WiFi 6 Mesh AP's

[DustyMiller]

I'm after a pair of AP's that will operate in a Mesh for the house, preferably Wifi6+. I have city fibre @ 900/900 so WAN is fast, i have Cat5e in most places so backhaul over cable is available as is a 2.5Gb switch and router. What decent options are there that wont break the bank ?

 

[ChrisD.]

Personal preference is UniFi, a single one which is mounted upstairs on the ceiling centrally covers my whole house. There are loads of other options available, TP Link, Eero, Linksys etc. Some are app only with no web UI, I think some require a subscription to unlock features. Quite a lot of recent threads in this section on APs/Meshes..

 

[DustyMiller]

Personal preference is UniFi, a single one which is mounted upstairs on the ceiling centrally covers my whole house. There are loads of other options available, TP Link, Eero, Linksys etc. Some are app only with no web UI, I think some require a subscription to unlock features. Quite a lot of recent threads in this section on APs/Meshes..

Dont the Unifi need a separate cloud / hardware controller for the AP's,

 

[ChrisD.]

Dont the Unifi need a separate cloud / hardware controller for the AP's,

You can run their Network Application (as it's now known) on your phone if you want. I've set it up for a few neighbours etc, set it up on their phone and then forget about it.

 

[jaybee]

You could go for 2 x Cheap chinese routers like the Huawei X3 type ones. You can pick them up often on offer for between £30-£50. I've been running a couple (one up one down) for a few years and they've been good.

 

[Conan257]

I use Asus AIMesh, I have no idea how it compares to other manufacturers but works very well for me...

RT-AC88U (as a node with a TUF-AX5400 as the primary router.. Also have an RT-AC68U) i've just bought second hand is a bit of a beast, with wired backhaul I have no issues moving around my house and I suffer with very thick stone-walls internally!

 

[Glanza]

Aruba AP22

 

[DustyMiller]

Aruba AP22

I prefer the AP25 with its 2.5Gbe uplink. - Nice shout.

 

[Sone]

You could go for 2 x Cheap chinese routers like the Huawei X3 type ones. You can pick them up often on offer for between £30-£50. I've been running a couple (one up one down) for a few years and they've been good.

I use 4 AX3 (2 dual core, 2 quad core). The duals were £24.99ea and the Quads were £49.99ea (in 2021). Got wired backhaul and in most places get 600mbit plus, worst spots still get 200mbit (if literally go looking for them). Really happy with this solution.

(orignally I used one quad as router with a wire to second quad, then the 2 duals were for other bedrooms on a meshm but since cabled it all up).

 

[jaybee]

I use 4 AX3 (2 dual core, 2 quad core). The duals were £24.99ea and the Quads were £49.99ea (in 2021). Got wired backhaul and in most places get 600mbit plus, worst spots still get 200mbit (if literally go looking for them). Really happy with this solution.

(orignally I used one quad as router with a wire to second quad, then the 2 duals were for other bedrooms on a meshm but since cabled it all up).

I can't remember if I have the dual or quads. How does one tell? Mine just say AX3 on the login page.

 

[sandys]

If they have NFC they are quad.

 

[Sone]

I can't remember if I have the dual or quads. How does one tell? Mine just say AX3 on the login page.

Only 2 ways I know..

The quad cores have NFC for Android phones. If you can top it on the right (corner along from light).

The other is fimware (not had an update for ages)
Quad is 10.0.5.27(SP2)

Dual is: 11.0.5.6

I've heard the duals are not as good on wifi, something about uses a single not dual amplifier. While i have not done any real testing in casual use I can never tell a difference

Edit: Doh missed above

 

[Minato]

Is there any worry about network security with the cheap chinese routers?

 

[Sone]

I have so much chinese stuff on network doesn't bother me.

 

[ChrisD.]

Is there any worry about network security with the cheap chinese routers?

Personally, anything Chinese isolated from everything else on my network, I have next to no trust for the state-sponsored manufacturers.

 

[WJA96]

Is there any worry about network security with the cheap chinese routers?

Yes, and no.

It’s probably nailed on that there is a back door in the firmware. I suspect most governments have arrangements with hardware suppliers. 100% anything BT could have a UK sponsored back door in it. But what is your exposure?

I get everyone who says they have a right to privacy but if you’re not doing anything you’d be embarrassed to discuss with your mum then ultimately what’s the exposure? And why would they be looking for YOUR network traffic?

I’m significantly more worried about the general mass surveillance we’re all under 24/7 from the UK government than any perceived threat from some state sponsored hacker in Shenzen or Guangdong.

 

[WJA96]

Personally, anything Chinese isolated from everything else on my network, I have next to no trust for the state-sponsored manufacturers.

That must be fairly difficult given how much Comms stuff is either Chinese or built on Chinese made chipsets. Do you recall those stories about Supermicro motherboards that may or may not have any basis in fact. Which mainstream motherboards are not built in China? Even Apple equipment is made in China.

 

[Minato]

Yes, and no.

It’s probably nailed on that there is a back door in the firmware. I suspect most governments have arrangements with hardware suppliers. 100% anything BT could have a UK sponsored back door in it. But what is your exposure?

I get everyone who says they have a right to privacy but if you’re not doing anything you’d be embarrassed to discuss with your mum then ultimately what’s the exposure? And why would they be looking for YOUR network traffic?

I’m significantly more worried about the general mass surveillance we’re all under 24/7 from the UK government than any perceived threat from some state sponsored hacker in Shenzen or Guangdong.

Not to detail the thread but it's an interesting question. At what point does a right to privacy outweigh other considerations. I agree with you that as a law abiding citizen I'm not really too fussed if the government in theory has backdoors to my network. However that might not always be the case. What if a hugely right wing government is elected and starts doing things I fundamentally disagree with? What if they make X activity or view illegal? At that point it becomes an issue. We in the UK are not as far away from less desirable regimes than we think we are.

 

[wizard]

I'm after a pair of AP's that will operate in a Mesh for the house, preferably Wifi6+. I have city fibre @ 900/900 so WAN is fast, i have Cat5e in most places so backhaul over cable is available as is a 2.5Gb switch and router. What decent options are there that wont break the bank ?

Deco XE75 - on offer at Amazon

 

[ChrisD.]

That must be fairly difficult given how much Comms stuff is either Chinese or built on Chinese made chipsets. Do you recall those stories about Supermicro motherboards that may or may not have any basis in fact. Which mainstream motherboards are not built in China? Even Apple equipment is made in China.

There is a difference between chips in a device as part of a larger ecosystem compared to a state sponsored/owned manufacturer owning the entire ecosystem and development cycle (software and hardware) of a networking (or other) device.