Unifi question

[silentbrown]

I currently have Unifi wifi, with access points wirelessly meshed from a router.

The furthest AP has poor wifi, but I can probably run a dedicated network cable to it from another access point.

In other words,change from...
Cat5 > Access Point > Wifi > Access Point-> Wifi >Access Point
.. to..
Cat5 > Access Point > Wifi > Access Point-> Cat5 >Access Point

Any reason this won't? Thought I should ask before going to the trouble of running a cable.

[Baldchap]

You'd need a switch but otherwise fine and will be far better wired.

Bear in mind the APs are PoE when choosing a switch and if your APs are older they may be passive 24v so that will guide your choices.

Rereading this, is there no option to wire AP2 as well? I'm not 100% sure the 'gap' will work with the APs wired as well, although they can be on mesh whilst wired so it should.

Bear in mind you'll want a cloud key or similar to access the configurations beyond anything simple.

Edited by Baldchap on Sunday 2nd April 13:58

[Captain_Morgan]

Unifi isn’t particularly great as a mesh solution as the connection between wireless accesspoints becomes a shared one with data, this a limits the data that a accesspoint can transfer, b when you chain accesspoints as in your first example the rule of thumb is you lose ~50% of the available throughput on each wireless hop.

So your second suggestion to wire the far accesspoint is better, best would be to wire all three.

You may need to delete the accesspoint(s) In question & re-add them to recognise the switch to wired (but you may not, it’s been a while since I configured some unifi ap’s)

Actually scratch that I miss read your post, but yes it seems possible, as said you’ll need to consider power.
https://lazyadmin.nl/home-network/unifi-wireless-u...

Edited by Captain_Morgan on Sunday 2nd April 13:52

[colin79666]

Should work. As above you will need a switch, as the PoE injector at AP2 only puts out power on one port, the LAN port is data only (at least mine is). The topology view in the console may get a bit confused as to where things are.

[silentbrown]

Thanks all. I have USG/Cloud Key so config should be OK.

Currently, AP's 2+3 and using Unifi POE injectors for power. Plan is to replace the AP2 injector with a 5-port POE switch in the loft, and then use the new cable to power AP3 which gives me a lot more flexibility with positioning.

Much as I'd love to have wired all the way, that involves a lot more holes in walls. The switch in the loft means that option is possible in future.

[xeny]

silentbrown said:

Much as I'd love to have wired all the way, that involves a lot more holes in walls. The switch in the loft means that option is possible in future.

I don't know if this has crossed your mind, but ceilings tend to be much more radio transparent than walls - have you tried an AP or two in the loft space?

[Baldchap]

If you crimp your own RJ45 connectors, the holes are tiny... It's always worth it.

[duff-man]

The UniFi Ac-Pro has two ethernet ports but you would need a power injector for the downlink access point.

[megaphone]

duff-man said:

The UniFi Ac-Pro has two ethernet ports but you would need a power injector for the downlink access point.

Never understood why the Pros don't have PoE passthrough, stringing three or four or even five on a single run would be advantageous in many instances.

[silentbrown]

duff-man said:

The UniFi Ac-Pro has two ethernet ports but you would need a power injector for the downlink access point.

Good to know - but I do need POE for the last access point. It's currently hidden behind a sofa as that's the only place with power

POE cable in the loft space means I can ceiling mount it.

[donkmeister]

megaphone said:

duff-man said:

The UniFi Ac-Pro has two ethernet ports but you would need a power injector for the downlink access point.

Never understood why the Pros don't have PoE passthrough, stringing three or four or even five on a single run would be advantageous in many instances.

It would be handy, but in a pro environment they would more often than not have a cable back to the cabinet for each AP. I bet there is a Unifi PoE powered small switch with passthrough that they'll sell you instead

[megaphone]

donkmeister said:

megaphone said:

duff-man said:

The UniFi Ac-Pro has two ethernet ports but you would need a power injector for the downlink access point.

Never understood why the Pros don't have PoE passthrough, stringing three or four or even five on a single run would be advantageous in many instances.

It would be handy, but in a pro environment they would more often than not have a cable back to the cabinet for each AP. I bet there is a Unifi PoE powered small switch with passthrough that they'll sell you instead