So it seems that one of my wifi access points on my home network has died.
Can't say it owes me much, it's about 9 years old.
What's a good brand for wifi access points these days? My old one was TP Link, which gave me 9 years of trouble-free wifi, so I would be fine with getting another one, but I'm open to other suggestions.
CartyBoston
in reply to Adam Jacobs 🇺🇦 • • •I am now enamoured with wifi meshes, even if I am only deploying (for now) a single AP.
I have had a good experience with Asus Zen stuff.
Adam Jacobs 🇺🇦
in reply to CartyBoston • • •@CartyBoston I currently have 2 TP Link WAPs, both set to the same SSID and password. When they were both working that just worked, and gave me access to the same network no matter which one I connected to.
Is that the same thing as a mesh or is it a bit more complicated than that these days?
CartyBoston
in reply to Adam Jacobs 🇺🇦 • • •more complicated, more expensive, maybe better.
The mesh nodes use different radio spectrum to talk to each other (backhaul) than they do to talk to clients, so it's efficient and super scalable as long as you can plop $100 nodes all over the place.
Adam Jacobs 🇺🇦
in reply to CartyBoston • • •@CartyBoston Is that something that means you can have a larger network with fewer cables?
I have plenty of ethernet sockets around my house so no problem at all with just plugging each WAP into its own ethernet socket. Does that mean that mesh doesn't really have any advantage for me?
CartyBoston
in reply to Adam Jacobs 🇺🇦 • • •Exactly, were you doing your house over again you'd have the option not to run all that cabling.
Also no matter how many nodes one has the mesh is managed as a single network, which is super easy. One can literally toss $100 boxes onto the network at will.
Sarah Brown
in reply to Adam Jacobs 🇺🇦 • •@Adam Jacobs 🇺🇦 @CartyBoston mesh is grim. Overloading your spectrum with backhaul that can’t quite be overcome even with hacks like OFDMA.
If you have CAT 6 routed to the access points, you absolutely want to use that instead. Mesh is a distress purchase IMO.
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Adam Jacobs 🇺🇦
in reply to Sarah Brown • • •CartyBoston
in reply to Sarah Brown • • •@goatsarah I hear you.
My point is that things have moved on in residences and small businesses. I don't mind managing my own stuff, but I e.g. lit up a friend's pub from nothing in literally 30 minutes the other day. It's a big change.
Sarah Brown
in reply to CartyBoston • •@CartyBoston @Adam Jacobs 🇺🇦 My wired cameras get constant uninterrupted streaming 24/7
My wifi one, 3 metres from an industrial spec wifi 6 access point, barely works.
I suspect your friend's pub may meet my every expectation of public wifi.
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Sarah Brown
in reply to Adam Jacobs 🇺🇦 • •@Adam Jacobs 🇺🇦 you looking for managed wifi or something easier?
I’m a big fan of TP-Link Omada (minus the routers which are a bit rubbish), but it’s … somewhat heavyweight.
Adam Jacobs 🇺🇦
in reply to Sarah Brown • • •