Navigation

    Netgate Discussion Forum
    • Register
    • Login
    • Search
    • Categories
    • Recent
    • Tags
    • Popular
    • Users
    • Search

    Under $200 wifi solution

    Hardware
    4
    9
    1307
    Loading More Posts
    • Oldest to Newest
    • Newest to Oldest
    • Most Votes
    Reply
    • Reply as topic
    Log in to reply
    This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
    • K
      kapara last edited by

      Need to make an under $250 Access Point using pfsense.  Preferably can be powered over POE.

      Have a device that requires an NTP server.  If the power goes out but internet does not come back I need the NTP server to be able to provide NTP services.  This will be sitting behind the customer router.

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • P
        pfBasic Banned last edited by

        Ubiquiti AP

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • K
          kapara last edited by

          No built in NTP server in Ubiquiti AP.

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • P
            pfBasic Banned last edited by

            I'm sorry I misread your post.

            idk of an AP with a built in NTP server (but have also never looked).

            Possible alternatives though.

            Ubiquiti AP AC Lite ~$80

            Pure Sine Wave UPS ~$120

            I know it isn't what you asked for specifically, but it is a <$200 wifi solution that solves the problem of power outages.

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • johnpoz
              johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator last edited by

              There is no AP that I am aware that would provide NTP services.. Not sure what that has to do with AP..

              To your AP question - Yes Unifi would be the way to go, the current line of AC models retail for $89 lite, and up to $130 for the PRO model.. all of which are POE.

              As to your NTP server..  You could setup anything to be a ntp server on the customer network, I run a stratum 1 ntp server on raspberry pi.. Simple add a gps board to it, away you go.. approx 100$ (pi, gps, antenna, etc)  Cheaper option would be just to add a gps/pps source to pfsense so it doesn't need internet to be accurate ntp server.. There are also many a ntp appliance you can buy…

              Say for example
              https://www.meinbergglobal.com/english/products/compact-ntp-server.htm

              But that prob blow your budget.. Search raspberry pi ntp server and you will find tons of info.. Here is the article that got me building mine
              http://www.satsignal.eu/ntp/Raspberry-Pi-NTP.html

              
              pi@pi3-ntp:~ $ ntpq
              ntpq> pe
                   remote           refid      st t when poll reach   delay   offset  jitter
              ==============================================================================
              oPPS(0)          .PPS.            0 l    7   16  377    0.000    0.001   0.003
              *navobs1.wustl.e .GPS.            1 u   54   64  377   17.068    2.551   0.477
              +ntp.your.org    .CDMA.           1 u   31   64  365   11.492    2.446   1.470
              ntpq> 
              
              

              Your cheapest easy option would be to just get a serial gps for pfsense to use as source..  I for sure would of went that route - but I run my pfsense as VM ;)


              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • L
                lra last edited by

                @johnpoz:

                As to your NTP server..  You could setup anything to be a ntp server on the customer network, I run a stratum 1 ntp server on raspberry pi.. Simple add a gps board to it, away you go.. approx 100$ (pi, gps, antenna, etc)  Cheaper option would be just to add a gps/pps source to pfsense so it doesn't need internet to be accurate ntp server.. There are also many a ntp appliance you can buy…

                Say for example
                https://www.meinbergglobal.com/english/products/compact-ntp-server.htm

                But that prob blow your budget.. Search raspberry pi ntp server and you will find tons of info.. Here is the article that got me building mine
                http://www.satsignal.eu/ntp/Raspberry-Pi-NTP.html

                If you prefer a pre-built GPS NTP server, I own this unit:

                GPS NTP Network Time Server (TM1000A) for $300 USD
                https://www.css-timemachines.com/product/gps-time-server-tm1000a/

                Nothing fancy, but works nicely.

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • K
                  kapara last edited by

                  The idea is to use pfsense as the router/AP and NTP with gps serial adapter.

                  I have set up a apu 4 years ago as a wireless router but much has changed since then.  Yes budget is key!

                  Option 1:  (1 part) Pfsense W/serial gps, wifi card.  Needs to be custom hardware.  Possibly apu2 but looking for alternatives.  These things will be remote so reliability is key!

                  Option 2: (can be pfsense hardware but requires 3 parts) pfsense w/ cellular card and AP like openmesh or ubiquiti.  Nice thing is openmesh includes free cloud manager and has option for white label.  Cell can provide backup NTP but at an additional monthly cost.

                  These solutions are not for me but to be deployed to other customer locations.

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • P
                    pfBasic Banned last edited by

                    What about option 3?

                    UPS
                        >Modem
                              >PfSense
                                  >Serial GPS
                                  >WAP

                    Everything is backed up on the UPS, so only long power outages will bring down the system (potentially very long depending on the UPS you employ).

                    PfSense is your stratum 1 NTP server, and you aren't limiting yourself to box-based wifi (bad) or cellular backup data fees.

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • K
                      kapara last edited by

                      The solution needs to be a single device.  This is potentially getting deployed in very small environments.  Possibly even homes so it needs to be a simple solution in which someone can just plug it in and it works.  No complicated Sergio and multiple devices.

                      Ex. Run Ethernet to Poe injector to device done.

                      The enterprise solution has a more complex setup but we also deploy the solution as it is fully managed.

                      Must be a single device so non-it can connect it to the home router or directly to their internet connection.

                      The enterprise solution works with pfsense as we deploy enterprise AP's that can handle 500+ devices per Ap and require Poe switches and fiber but the small solution must be a single take it out and plug it in.  Looking at Mikrotik for this small solution.  So far it can do wifi, 4G, POE power, just not sure about gps NTP server.

                      Waiting to

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • First post
                        Last post

                      Products

                      • Platform Overview
                      • TNSR
                      • pfSense Plus
                      • Appliances

                      Services

                      • Training
                      • Professional Services

                      Support

                      • Subscription Plans
                      • Contact Support
                      • Product Lifecycle
                      • Documentation

                      News

                      • Media Coverage
                      • Press
                      • Events

                      Resources

                      • Blog
                      • FAQ
                      • Find a Partner
                      • Resource Library
                      • Security Information

                      Company

                      • About Us
                      • Careers
                      • Partners
                      • Contact Us
                      • Legal
                      Our Mission

                      We provide leading-edge network security at a fair price - regardless of organizational size or network sophistication. We believe that an open-source security model offers disruptive pricing along with the agility required to quickly address emerging threats.

                      Subscribe to our Newsletter

                      Product information, software announcements, and special offers. See our newsletter archive to sign up for future newsletters and to read past announcements.

                      © 2021 Rubicon Communications, LLC | Privacy Policy