Access points for home


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I want a stand alone access point. I don't want one with a router built in, as I am putting pure hardware based routers in with pfsense as the router OS.

 

I've looked at solutions like Ubiquity UniFi, but they have software controllers. I'm not sure if this software has to be on a system running 24/7 or not. which isn't an option right now.

 

I need something that can be set up and be free standing with at least B/G/N standards.

 

 

Anyone have any suggestions?

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I don't care about the price point

 

and most of them have horrible radios in them, a lot of access points have higher wattage radios... I'd rather have a 800mW - 1W radio over a 200mW - 600mW radio that a lot of consumer routers have

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The ubiquity you configure with the software then you put it where you want. It also has the ability for a cloud based controller if you choose to go that route. There is also metal, they are 100% cloud based.

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The ubiquity you configure with the software then you put it where you want. It also has the ability for a cloud based controller if you choose to go that route. There is also metal, they are 100% cloud based.

 

but you don't need a controller running all the time once you configure it? I haven't used sand alone AP's for a long while now. If it's configure and you are done and no server controller has to be running then that is perfect.

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The controller aspect is the best thing about the Unifi, all that information can be invaluable in understanding use of the network, troubleshooting, tweaking, etc.
 
This is where having a vm host is just so nice..  Any sort of tool I need no matter the os it best works on, just fire up the vm and rocking..  And as mentioned can send the info to the cloud as well. AWS, they don't host anything free that I am aware of?  Sc302 have you heard anything about cloud other than running an AWS instance?  Other than running on your own VPS?
 
But here from the wiki is your question about controller for verification
 
http://wiki.ubnt.com/UniFi_FAQ#Do_UniFi_APs_require_the_controller_to_be_running_all_the_time.3F
Do UniFi APs require the controller to be running all the time?
UniFi APs can run by themselves without the controller unless features like guest portal is enabled (as UniFi controller also functions as a captive portal). Restarting the controller won't restart your APs.

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If  you know what you are doing you can use any cloud hosting.  They have a unix distro for DIYers and should be able to be put on a hosted server, if you have vpn access to your network you could feasibly do it with that otherwise you may have to open a port or two on the cloud setup to allow your ap to communicate over to it.  

 

 

http://community.ubnt.com/t5/UniFi-Updates-Blog/UniFi-2-4-6-is-released/ba-p/592033

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Another vote for UniFi. These are awesome APs for their price. You don't need to run the controller sw 24/7, only for configuration.

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the UniFi ones are still an option, are there any out there with built in controllers now days?

 

Yes but not in that price range of 70 bux. Check out a cisco 321 wap.

 

http://www.amazon.com/CISCO-SYSTEMS-WAP321-A-K9Wireless-Selectable-Band/dp/B007R1SIY0

 

You will need to purchase a power injector as well.  I have one at work to play with, it has a nice gui to configure it unlike the enterprise class cisco standalone waps that have a near useless gui. 

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Yes but not in that price range of 70 bux. Check out a cisco 321 wap.

 

http://www.amazon.com/CISCO-SYSTEMS-WAP321-A-K9Wireless-Selectable-Band/dp/B007R1SIY0

 

You will need to purchase a power injector as well.  I have one at work to play with, it has a nice gui to configure it unlike the enterprise class cisco standalone waps that have a near useless gui. 

 

price isn't a big concern until we start paying $400+ for a single AP :laugh:

 

we have Cisco WS-C3850 switches at work with their wireless controller software built into the switch.. the UI is ugh... not bad, but not great but we went for a unified platform at work, all cisco switches with cisco AP's that are controlled by the switches

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That is when you get into cisco enterprise waps.  big money, I can buy a lot of ubiquiti aps for the price of 1.  Even the pros I can get 3 for about 670 and cover my campus for 1/2 the price of cisco enterprise.

 

I was looking at cisco with a nice price of 40k to cover my campus, I am doing that for less than half with the ubiquiti system...oh and the coverage is superior to that of the cisco, seems to be close to double the range.  I have both the small bus ap listed above and also an aironet 1602

 

 

this is also a standalone wap,  I have one of these too.  These also require a power injector to purchase if you don't have a poe switch.

http://www.amazon.com/Cisco-AIR-SAP1602I-A-K9-AIRONET-2-4GHZ-INTEGRATED/dp/B00BN3SIHA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1399906612&sr=8-2&keywords=AIR-SAP1602I-A-K9

 

 

I could prob post a video of me unboxing a 3 pack of ubiquiti pros.  I have a couple sitting under my desk right now.

post-118098-0-59853100-1399907008.jpg

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At first I really wanted to get into a cisco solution with the switches you have mentioned, then budman turned me on to these and we deployed a couple, then a few more, then a few more.  Now we are going to do the entire company.   Mainly due to price is why we considered these, then we found out how solid these things are as well as the range.

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Yeah, we went Cisco mainly because we also work with a 3rd party consultant/contract work company when we get swamped and they are cisco certified and really know their stuff.. so we can just say hey we don't have time to do this, you do this. It was expensive as heck, the hardware isn't bad, but initial setup took time with all the configuring and VLAN's we had to create for different systems and isolation, setting up static routes for different things.. all that fun stuff..

 

We use to be an all HP ProCurve shop, but it started to feel like HP's network equipment wasn't cutting it for what we were doing, and we run multiple 10GigE links now, the HP's we had were struggling to keep up. the Cisco hardware seems to handle it like it's nothing. A complete network rebuild and a few hundred thousand later, we're an all cisco shop at work now on the network end...

 

but that's work and this is for home :laugh: so not a massive requirement, besides coverage and it just works.

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^ while that works for sure. Any wireless soho router can be used as just AP per that method. It was pretty clear in the first sentence from the OP that he was not looking for that ;)

"I want a stand alone access point. I don't want one with a router built in"

I think the unifi is prob the best solution for a home budget, closest your going to get to enterprise level stuff for home prices. You can do a N single band 2.4 2x2 for $70, which is good price point for the feature set.

I keep wanting to pull the trigger on AC one - but wife would give me grief.. Just bought a new SSD for my esxi host that she rolled her eyes at, so have to wait a bit before get another upgrade/toy ;)

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^ while that works for sure. Any wireless soho router can be used as just AP per that method. It was pretty clear in the first sentence from the OP that he was not looking for that ;)

"I want a stand alone access point. I don't want one with a router built in"

I think the unifi is prob the best solution for a home budget, closest your going to get to enterprise level stuff for home prices. You can do a N single band 2.4 2x2 for $70, which is good price point for the feature set.

I keep wanting to pull the trigger on AC one - but wife would give me grief.. Just bought a new SSD for my esxi host that she rolled her eyes at, so have to wait a bit before get another upgrade/toy ;)

 

Yeah I keep almost pulling the trigger on the AC one also... then I keep thinking the price... *LOL*

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Pull the trigger dude!! ;)  And let us know how it works out - if you give it 2 thumbs up I might have to pull the trigger as well. hehehe

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Pull the trigger dude!! ;)  And let us know how it works out - if you give it 2 thumbs up I might have to pull the trigger as well. hehehe

I'm "thinking" about it... thinking means really want to, keep saying no, but in a week the want will get to me :rofl:

 

The AC model is really thin, I wasn't expecting it until I saw a side view of it.

 

I need someone to get me wattage specs on it first though... still doing research on that

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here is power info - is this what you were looking for?

 

attachicon.gifthiswhatpower.png

that I've seen before, I'm looking for someone who has actually measured it with a kill-a-watt or something to see what the real idle and full use wattages are like.

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Ah -- sc302 would prob be good option.. He has really been running with them since I suggested to him as a low budget option a while back ;)  22watts does seem a bit high.. Its prob no where near that in real world use.

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You are looking for power draw on the line? Let me see if my pdu will give individual draw on each port. Haven't hooked it up to the network yet, was just looking for total circuit draw

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