WiFi - Mesh vs. traditional APs
Discussion
I'm considering switching my home network stuff to Ubiquiti and am struggling a bit with the WiFi stuff. I work in IT but not really in networks/comms so my knowledge falls a bit short here.
Currently I have a TP-Link mesh wifi system (connected via Ethernet) which works OK but needs rebooting now and then. I bought that because our house is quite old, built mostly of granite and has been extended a couple of times, we also have a garden room so having the Mesh system means we get coverage everywhere and stuff hands off to different APs when moving around the property.
The question really is, if I was to use APs instead of mesh, am I right in thinking they don't hand-off devices between them like mesh does, i.e. a device will only change AP if it loses connection to the original one entirely? That was how I understood the difference between "normal" wifi and mesh but that may be oversimplifying things, also could no longer hold true I guess, or maybe Ubiquiti have some clever stuff that gets around that - no idea.
Currently I have a TP-Link mesh wifi system (connected via Ethernet) which works OK but needs rebooting now and then. I bought that because our house is quite old, built mostly of granite and has been extended a couple of times, we also have a garden room so having the Mesh system means we get coverage everywhere and stuff hands off to different APs when moving around the property.
The question really is, if I was to use APs instead of mesh, am I right in thinking they don't hand-off devices between them like mesh does, i.e. a device will only change AP if it loses connection to the original one entirely? That was how I understood the difference between "normal" wifi and mesh but that may be oversimplifying things, also could no longer hold true I guess, or maybe Ubiquiti have some clever stuff that gets around that - no idea.
8bit said:
The question really is, if I was to use APs instead of mesh, am I right in thinking they don't hand-off devices between them like mesh does., i.e. a device will only change AP if it loses connection to the original one entirely?
That's basically correct... It's a Wifi network, not a cellular network or mesh.I'm not familiar with the Ubiquiti stuff but it could be that they effectively present a mesh network. As for your existing system, are there any updates or patches available which could cure the problems you're having?
FWIW - I use Netgear Orbi and it has been as stable as a very stable thing for many years.
M
Devices typically control when they hand off, so the trick is in making sure your coverage is as even as possible.
Ubiquiti have (had perhaps) patchy history with "mesh". They had something called ZHO (zero hand off) which was meant to alleviate hand off ills to other APs in non-mesh mode... But it didn't work well.
I have a number of APs hard wired back to a switch. And have tuned the radio signals to get even coverage that "encourages" devices to hand off seamlessly enough (all APs run the same SSID and password).
This has taken a bunch of buggering about and, quite possibly, more APs than is ideal. But it works. (Very old house, very radio unfriendly).
Btw, any radio interlinked system will have speed compromises. That's less of an issue these days with the base speeds possible, but a consideration.
Ubiquiti have (had perhaps) patchy history with "mesh". They had something called ZHO (zero hand off) which was meant to alleviate hand off ills to other APs in non-mesh mode... But it didn't work well.
I have a number of APs hard wired back to a switch. And have tuned the radio signals to get even coverage that "encourages" devices to hand off seamlessly enough (all APs run the same SSID and password).
This has taken a bunch of buggering about and, quite possibly, more APs than is ideal. But it works. (Very old house, very radio unfriendly).
Btw, any radio interlinked system will have speed compromises. That's less of an issue these days with the base speeds possible, but a consideration.
With UniFi stuf (and all other AP-based systems) you need to turn down the radios on the APs a lot further than you think and then increase them only if signals are patchy. If the signals are too strong, the clients will hang on to the wrong AP without roaming.
There are tricks with rssi values and things but essentially it’s all about running lots of APs at low power such that they don’t overlap much whilst also covering the whole house.
Not simple but kinda awesome when it works.
There are tricks with rssi values and things but essentially it’s all about running lots of APs at low power such that they don’t overlap much whilst also covering the whole house.
Not simple but kinda awesome when it works.
8bit said:
I'm considering switching my home network stuff to Ubiquiti and am struggling a bit with the WiFi stuff. I work in IT but not really in networks/comms so my knowledge falls a bit short here.
Currently I have a TP-Link mesh wifi system (connected via Ethernet) which works OK but needs rebooting now and then. I bought that because our house is quite old, built mostly of granite and has been extended a couple of times, we also have a garden room so having the Mesh system means we get coverage everywhere and stuff hands off to different APs when moving around the property.
The question really is, if I was to use APs instead of mesh, am I right in thinking they don't hand-off devices between them like mesh does, i.e. a device will only change AP if it loses connection to the original one entirely? That was how I understood the difference between "normal" wifi and mesh but that may be oversimplifying things, also could no longer hold true I guess, or maybe Ubiquiti have some clever stuff that gets around that - no idea.
The unifi APs do appear to operate as a mesh. Same SSIDs across all and the handover is pretty good.Currently I have a TP-Link mesh wifi system (connected via Ethernet) which works OK but needs rebooting now and then. I bought that because our house is quite old, built mostly of granite and has been extended a couple of times, we also have a garden room so having the Mesh system means we get coverage everywhere and stuff hands off to different APs when moving around the property.
The question really is, if I was to use APs instead of mesh, am I right in thinking they don't hand-off devices between them like mesh does, i.e. a device will only change AP if it loses connection to the original one entirely? That was how I understood the difference between "normal" wifi and mesh but that may be oversimplifying things, also could no longer hold true I guess, or maybe Ubiquiti have some clever stuff that gets around that - no idea.
You can go device to device with a wifi backhaul or, for better performance, go with a wired backhaul.
Currently have about 10 unfi wireless devices working this way, each running 3 SSIDs with different levels of access, and they've been extremely reliable over the 4 years or so they've been in. Have never found any need to tweak the settings.
Have been sufficiently impressed that I'm in the process of putting in a load more (will probably end up at 25+) at another property, and also adding a few of their cameras (which, having tested a couple also seem good).
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