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Old 11-19-2025, 01:55 PM   #341
indes
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Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Sherwood Park, AB
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Regorium View Post
Can someone explain to me what the point of the gateway like the Express 7 is?

Similar to Meel, I'm moving into a new build and trying to figure out what I need.

So far I've identified:
- Switch to connect all the cat 6 outlets. (does the switch need some special capability to use PoE for a ceiling mount AP?)
- Ceiling mount AP connected to one of those cat 6 outlets on the 2nd floor (pretty open concept plan so I think the one AP might be enough)
- Standard AP in the basement
- Telus router in the basement that connects the modem and the switch.

Potentially I have another AP for the main floor, but I don't have a great place for it (should've asked the builder to do a second ceiling mount but didn't do it). The only place might be a drywall box behind the TV, but we're thinking of a pretty flush mounted samsung frame so it might just be completely pointless. The other spot is my office, but that's way at one end of the house without much else there.

I'm confused at some of these extra pieces and wondering if someone can shed some light.
The gateway runs your network (it becomes your "router").

You will need POE to run the APs so you could run an Express 7 or a dream router + a poe switch or get a UDM Pro SE which has built in poe ports but no wifi built in. 1 AP on your top floor + 1 in the basement very well could be enough, you can always add some extenders, jam an In-Wall in your drywall box behind the TV or put an AP facing upwards from your basement (I did this before I finished the basement and it worked fine).

Do you plan on running any cameras?
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