activemind
Active Member
What would be a good place to buy ubiquiti stuff, Amazon? I am looking at their UniFi products for extending the reach of my Wifi network at home !Work2Play said:
Access Point Placement Questions (Split from other thread)
- Thread starter activemind
- Start date
tmbrown97
Senior Member
I'd say wherever you find pricing and stock; there are only two US distributors and the stock trickles down from there; they also can't make enough to meet demand, so at certain times of the month if you want it now you'll pay.
I am a reseller of the stuff and can help with system design if you have any questions - I've deployed a decent amount of the stuff.
I am a reseller of the stuff and can help with system design if you have any questions - I've deployed a decent amount of the stuff.
activemind
Active Member
Them Amazon it is! Thanks for the offer W2P but my setup is quite simple. I will be using the Ubiquite APs and turn off my router Wifi which I plan to move to a remote closet anyways. So for any wireless connection, you would have to go through these APs.Work2Play said:
Did not mean to hijack this thread but was looking for W2P and found him here
tmbrown97
Senior Member
I browse most of these... I honestly recommend to most people to do that - wiring closets are rarely the best place for wireless, so I've always used separate units. And the UAP's IMO are the best thing out for the residential user these days thanks to new features for zero-handoff, allowing for a seamless roaming experience and you can add AP's as needed for coverage.
pete_c
Guru
Work2Play,
Starting many years ago I've kept the AP in the highest part of my home; specifically the attic and today an Ubiquiti.
Historically never really utilized the switch / firewall portions of the DD-WRT'd AP's. Always used POE as it was easier. (10 years here).
It worked nicely in the midwest putting the AP in the attic of the two story home.
In Florida with the one story "elevated" home I put a DD-WRT'd Linksys in the attic about the wiring closet. Its been fine for over 10 years until recently.
Today (not really today but maybe sometime in the near future) I starting to venture a bit more into the home wireless thing and looking forward to playing with the Almond + whenever its available for me to play with.
The installation of it say in my main floor of the home contradicts my whole methodology of putting an antenna in the attic or AP in the attic for optimal coverage. I have already seen that I like the throughput of fast wireless but really dislike the RF footprint in my home testing out various tablets and whatever. Mostly trying new stuff here and there but not really utilizing it much.
This also kind of goes against my whole wanting to keep automation wired versus wireless thing. Today though I do keep the wireless on an autonomous network and do not have a whole bunch (relatively speaking) of wireless devices (mostly floating laptops, netbooks and tablets only).
Just curious what you would recommend say to have the best RF footprint in a two story home (using the attic and basement as part of the space to be utilized for wireless) with an all integrated device like the Almond + testing it on the main floor of the home or even the basement?
Starting many years ago I've kept the AP in the highest part of my home; specifically the attic and today an Ubiquiti.
Historically never really utilized the switch / firewall portions of the DD-WRT'd AP's. Always used POE as it was easier. (10 years here).
It worked nicely in the midwest putting the AP in the attic of the two story home.
In Florida with the one story "elevated" home I put a DD-WRT'd Linksys in the attic about the wiring closet. Its been fine for over 10 years until recently.
Today (not really today but maybe sometime in the near future) I starting to venture a bit more into the home wireless thing and looking forward to playing with the Almond + whenever its available for me to play with.
The installation of it say in my main floor of the home contradicts my whole methodology of putting an antenna in the attic or AP in the attic for optimal coverage. I have already seen that I like the throughput of fast wireless but really dislike the RF footprint in my home testing out various tablets and whatever. Mostly trying new stuff here and there but not really utilizing it much.
This also kind of goes against my whole wanting to keep automation wired versus wireless thing. Today though I do keep the wireless on an autonomous network and do not have a whole bunch (relatively speaking) of wireless devices (mostly floating laptops, netbooks and tablets only).
Just curious what you would recommend say to have the best RF footprint in a two story home (using the attic and basement as part of the space to be utilized for wireless) with an all integrated device like the Almond + testing it on the main floor of the home or even the basement?
tmbrown97
Senior Member
The problem with the Attic is that there's no open space between the Attic and the livable space in the home, absolutely requiring the RF signal to penetrate building materials like sheetrock and wood framing.
RF prefers to bounce around the house rather than penetrate building materials, which is why I've had good results above my kitchen cabinets - it's in an area in the middle of the house where the RF can easily "bounce" into the adjacent room with the open ceilings and up to the second floor. By putting it above the second floor, it has two layers of building materials to penetrate to get to the first floor.
I don't know the RF pattern of the Almond, but I'd most definitely start somewhere as middle in the home as possible - in a 3D sense; so middle veritically and horizontally, and start there. And not necessarily tucked into a little nook but more out in the open if possible... However, if it turns out that the home is too big for one almond to provide adequate coverage, you may find that it's not well suited to running multple AP's together the way Unifi is.
RF prefers to bounce around the house rather than penetrate building materials, which is why I've had good results above my kitchen cabinets - it's in an area in the middle of the house where the RF can easily "bounce" into the adjacent room with the open ceilings and up to the second floor. By putting it above the second floor, it has two layers of building materials to penetrate to get to the first floor.
I don't know the RF pattern of the Almond, but I'd most definitely start somewhere as middle in the home as possible - in a 3D sense; so middle veritically and horizontally, and start there. And not necessarily tucked into a little nook but more out in the open if possible... However, if it turns out that the home is too big for one almond to provide adequate coverage, you may find that it's not well suited to running multple AP's together the way Unifi is.
pete_c
Guru
Thanks Work2Play.
Yup been playing over the last few years with different AP's and placement in the home. Prior to the single Ubiquiti in the attic had an AP on every floor in the house using whatever DD-WRT'd AP (G or N) I could play with at the time. It worked OK for me but really didn't want to manage 3-4 AP's such that the single Ubiquiti in the attic provided adequate coverage for my needs.
The main floor AP though was hidden between sheet rock in a wasted but rather large chase somewhat in the middle of the house. Bad RF (it was a mistake but a space easy to work in; almost large enough chase to be another room) though because it was close to the water pipes and some HVAC duct work. Lots of WAF here relating to the kitchen. I have gone slow there. Today there is "art" on top of the kitchen cabinets such that its not some place I want to go to right now...
That and had a box o of different footprint wireless antennas that I would play with; some omnidirectional and other not.
Today was looking for a tiny sma connector to sma cable and couldn't find the one I had...bored somewhat made one modifying a tiny Airgain antenna; just for play right now...need to use my magnifying lamp to work on this tiny little sma connector.
Yup been playing over the last few years with different AP's and placement in the home. Prior to the single Ubiquiti in the attic had an AP on every floor in the house using whatever DD-WRT'd AP (G or N) I could play with at the time. It worked OK for me but really didn't want to manage 3-4 AP's such that the single Ubiquiti in the attic provided adequate coverage for my needs.
The main floor AP though was hidden between sheet rock in a wasted but rather large chase somewhat in the middle of the house. Bad RF (it was a mistake but a space easy to work in; almost large enough chase to be another room) though because it was close to the water pipes and some HVAC duct work. Lots of WAF here relating to the kitchen. I have gone slow there. Today there is "art" on top of the kitchen cabinets such that its not some place I want to go to right now...
That and had a box o of different footprint wireless antennas that I would play with; some omnidirectional and other not.
Today was looking for a tiny sma connector to sma cable and couldn't find the one I had...bored somewhat made one modifying a tiny Airgain antenna; just for play right now...need to use my magnifying lamp to work on this tiny little sma connector.
tmbrown97
Senior Member
I've messed around with the other antennas a bit - when I was testing range, I had a setup that'd let me go 1000' or more from my house through foliage - let me have wifi at the nearby dog park... but with that comes increased security concerns as now there are another 100 houses that can see my AP. Generally speaking though in a home environment, you'll get far better performance with the MIMO antennas in a dedicated all-in-one AP as they use a whole array of antennas inside with some smarts that'll achieve much better performance than you will with your external omni.
The footprint if installed on a ceiling like a smoke detector is pretty much nil, and the LED's can be turned off.
Sorry about the thread hijack OP - just finishing out the side convo ;-)
The footprint if installed on a ceiling like a smoke detector is pretty much nil, and the LED's can be turned off.
Sorry about the thread hijack OP - just finishing out the side convo ;-)
pete_c
Guru
Yup; probably should go to another thread.
I've looked at that Ubiquiti product. Hallways are centered sort of in the house and one wouldn't look to shabby.
Yes I played with a similar but way different AP many years ago. Larger with multiple APs / antennas / NICs made for like a warehouse infrastructure. At the time everything wireless (literally) was Cisco.
Somebody did put one of these on my desk to play with then later tested them in vivo. (not really meant for residential installs though)
http://www.xirrus.com/Products/Wireless-Arrays/XR-Arrays-and-Access-Points
I've looked at that Ubiquiti product. Hallways are centered sort of in the house and one wouldn't look to shabby.
Yes I played with a similar but way different AP many years ago. Larger with multiple APs / antennas / NICs made for like a warehouse infrastructure. At the time everything wireless (literally) was Cisco.
Somebody did put one of these on my desk to play with then later tested them in vivo. (not really meant for residential installs though)
http://www.xirrus.com/Products/Wireless-Arrays/XR-Arrays-and-Access-Points
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tmbrown97
Senior Member
The thing I really love about the Ubiquiti AP's is that they're startlingly easy to set up - there are no confusing options there to screw yourself up with - you don't even have to look for the best channel - it'll do that for you.
And now with the newst version of their software, it's even better as they've allowed for zero-handoff, which most people don't understand but could have a real impact if you're walking around the houe on your laptop or tablet or phone - unless you disconnect/reconnect, normally your device would hold on to a weaker signal even if there's a better option - but they've fixed that with a new technology they've implemented.
Furthermore, if you have a large house or a ton of devices (think Ube) it's easy to add AP's as necessary without the engineering challenges of the past - and without having to think about how to make them work together and not against each other; if you need more coverage, either in another part of the house, outdoors, in a separate workshop, etc - it's as easy as plugging in the new device, going into the controller software, and hitting "Adopt" - and now you've just extended your network.
And if you really need coverage somewhere remote and can't get a wire back to your main network, you can even have one work as a wireless repeater essentially, making its own backhaul to another AP it can talk to - meaning you could mount one on a shed a ways from the house - and if it can reach the house, it'll do a wireless backhaul and extend coverage around your yard and into the workshop.
It's a pretty good line all in all.
And now with the newst version of their software, it's even better as they've allowed for zero-handoff, which most people don't understand but could have a real impact if you're walking around the houe on your laptop or tablet or phone - unless you disconnect/reconnect, normally your device would hold on to a weaker signal even if there's a better option - but they've fixed that with a new technology they've implemented.
Furthermore, if you have a large house or a ton of devices (think Ube) it's easy to add AP's as necessary without the engineering challenges of the past - and without having to think about how to make them work together and not against each other; if you need more coverage, either in another part of the house, outdoors, in a separate workshop, etc - it's as easy as plugging in the new device, going into the controller software, and hitting "Adopt" - and now you've just extended your network.
And if you really need coverage somewhere remote and can't get a wire back to your main network, you can even have one work as a wireless repeater essentially, making its own backhaul to another AP it can talk to - meaning you could mount one on a shed a ways from the house - and if it can reach the house, it'll do a wireless backhaul and extend coverage around your yard and into the workshop.
It's a pretty good line all in all.
pete_c
Guru
Thanks Work2play.
Experimenting will try the new Unifi AP on the second floor hallway and shut down the one in the attic (will probably utilize the same cable).
Noticed that prices are all over the place. On the Ubiquiti works dot com site it saids its not available ($80) until September 2013 but it let me order it.
Its for around $70 on Amazon. Some folks on Ebay are selling it for $140.
BTW do you / company that you work for sell them?
Experimenting will try the new Unifi AP on the second floor hallway and shut down the one in the attic (will probably utilize the same cable).
Noticed that prices are all over the place. On the Ubiquiti works dot com site it saids its not available ($80) until September 2013 but it let me order it.
Its for around $70 on Amazon. Some folks on Ebay are selling it for $140.
BTW do you / company that you work for sell them?
tmbrown97
Senior Member
I do sell them and I've helped a number of cocooners out; however I do not stock them. I buy direct from the main US Importer (as does everyone else!). For my regular clients, I stock a replacement or two of each of the radios they commonly use for emergency replacements, but that's about it.
I think the reason you see prices all over the board is because people buy them and sit on them - and when stock goes low and someone needs a replacement tomorrow, they'll pay the 50% markup. People in no hurry will pay regular prices and wait. They tend to ship in batches satisfying all US orders around the last week of each month. It's best to just get in line and get it when it comes out.
I think the reason you see prices all over the board is because people buy them and sit on them - and when stock goes low and someone needs a replacement tomorrow, they'll pay the 50% markup. People in no hurry will pay regular prices and wait. They tend to ship in batches satisfying all US orders around the last week of each month. It's best to just get in line and get it when it comes out.
pete_c
Guru
Thanks W2P. Understood.
Has it been released? Most of the sites I checked out it appeared that they did have them in stock. Only one mentioned a September 2013 date but they did have them in stock.
Been playing with a variety of bgn modded combo routers and basically have tossed them in the discard box o automation stuff. They were OK though.
