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    AP Dying / Replacement Recommendations

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Wireless
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    • N
      NOYB
      last edited by

      Have a Netgear WNDR4500 running in AP mode for about 3 years or so.  For about the last year or so, after its been on for a while (not sure how long), it requires firmware recovery process when it is rebooted.  The configuration is retained though.

      So looks like a new AP is in the near future.  What dual band AP do you like?

      Thanks

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      • DerelictD
        Derelict LAYER 8 Netgate
        last edited by

        Budget?

        Any specific requirements?

        Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA
        A comprehensive network diagram is worth 10,000 words and 15 conference calls.
        DO NOT set a source address/port in a port forward or firewall rule unless you KNOW you need it!
        Do Not Chat For Help! NO_WAN_EGRESS(TM)

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        • N
          NOYB
          last edited by

          @Derelict:

          Budget?

          Any specific requirements?

          Something reasonable for typical home use.  Haven't set an upper $$$ limit but anything over $300 would most certainly be out of the question.  Doesn't mean $300 is acceptable, just that there would be no point in even looking at anything beyond (other than to daydream).  Probably not even that high.  At $300 it would have to be something really special with some feature I'd get some real good useful value from.

          Required features:
          Dual band
          2.4G (b/g/n)
          5G (a/n)
          WPA2-PSK [AES]

          MAC access restriction would be nice to have.  Never know when that could come in handy.  So far have never needed it.

          Don't need USB/ReadyShare and that sort of thing.  It is strictly WiFi access point.  Doesn't even need a bunch of Ethernet ports.  Okay to have them, just not needed.
          Does not need to have guest WiFi, okay to have, but not needed.  The WNDR4500 has guest, and these other features.  They are disabled, never used.

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          • P
            Paint
            last edited by

            If you want to go the enterprise route, while still being on a budget, ubiquiti APs would be a good investment.

            If you are looking to remain in the consumer market, look at the asus ac66u. You can get them on eBay or on sale for <$50 dollars, they are stable as can be (on ddwrt or stock FW), and support 1x2.4ghz and 1x5ghz network

            pfSense i5-4590
            940/880 mbit Fiber Internet from FiOS
            BROCADE ICX6450 48Port L3-Managed Switch w/4x 10GB ports
            Netgear R8000 AP (DD-WRT)

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            • P
              Paint
              last edited by

              @NOYB:

              @Derelict:

              Budget?

              Any specific requirements?

              Something reasonable for typical home use.  Haven't set an upper $$$ limit but anything over $300 would most certainly be out of the question.  Doesn't mean $300 is acceptable, just that there would be no point in even looking at anything beyond (other than to daydream).  Probably not even that high.  At $300 it would have to be something really special with some feature I'd get some real good useful value from.

              Required features:
              Dual band
              2.4G (b/g/n)
              5G (a/n)
              WPA2-PSK [AES]

              MAC access restriction would be nice to have.  Never know when that could come in handy.  So far have never needed it.

              Don't need USB/ReadyShare and that sort of thing.  It is strictly WiFi access point.  Doesn't even need a bunch of Ethernet ports.  Okay to have them, just not needed.
              Does not need to have guest WiFi, okay to have, but not needed.  The WNDR4500 has guest, and these other features.  They are disabled, never used.

              you dont need to spend anywhere close to $300 dollars for an AP, IMO. I think you should go the ubiquiti route. If you ever need to add additional wireless coverage, the ubiquiti units allow seamless wireless handover (something I wish I had with my two APs).

              pfSense i5-4590
              940/880 mbit Fiber Internet from FiOS
              BROCADE ICX6450 48Port L3-Managed Switch w/4x 10GB ports
              Netgear R8000 AP (DD-WRT)

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              • dennypageD
                dennypage
                last edited by

                I've been happy with the Ubiquiti AC Pro. $150 retail, a little less from Amazon. Recommend by a lot of folk here.

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                • N
                  NOYB
                  last edited by

                  @dennypage:

                  I've been happy with the Ubiquiti AC Pro. $150 retail, a little less from Amazon. Recommend by a lot of folk here.

                  Yup, those caught my eye when perusing Newegg earlier.  Ubiquity AC Pro

                  Newegg lists two of them with the same model number "UAP-AC-PRO" but different item number and a few different specs.  I take the specs differences on a retail site with grain of salt though.  Some times they just are not complete or accurate for one or the other models.

                  Which one do you have?  They both look promising.

                  Update: Oh wait, one of those is not sold by Newegg.  Maybe they are the same.  Hate it when they do that.

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                  • P
                    Paint
                    last edited by

                    @NOYB:

                    @dennypage:

                    I've been happy with the Ubiquiti AC Pro. $150 retail, a little less from Amazon. Recommend by a lot of folk here.

                    Yup, those caught my eye when perusing Newegg earlier.  Ubiquity AC Pro

                    Newegg lists two of them with the same model number "UAP-AC-PRO" but different item number and a few different specs.  I take the specs differences on a retail site with grain of salt though.  Some times they just are not complete or accurate for one or the other models.

                    Which one do you have?  They both look promising.

                    The UAP-AC-PRO is the one FTW

                    Cheapest price I can find is from this store for $129.99: https://shop.unifyingsolution.com/collections/unifi-enterprise-wifi

                    Model Comparison: https://shop.unifyingsolution.com/collections/unifi-enterprise-wifi/products/uap-ac-pro?variant=7943502595

                    pfSense i5-4590
                    940/880 mbit Fiber Internet from FiOS
                    BROCADE ICX6450 48Port L3-Managed Switch w/4x 10GB ports
                    Netgear R8000 AP (DD-WRT)

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                    • dennypageD
                      dennypage
                      last edited by

                      To my knowledge, there are two SKUs for the UAP-AC-PRO, one which is a single unit and comes with a poe injector, and one which is a five pack of units without injector.

                      This is Ubiquiti's direct sale link: https://store.ubnt.com/unifi/unifi-ac-pro.html

                      And this is the Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Networks-802-11ac-Dual-Radio-UAP-AC-PRO-US/dp/B015PRO512/

                      I bought my first unit direct and my second unit via Amazon.

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                      • johnpozJ
                        johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                        last edited by

                        I would also suggest go with unifi, if you are budget issues they also sell the lite model for retail $89 of the new ac gen..  2x2 and no 2nd ethernet..

                        I run all 3 models, I have lite in the guest room on 1 side of the house, pro in the center and lr in kitchen near patio door to better cover the outdoor patio..

                        An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
                        If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
                        Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
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                        • G
                          GeekBoyMN
                          last edited by

                          I looked on Craigslist and ended up with 2 Cisco APs for $15 and so far the one I'm using is working flawlessly. PoE or AC adapter.

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                          • johnpozJ
                            johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                            last edited by

                            what ciscos AP did you get for $15??

                            An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
                            If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
                            Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
                            SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.7.2, 24.11

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                            • G
                              GeekBoyMN
                              last edited by

                              WAP4410N V02

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                              • johnpozJ
                                johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                                last edited by

                                So you have no AC devices or don't care to run on 5ghz?  Those are quite old they don't even do 5ghz.. They are single band not really going to what I would call fast wifi ;)

                                An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
                                If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
                                Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
                                SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.7.2, 24.11

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                                • G
                                  GeekBoyMN
                                  last edited by

                                  None of my devices are ac, only n. My laptop might be 5Ghz capable but I never run it on WiFi at home since it usually sits within 5ft of a gigabit switch. 72Mbps is plenty for my phone just to check email, watch an occasional video etc when I don't have my PC turned on. Also, very tight budget. PC upgrades are much more important.

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                                  • johnpozJ
                                    johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                                    last edited by

                                    72Mbps would be PHY so /2 that real world number.. If your on say 20mbps internet or something guess works..

                                    An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
                                    If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
                                    Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
                                    SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.7.2, 24.11

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