Hi guys, at the moment I have the TP-Link TL-WA901ND Access Point, but its starting to wear out as it keeps on going wrong and have to be rebooted often. So I am going to buy a new one, but I would like one with a more powerful wifi strengh if thats possible? I have been looking at this access point but I have no idea if the wifi strength is any better? https://www.tp-link.com/uk/products/details/cat-12_AP300.html
Wifi strength upgrade help
- Thread starter Phil2008
- Start date
Routers generally don't 'wear out', look into the actual issue before you go any further otherwise you risk dropping cash on something else and still having the same issue but with even more variables involved. Agree with above though, Unifi AP and you won't go back, but understand it needs a cable run to it, ideally in a central location and PoE injector or a suitable powered switch.
I must have had the access point about 6-7 years now and have about 10 devices connected to it, plus now I have just got myself a tablet. So I guess it could be getting a bit confused with everything connected to it. But every few days it stops working and needs to be rebooted.
The Unfi access point look real good, are they easy to setup,, as I will be connecting it to my internet router with a network cable and placing it in another area of the house... Because wit having a old big house with a telephone socket at 1 end of the house, the wifi wont cover all the house, so I bought the access point to have it in the middle of the house and it covers the house perfectly but its not great for outside use as its got a few walls to get through and we have a big garden.
But now its messing up, so might aswel try to get a better one then I have now?
The Unfi access point look real good, are they easy to setup,, as I will be connecting it to my internet router with a network cable and placing it in another area of the house... Because wit having a old big house with a telephone socket at 1 end of the house, the wifi wont cover all the house, so I bought the access point to have it in the middle of the house and it covers the house perfectly but its not great for outside use as its got a few walls to get through and we have a big garden.
But now its messing up, so might aswel try to get a better one then I have now?
You can't really get a 'more powerful' access point - they are all legally limited to the same power output although some devices do allow you to use an outdoor mode which gets you a higher power output but this can trigger shutdowns if the access point detects a radar set anywhere close by!
What you can get is a better antenna array so that weaker transmissions from handheld devices are received better by the access point. An access point blasting out transmissions is no good if the device receiving those transmissions can't send a signal back.
If you are worried about signal strength then go for a Unifi AP-AC-LR access point. It has the highest gain of any receiver antenna on the market under £100. The Unifi AP-AC-HD has better antennae (multiple directional antennae in the housing) but it's almost £300 and the AP-AC-XG is slightly better specified again but is almost £700.
What you can get is a better antenna array so that weaker transmissions from handheld devices are received better by the access point. An access point blasting out transmissions is no good if the device receiving those transmissions can't send a signal back.
If you are worried about signal strength then go for a Unifi AP-AC-LR access point. It has the highest gain of any receiver antenna on the market under £100. The Unifi AP-AC-HD has better antennae (multiple directional antennae in the housing) but it's almost £300 and the AP-AC-XG is slightly better specified again but is almost £700.
At the moment the access point in our hall way downstairs and the ideal place for the access point is upstairs, but theres noway of hiding the cable... So when I was having a bath, it just clicked, why dont I use those powerline plug things!!! Plug 1 in the hall way and 1 in somewhere upstairs with one of those Ubiquiti Access Points in it.... Would that work, how reliable are those powerline plugs?
Soldato
- Joined
- 20 Oct 2008
- Posts
- 12,082
It'd work. You'd obviously need to wire the PoE injector in after the upstairs Powerline adapter.
How well it'd work will depend on how your house suits Powerline adapters. There's no way of knowing without trying them.
No way to run a cable externally?
How well it'd work will depend on how your house suits Powerline adapters. There's no way of knowing without trying them.
No way to run a cable externally?
Well I could if I were able bodied but Im in a wheelchair... Id some how get the cable through the ceiling and upstairs that way, but with the way that I am, I cant do that.
Another Idea will the Ubiquiti Access Point act as a repeater and connect to my router wirelessly?
Another Idea will the Ubiquiti Access Point act as a repeater and connect to my router wirelessly?
I was looking at the "TP-Link TL-PA7010PKIT 1-Port Gigabit Passthrough Powerline Starter Kit" (1000mbps) as they have a power socket on the plugs aswel, so I can plug in the Ubiquiti AP into it.
To save a bit of money do I go for the lite version of the Ubiquiti AP or shall I stick with the long range version.. If I can get it working upstairs, Im guessing the lite verson will work fine as theres only 1 wall to get outside. Where I have it at the moment in the hallway, there's a few walls to get through and my tablet just about works out side with the tplink ap, but my sisters ipad wont work at all outside. Decisions, decisions.....How much better is the long range version one compared to the lite?
To save a bit of money do I go for the lite version of the Ubiquiti AP or shall I stick with the long range version.. If I can get it working upstairs, Im guessing the lite verson will work fine as theres only 1 wall to get outside. Where I have it at the moment in the hallway, there's a few walls to get through and my tablet just about works out side with the tplink ap, but my sisters ipad wont work at all outside. Decisions, decisions.....How much better is the long range version one compared to the lite?
The price difference is so small that you might as well get the AC LR. The range of the AC LR is much better, and it works especially well with mobile devices like phones/tablets.