Let’s Talk About Wi-Fi Mesh Systems

[I-Hate-Hulse]

I’m hoping the CP networking Braintrust can help me here.

I currently have a Linksys Wifi 5 AC2200 Velop system running:

https://www.linksys.com/ca/tri-band-...W0302-CAF.html

4/5 nodes are wired backhaul. Currently I’m pulling about 300mbps on mobile devices of which the major ones are wifi 6 enabled.

I was contemplating upgrading some of the central nodes to a Velop wifi 6 system, as I understand you can run both in a system. This is the one currently for sale:

https://www.linksys.com/ca/dual-band...MX5503-CA.html

Some questions I have are:

1) Given that the latter is dual band - is this a worthwhile upgrade?
2) With 6e starting to trickle out - should I wait?
3) Despite 6e on the horizon, should I just bite the bullet and go to a wifi 6 Unifi UDM based system?

[Shazam]

Just wait. No point in doing anything now.

Having recently set up a UDM for a client, that thing is worth the money and is way better than any of the customer level crap.

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by I-Hate-Hulse

I’m hoping the CP networking Braintrust can help me here.

I currently have a Linksys Wifi 5 AC2200 Velop system running:

https://www.linksys.com/ca/tri-band-...W0302-CAF.html

4/5 nodes are wired backhaul. Currently I’m pulling about 300mbps on mobile devices of which the major ones are wifi 6 enabled.

I was contemplating upgrading some of the central nodes to a Velop wifi 6 system, as I understand you can run both in a system. This is the one currently for sale:

https://www.linksys.com/ca/dual-band...MX5503-CA.html

Some questions I have are:

1) Given that the latter is dual band - is this a worthwhile upgrade?
2) With 6e starting to trickle out - should I wait?
3) Despite 6e on the horizon, should I just bite the bullet and go to a wifi 6 Unifi UDM based system?

First question should be, do you really need WiFi 6 right now? I have an older UniFi setup and my wireless devices pull 350 mbps down, but I don't really see a need yet for faster speeds. 4K streaming already works great, and when I'm downloading games to the PS5 or Switch I'm more constrained by their server speeds than my own. My home server and primary desktop PC are hard wired, which is where I want my full 750 mbps download speeds. For all the wireless devices I don't think I'd even notice any speed increases, which makes the investment in new access points seem kind of pointless

[Diemenz]

Go UDM.
I am on a 5 system and get 400-600 on my wireless devices consistently. I do not see the need to go wifi 6 until I have devices that support wifi 6. Right now thats my phone and MacBook and nothing else. I probably won’t even bother moving to 6 gear until the 5 gear is no longer supported.

[DoubleF]

AmpliFi or UniFi (UDM) are the paths I'm going going forward. Both are the most stable systems I've ever had.

Wifi6 is a bit of a pain at this point. I've dealt with more Wifi6 related bugs total than I have total for other networking bugs or issues or optimizing in the last 5 years or so. I had to get non-wifi 6 hardware to address the issues I was having.

Knowing what I know now, I'd rather spend money pulling ethernet lines and hardwiring stuff for stable and high speeds rather than spend money specifically on wifi 6 hardware.

The AmpliFi system was also more impressive than I realized and dead easy to set up and with relatively low monitoring. My parents (not computer savy) noticed a more stable and fast connection with a single AmpliFi router on their main floor vs an entire powerline Deco mesh system system on 3 floors. I still have the ability to mesh that AmpliFi system too, but since my parents didn't need it, I ended up selling the extra hardware for what I paid, but less than what the new prices for hardware is right now due to shortages. It's so easy to set and forget and the interface is easy to deal with and has a great amount of features available to tweak.

I have to monitor my UDM (UniFi) set up slightly more, but I do appreciate and kinda need the extra features it offers due to some unique facets and layout "issues" in my home.

[Shazam]

UDM even has a fan in it. Imagine actually keeping the chip temps in spec.

[photon]

I seem to recall some features on Shaw requiring not being in bridge mode, but I can't seem to find anything. Was I just imagining that? Or is it going to get to a case of having to choose between something like the UDM and some features.

[Shazam]

Can’t use Shaw Home in bridge mode.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by Shazam

Can’t use Shaw Home in bridge mode.

https://support.shaw.ca/t5/internet-...eway/ta-p/5754
https://support.shaw.ca/t5/internet-...home/ta-p/5541

Yup. Which means you won't have access to certain internet options/security from the router, parental controls and shaw wifi pods. But this also makes sense because you want the UDM to take those over vs the Shaw router doing those.

[photon]

Ok that's not bad, I thought it was actual features that wouldn't work, but that's not that bad, as you say I'd want to take over those things anyway.

Will have to look at this this year, I'm tired of having the Shaw modem in my office as its fan is too noisy.

[Shazam]

UDM fan is not quiet either, if that's what you're looking for.

I'd rackmount a UDM Pro or SE somewhere out of the way anyhow.

[photon]

Yeah I used to have the Shaw modem and wifi router in the basement but pulled it into my office for better wifi.

Will have to redo everything so the noisy stuff is in the basement again and hardware around the house for the wifi access.

[Shazam]

You're going to be happy when you make a network config change in the UDM and the change happens instantly.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by photon

Yeah I used to have the Shaw modem and wifi router in the basement but pulled it into my office for better wifi.

Will have to redo everything so the noisy stuff is in the basement again and hardware around the house for the wifi access.

Going all out with a UDM set up and moving the stuff to the basement is beast mode. If that's what you want/need go for it.

A cheaper and lazier idea could be the AmpliFi set up which is nice because it's slightly cheaper and you don't have to pull cables unless you really want to and the components are very quiet (router and wifi mesh points) for around $400-500 all in.

I'd still highly recommend moving everything to the basement and then pulling a single or double ethernet to the most strategic points in the house whether or not you go with the UniFi or AmpliFi option. Ubiquiti also has some really damn cool in wall access points that would be awesome hideaway options if you went with the UDM. It's basically the Ethernet wall plate but more.

I wish I had known about it earlier to investigate it more before acquiring the hardware I did, but oh well.

[photon]

I have Ethernet all over the house, if I remember correctly the reason I put both my wifi router and the modem in my office is I only have one drop in my office. Which would prevent me from doing something like the AmpliFi Gamer's Edition if I still wanted the main box in my office because it looks neat. But my office is probably the easiest room in my house to add a 2nd drop to, I think it's right above my electrical box which itself is a straight shot to the furnace room which has all the Ethernet cables.

Hm the wall access points are interesting, I was thinking about having to fish a cable from the drop up to the ceiling for a ceiling access point if that's the route I go with but those sound neat.

Will have to give it some thought.

I'll have to re-read through the thread

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Thanks y'all - Ubiquiti is definately the nuclear option for me. A UDM with a pile of U6 Mesh AP's would be the gold standard for sure (and a 16 port Lite POE switch)

Unfortunately, my house is a graveyard for wireless signals so the number of AP's I'd need really makes that a $1,500 endeavor. Still... it's tempting.

Back to my 1st question though - is dropping a 2 band wifi 6 AX nodes into a tri-band wifi AC Velop mesh system completely pointless?

[indes]

After spending ~1000$ on various crap (mesh wifi, boosters, switches) my wife and I dropped 1800$ on a UDM SE, U6 LR AP and 2xU6-In-walls and its been an absolute game changer. We both work from home so the dropping wifi just wasn't an option anymore. Setting everything up was pretty easy with youtube and now I just don't have to worry about it. I'm at 4 months now without a single issue and get ~800mbs on my phone everywhere in my house.

I went with the SE to get the 8 PoE ports - I only use 3 right now but wanted to future proof in case we move.

[keratosis]

$2800 would have hardwired your house.

[woob]

Originally Posted by DoubleF

Wifi6 is a bit of a pain at this point. I've dealt with more Wifi6 related bugs total than I have total for other networking bugs or issues or optimizing in the last 5 years or so. I had to get non-wifi 6 hardware to address the issues I was having.

Knowing what I know now, I'd rather spend money pulling ethernet lines and hardwiring stuff for stable and high speeds rather than spend money specifically on wifi 6 hardware.

What kind of WiFi6 issues have you had? I'm putting in Ubiquity U6 Pros at one of my field offices (about 8 APs) and your post has me a bit concerned. I haven't done any WiFi6 deployments yet.

[indes]

Originally Posted by keratosis

$2800 would have hardwired your house.

My house is mostly hardwired - Cat6 to the living room, bonus room, kitchen, master bedroom but we still have around 30 wireless devices including a bunch of smart home stuff. Was annoying having those all work only intermittently on top of the kids tablets, phones, printer.