE switch we have already ( one port left in that) and then easy set up both look about the same don't they and can be done on the phone from what I've seen ? Though i can login through my Pc in the office if needed .

It is the Quest 2 but he doesn't have a pc he uses xbox x and a Air book but of course can't link them up . The wifi is just a bit hit and miss at times upstairs at that side of the house which might be due to an old router but i have no plans to change that hence just needing an access point to mount upstairs.

Thanks guys

 

[Matrix]

When I mean cloud I mean the actual cloud controller, I don't mean the free controller you can run off your own dedicated hardware/cloud key (which is still local hardware). Notice in the original comment I used the word "cloud". I did not mean the controller software itself which I'm aware is free to use. I was originally comparing to ZyXEL's cloud management too. Apologies if my wording wasn't clear enough.

@Matrix in that case just a single AP will do. The Unifi doesn't have a web UI to access on PC so you'll have to depend on the app on the phone.

So i assume either the yXEL or the UniFi 6 Lite Access Point will do the job then fine ? Is any of them any easier to set up or both the same ?

Thanks

 

[Matrix]

One last question before i order

I've looked at the PoE power needed and one I'm looking ta says 24V Passive PoE and another one i was looking at says 8V Passive PoE,.

Now the PoE Switch box i have says TP-Link PoE Switch 5-Port Gigabit, 4 PoE+ ports up to 30 W for each PoE port and 65 W for all PoE ports. Would the 24v or 48v work ok ? Not sure what the conversion is for watts to volts so just wanted to double check.


Thank you

 

[Matrix]

Which APs have you narrowed it down to? If both the AP and the switch run at the 802.3af standard then you won't need any convertors/PoE passive injectors.

I was looking that his one TP link AC1350

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-Gi...efix=tp-link+eap+s,electronics,41&sr=1-5&th=1

But was tempted to to go for the TP-Link AC1750 due to it saying advanced performance in high-density environments as it would be upstairs and put on the wall on a build in cupboard

Thank you

 

[Matrix]

High density environments don't mean that there's a piece of wood between the AP and the clients, it refers to the number of clients that are going to be on each AP. I'd be impressed if someone had so much stuff going on in their house that it counted as high density.

Ah ok !

So the normal TP link AC1350 would be fine then and work with fine with the PoE box i use to feed my outside cameras


Thanks

 

[Matrix]

Yup, it will work without issues. Supports 802.3af/at which should work with the PoE switch.

Thank you so much for your time and help .

 

[Matrix]

Installed the TP link AC1350 this morning all seems to be fine took a few mins on phone through there app and done.

Just mirrored the SSID we already have and password .

Thank you for all your help and information .