# Wireless Routers



## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

I wore out my second Apple AirPort device. They gave up on making routers a few years ago, so the hunt was on to restore reliable WiFi access to the Warehouse.

Everyone says mesh is the way to go, so that's what I did. There are a lot of options (Amazon eero, Google Nest WiFi, NETGEAR Orbi), but I went with the Ubiquiti AmpliFi HD.

I'm only a few hours into it, but this thing is MUCH nicer and more feature-packed than what I had. I thought the Apple ease of use was going to be hard to beat, but this does it. :thumbup:

The Orbi was probably my second choice, but I really liked the smaller form factor of the AmpliFi devices.

What is everyone else using?


----------



## TulsaFan (May 1, 2017)

Ware said:


> I wore out my second Apple AirPort device. They gave up on making routers a few years ago, so the hunt was on to restore reliable WiFi access to the Warehouse.
> 
> Everyone says mesh is the way to go, so that's what I did. There are a lot of options (Amazon eero, Google Nest WiFi, NETGEAR Orbi), but I went with the Ubiquiti AmpliFi HD.
> 
> ...


I have (2) older Ubiquiti wireless access points hooked up to a Edgerouter Lite 3-Port Router from 2016, but the system never fails/chokes. I am a big fan of Ubiquiti! :thumbup:


----------



## Gilley11 (Nov 3, 2019)

I've been using the Google wifi system for a few years now and REALLY like it. Coverage is great and the control features are excellent for scheduling with the kids.
https://www.amazon.com/Google-WiFi-system-3-Pack-replacement/dp/B01MAW2294/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=Google+Wi-Fi&qid=1577923611&sr=8-3


----------



## kaij_15 (Jul 28, 2019)

Same as you Mr. Ware. Santa brought the amplify HD and its easy to use with good speeds throughout the house and......yard.


----------



## chrismar (May 25, 2017)

Big fan of Ubiquiti products as well. I've got a USG as my router, and 3 APs scattered about the house: a UAP-AC-PRO upstairs on the 2nd level ceiling, a UP-AC-LITE in the basement and a UAP-AC-M in the attic. With these 3 APs I get 100% coverage inside the house and out in the backyard, it's fantastic!


----------



## testwerke (Apr 4, 2019)

You cant go wrong with Ubiquiti kit. Their APs are rock solid.


----------



## avionics12 (Jul 2, 2018)

I have had a plethora of wireless routers; basically all worked OK. Some had great range, some had high security levels, some had great system control. None had all three in one package, that I knew of at the time. I was always tinkering with settings trying to squeeze more range/usability for my property. Or rebooting the dang thing to get it running again. Sigh.

I wanted more than OK in my current home because I planned on Connected Home systems based on HomeKit. After a ton of research and asking our IT folks I decided to go "Enterprise" level on home WiFi. The vendor selection would be Ubiquiti due to their experience in high volume, granular system control and monitoring, and high reliability.

One thing to make clear upfront - I am not as IT savvy as I wish I were and the Ubiquiti components I chose are not entry level consumer devices. I chose to go this route because I would be forced to learn IT level wireless operations and terminology (darn near priceless in today's electronic era) and recovery practices (which I have yet to use...).

I too had my share of Apple AirPort Extreme units. I really liked the control it provided and Apple seems to be invested in consumer security which is on the top of my wireless must-have list.

Another thing to be noted... I am a Customer Service (CS) fanatic. If I spent my hard earned money on your product I expect, nay, I demand to receive Customer Service that resolves the problem. If I want to hear a scripted response I'll go to the Guvment.

My system consists of the following:

Ubiquiti USG Security Gateway
https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Uni...2?keywords=ubiquiti+usg&qid=1577975176&sr=8-2



Ubiquiti Switch 8-60w
https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Uni...d_r=M28QEDWY5RQZEDCY0NDF&psc=1&qid=1577975311



Ubiquiti Cloud Key Gen 2
https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Net...0Z1GGP2CP3&psc=1&qid=1577975925&s=electronics



Ubiquiti nanoHD Access Point
https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Com...s=nano+hd&qid=1577976245&s=electronics&sr=1-5



Prior to purchase I practically lived on Ubiquiti BB's to learn as much as I could. Installation was far easier than I had expected. I had trouble "adopting" the Cloud Key though. I called Ubiquiti Customer Support, a bit anxiously. I was embarrassed that I did not know the "language" yet. Beam steering? TCP/IP? DHCP Timeout? Yeah, right...

The CS rep very quickly put me at ease and less than 5 minutes later the system was up and running. The rep gently advised me of my setup mistake and thanked me for using Ubiquiti and I had the distinct feeling this was not a scripted response.

The first few days were touch and go as I explored the various in and outs of Ubiquiti. It took about three weeks of fine tuning to get it where I wanted it to be, although I am very picky about such things and would have been happy with the system as is after initial set-up. I am more than a year into using this and am overly satisfied with Ubiquiti.

The price is not for the faint of heart and there is a somewhat steep learning curve. The return on that investment? I have not experienced any problems or outages since set-up, other than what I created for myself. Those were easily addressed in the Ubiquiti BB's or CS call.

I had already researched enough to know I would by buying Ubiquiti. If I had not gotten on the "enterprise" train, a couple of Ubiquiti AmpliFi units would be resident here...

Below is the Ubiquiti status page.



Lastly, my final planned home project is to replace my Nest security cameras with Ubiquiti HD cameras. With an expanded Cloud Key upgrade I will be able to store all recorded video locally as well as access those remotely, if needed.


----------



## daniel3507 (Jul 31, 2018)

I went with mesh but went more affordable with a Deco kit I found on Amazon. I love it. Great coverage in the house, garage, and lawn. Very happy for being less than $150


----------



## walk1355 (May 31, 2018)

Funny this topic has been posted. I am in the process of building out my homelab right now as well. I went with a Ubiquiti UDM Pro, Gen 2 24 port POE switch, 1 nano-hd AP, etc. Once I get the rack built and set up I will come back and post some pictures.

@avionics12 how is the coverage with the nanoHD? How large is your home? 1 story or 2 story? I am in a 2 story, 3200sf home and went with 1 AP, but can easily install another if coverage is an issue.


----------



## dacoyne (May 27, 2018)

Ware, you made a good choice. Being in the IT world if I can make a suggestion for an add-on to the new router it would be setting up a PiHole. Its basically a personal dns server that blocks all ads. Any device connected to your Wi-Fi router will not get any ads, smart tvs, phones, etc. I bought my pi for 30$ and set it and forgot it in about 30mins.

More info here if interested https://www.smarthomebeginner.com/pi-hole-setup-guide/


----------



## walk1355 (May 31, 2018)

dacoyne said:


> Ware, you made a good choice. Being in the IT world if I can make a suggestion for an add-on to the new router it would be setting up a PiHole. Its basically a personal dns server that blocks all ads. Any device connected to your Wi-Fi router will not get any ads, smart tvs, phones, etc. I bought my pi for 30$ and set it and forgot it in about 30mins.
> 
> More info here if interested https://www.smarthomebeginner.com/pi-hole-setup-guide/


An alternative to buying a rasberry pi is to run it on a virtual machine on a server if you have a server. I run mine on my freenas server in an ubuntu virtual machine.


----------



## avionics12 (Jul 2, 2018)

@walk1355 - I sheepishly admit I have three nano HD's which is more than I need in a 2400 sq ft home. I have a single story three bedroom house with stucco exterior. The stucco acts as a faraday cage of sorts, which limits signal strength to the backyard.

Two HD's are symmetrically placed inside the house; the third is offset and close to a backyard view window to provide exterior WiFi. I used the Unifi Controller to dial up/down power in 2.4G/5G ranges to fine tune broadcast coverage. Up until this thread I was finished, excepting the security cameras already planned. Now I am preparing to dive into the PiHole mentioned previously in this thread.


----------



## walk1355 (May 31, 2018)

@avionics12 here is what I followed to install PiHole on a virtual machine on a freenas server. You could follow these instructions to get it installed on any virtual maching running ubuntu.


----------



## avionics12 (Jul 2, 2018)

Thanks!


----------



## SWB (Sep 22, 2018)

Ware said:


> I wore out my second Apple AirPort device. They gave up on making routers a few years ago, so the hunt was on to restore reliable WiFi access to the Warehouse.
> 
> Everyone says mesh is the way to go, so that's what I did. There are a lot of options (Amazon eero, Google Nest WiFi, NETGEAR Orbi), but I went with the Ubiquiti AmpliFi HD.
> 
> ...


I hope you made a good choice on the router as ours showed up today


----------



## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

SWB said:


> I hope you made a good choice on the router as ours showed up today


It's still early, but I am really happy with it so far. :thumbup:


----------



## jayhawk (Apr 18, 2017)

What's the reason to use Amplify vs Unifi? Is one more ....'consumer friendly'?


----------



## jeffjunstrom (Aug 12, 2019)

This topic is germane to my interests! I can get by with basic technology, but modem/router/WiFi/mesh systems have always baffled me. We have a basic Comcast modem with some router I bought at Best Buy years ago. It's always served its purpose, but we're losing connectivity recently so I need to change something. I spoke with Comcast this morning (before finding this thread, ironically), and they won't service my router since it's not their product. So my only option with them is to pick up a new modem/router combo that I would have to rent for $15 per month. So I guess my basic question is, what is the bare minimum I need to do to avoid that charge? Can I simply get a new router? I just need coverage in the house (three story, ~2500 ft2). We don't need anything fancy; we don't stream a ton, aren't gamers, and don't download a lot. I just need to be able to connect to the internet with reliability. Any help is appreciated!


----------



## jayhawk (Apr 18, 2017)

jeff, you can pick up another 'big box' brand based on what your usage / needs are. Comcast provides the modem, you provide the wireless router (it is like a broadcast tower or 'splitter'). i'm still using an old netgear router that must be 7 years old, reliably. The new ones are better at distributing the load across all the services connecting .....and control over teenagers, auditing etc.


----------



## CenlaLowell (Apr 21, 2017)

I'm using this Linksys WRT1900ACS never had any problems also has great range


----------



## Cory (Aug 23, 2017)

I have a Netgear Nighthawk r8300, it's a few years old but it's never gave me issues and it covers the whole house very well. Speed barely drops at all even at the farthest point in the house away from it. I also have a Netgear ex7300 extender that is just for my security camera NVR so I can access it wirelessly. It's really just on the network so I didn't have to run an ethernet cable to the main router since it's in a very inconvenient area of the house.


----------



## driver_7 (Jun 28, 2018)

I run an Orbi RBR50 and RBS50 on wired CAT6 backhaul in our new place. This is behind a Motorola DOCSIS 3.1 cable modem.

I used the dedicated 5gHz backhaul in our AR home, but I was disappointed with the slightest ping increase when connected to the satellite (to be expected), although we did not have any speed drops like other mesh networks.


----------



## daniel3507 (Jul 31, 2018)

@Ware and @SWB , you guys still happy with your purchases? Since I'll be working from home full time I'm thinking about upgrading to Gigabit internet and am looking for mesh systems that can handle it.


----------



## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

daniel3507 said:


> @Ware and @SWB , you guys still happy with your purchases? Since I'll be working from home full time I'm thinking about upgrading to Gigabit internet and am looking for mesh systems that can handle it.


So far so good. I haven't had to mess with mine since installing. :thumbup:


----------



## Bermuda_Triangle (Sep 20, 2019)

jayhawk said:


> What's the reason to use Amplify vs Unifi? Is one more ....'consumer friendly'?


I dropped out of Unifi. For the price of their USG Pro it does not handle Gigabit Internet with Intrusion Detection turned on.

Most of my friends in networking who stuck with Unifi went with either the AmpliFi product or their Edge line.


----------



## jayhawk (Apr 18, 2017)

Bermuda_Triangle said:


> jayhawk said:
> 
> 
> > What's the reason to use Amplify vs Unifi? Is one more ....'consumer friendly'?
> ...


I hear you have to use the higher end unifi gateway to keep up when intrusion detection is on


----------



## chrismar (May 25, 2017)

Bermuda_Triangle said:


> I dropped out of Unifi. For the price of their USG Pro it does not handle Gigabit Internet with Intrusion Detection turned on.
> 
> Most of my friends in networking who stuck with Unifi went with either the AmpliFi product or their Edge line.


This is the one thing about unifi that irks me, and I only have 200 Mbps service. I wish I could turn on the intrusion detection, but I don't want to limit myself to 85 Mbps or spend the extra hundreds of dollars to upgrade to the beffier router.


----------



## Bermuda_Triangle (Sep 20, 2019)

For wireless I run three different systems. Most of my Apple equipment connects to 1/2 Airports. All of my IoT devices connects to a single Ubiquiti NanoHD, everything else connects to a Ruckus R710.

I have not been happy with my Ubiqiuti equipment. When it works it was great. When it broke it was a royal pain working with support and having something RMAd. From the professional side Ubiquiti lost my vote when they pushed out an unannounced update that sent all kinds of telemetry data back home. When called out on it Ubiquiti doubled down and went radio silence. You can read more about the situation here: https://community.ui.com/questions/UI-official-urgent-please-answer/14259289-e4c3-4c5e-aaa0-02a5baa6cbbe and https://www.theregister.co.uk/2019/11/07/ubiquiti_networks_phone_home/ and tons of threads on Reddit.

Ubiquiti AC Long Range product is worthless. The AP AC Pro and the NanoHD are pretty decent products for the money. When you get into symmetric gigabit service you may not get full gig speed depending on which UniFi product you own and which services you enable. The AmpliFi products will give you full gig service.

If you want to know more about why I dropped Ubiquiti let me know and I can continue down the rabbit hole. I did not want to hijack this thread more than I have already.


----------



## Bermuda_Triangle (Sep 20, 2019)

jayhawk said:


> Bermuda_Triangle said:
> 
> 
> > jayhawk said:
> ...


If you want to stay in the UniFi ecosystem then you will need want the UniFi Dream Machine or the UniFi Dream Machine Pro.


----------



## Bermuda_Triangle (Sep 20, 2019)

walk1355 said:


> Funny this topic has been posted. I am in the process of building out my homelab right now as well. I went with a Ubiquiti UDM Pro, Gen 2 24 port POE switch, 1 nano-hd AP, etc. Once I get the rack built and set up I will come back and post some pictures.
> 
> @avionics12 how is the coverage with the nanoHD? How large is your home? 1 story or 2 story? I am in a 2 story, 3200sf home and went with 1 AP, but can easily install another if coverage is an issue.


We need a new homelab thread.


----------



## avionics12 (Jul 2, 2018)

Did someone say Homelab? 



Yes I drink the Ubiquiti KoolAid; I haven't had the problems that others have had but then I am not a power user. I'm too busy cutting Bermuda...


----------



## daniel3507 (Jul 31, 2018)

@Bermuda_Triangle so an Amplifi system (made by Ubiquiti?) would provide gigabit wifi speeds with intrusion detection? To be honest I'm not entirely sure what that is or if I would use it. As you can tell, I'm not overly technical haha

https://store.amplifi.com/products/amplifi-mesh-wi-fi-system


----------



## SWB (Sep 22, 2018)

Ware said:


> daniel3507 said:
> 
> 
> > @Ware and @SWB , you guys still happy with your purchases? Since I'll be working from home full time I'm thinking about upgrading to Gigabit internet and am looking for mesh systems that can handle it.
> ...


Same here. My wife works from home as well with zero issues.


----------



## testwerke (Apr 4, 2019)

I have a full Ubiquiti setup myself, but after looking at the Amplifi line, I think the Amplifi Instant will be the perfect replacement for the super old 802.11n wireless router at my mother-in-law's house with a 50mbps connection (about to be 100mbps fiber).

Edit: Yay! Ran some coverage tests before and after and they were more or less similar. Wireless speeds went from 30mbps on the old router to 50mbps on the Instant. :thumbup: The MIL approves.


----------



## jayhawk (Apr 18, 2017)

@walk1355 @avionics12 and anyone..... :banana:

Unify AP 6 LR and dream mach pro delivered today...I just need a POE switch (8? lite ) when they become avail and a few cameras to catch the f'n dog pisser's

2 story, open .... hope that I only need 1 more AP in the basement (that has two layers of type X drywall) on the ceiling that separates the floors ?


----------



## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

jayhawk said:


> @walk1355 @avionics12 and anyone..... :banana:
> 
> Unify AP 6 LR and dream mach pro delivered today...I just need a POE switch (8? lite ) when they become avail and a few cameras to catch the f'n dog pisser's
> 
> 2 story, open .... hope that I only need 1 more AP in the basement (that has two layers of type X drywall) on the ceiling that separates the floors ?


Double check, but I think the 8 Lite only has 4 PoE ports. The Dream Machine Pro has none. So unless you use injectors you would be tapped out with 2 AP's and 2 cameras. I have the 16 Lite.


----------



## jayhawk (Apr 18, 2017)

@ware exactly right ....ugh....do I need more


----------



## PGrenauer (Dec 14, 2020)

Ware said:


> I wore out my second Apple AirPort device. They gave up on making routers a few years ago, so the hunt was on to restore reliable WiFi access to the Warehouse.
> 
> Everyone says mesh is the way to go, so that's what I did. There are a lot of options (Amazon eero, Google Nest WiFi, NETGEAR Orbi), but I went with the Ubiquiti AmpliFi HD.
> 
> ...


We have a system at work. We started with apple then switched to the Ubiquity and have just switch again to Aruba Instant IAP­315 Wireless Access Point. Hands down the Aruba is the BOMB...!!! Love it and far superior to the other two.


----------



## jayhawk (Apr 18, 2017)

Aruba Instant IAP­315 is a $700 AP?


----------



## avionics12 (Jul 2, 2018)

jayhawk said:


> @walk1355 @avionics12 and anyone..... :banana:
> 
> Unify AP 6 LR and dream mach pro delivered today...I just need a POE switch (8? lite ) when they become avail and a few cameras to catch the f'n dog pisser's
> 
> 2 story, open .... hope that I only need 1 more AP in the basement (that has two layers of type X drywall) on the ceiling that separates the floors ?


I just deployed one of the following for a Customer and have seen great results; the buy-in is a bit expensive however.

Unify Switch 8-150

This switch provides plenty of power for AP's, Unify camera's etc.

I have found that in most cases (depending on square footage) one AP will be sufficient per level. I have used the AP 6 and really like the range I am getting.


----------



## walk1355 (May 31, 2018)

jayhawk said:


> @walk1355 @avionics12 and anyone..... :banana:
> 
> Unify AP 6 LR and dream mach pro delivered today...I just need a POE switch (8? lite ) when they become avail and a few cameras to catch the f'n dog pisser's
> 
> 2 story, open .... hope that I only need 1 more AP in the basement (that has two layers of type X drywall) on the ceiling that separates the floors ?


I ended up with 3 total APs. 1 on second floor on north end of home, 1 on first floor on southern end of home, and 1 in the garage. I started with just 1 AP and coverage was less than desireable, especially outside in the back yard. It's great now.

Which UDM Pro did you get? There is a new version (released or early access in the last few months) that has POE, I think it's the UDM Pro SE. I have a 24 port USW that has like 8 POE ports on it. If you are unsure of what POE switch you need, look at the total power output of the POE switch and how many POE ports it has and then look ta the POE draw of the devices you are connecting. If you add it up and it's more draw than you have output, it's not going to work. Or (obviously) if you only have 4 POE ports and more than 4 POE devices, it won't work unless you use the POE injectors (which require a power outlet).


----------



## jayhawk (Apr 18, 2017)

No early SE version here. You have to dig to find the the power consumption, etc!

Anyone used an edgerouter (Poe) in an otherwise unity network? Would that be command line hell...and/or hours of trial and error?

That LR AP 6 is larger than I thought


----------



## ALPHA (Aug 25, 2021)

Hey, a Ubiquity thread! I'm working on point up a bridge from them to a dream machine in my house to POE a camera system. With a few wired access point throughout the home. Internet is supplied by StarLink and mounted on my stable masters apartment, which is where I could get an un-obstructed view. My home only has a partial attic so I will be having to run a fair amount of Ethernet on the outside unfortunately.


----------



## jayhawk (Apr 18, 2017)

'Wares 2.0 lawn' is becoming a ubiquiti thread, some can't help themselves.

I ended up with one LR6 AP....even the basement is fine (I have 2 layers of typeX too) so I wonder why 3 APs ...another was 6? Perhaps the next gen LR is just that good? (I'm in a 3500 sq ft house, 3car) Waiting for cameras to restock from Chicoms I suppose


----------

