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Author Topic: Suggestions for dual band WAP  (Read 1198 times)

jelv

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Suggestions for dual band WAP
« on: March 06, 2019, 09:47:54 AM »

Using a spare ZyXEL router as a WAP has some issues and isn't dual band so I'm thinking of buying a proper WAP. All I need is a basic dual band and don't intend to spend that much.

So far I've found the Netgear WAC104 at about £60 from various sources.

Any suggestions?
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tiffy

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Re: Suggestions for dual band WAP
« Reply #1 on: March 06, 2019, 11:58:09 AM »

Just happened to notice this today from Screwfix, on a one day only offer:

TP-Link Dual Band Wi-Fi Extender

No idea if it will suit your requirements, just happened to get a mail shot after reading your post.
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Ronski

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Re: Suggestions for dual band WAP
« Reply #2 on: March 06, 2019, 01:26:45 PM »

I actually use one of those and have it set up as an extender via a wired connection, works perfectly for the room it's in and the one above.
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Weaver

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Re: Suggestions for dual band WAP
« Reply #3 on: March 07, 2019, 01:05:25 AM »

This is a hopeless non-suggestion, so apol in advance- I have been pondering the same thing for a while now.

I have several ZyXEL WAP NWA3560 but they are very old, but superb devices. Only 802.11N but four antennae MIMO, 300Mbps per radio if stations support sufficient MIMO, two totally independent radios which can either be 2.4 or 5GHz. PoE iirc. Multiple SSIDs, guest security is available, multiple MAC address security ACLs and L2 firewall ACLs, inter-client isolation and the devices can optionally be controllers for all others (in which role one becomes dedicated unfortunately and is no longer a WAP). They can be radius servers, can do traffic capture and a radio can be set up as a rogue network scanner. A config file can be downloaded/uploaded and edited with a text editor which makes it easier to make derived alternative configurations for other devices based on the first device.

The config is ‘object oriented’ in the sense that multiple named objects can be created and referenced many times, to help reuse and remove the need for repetitive entries. So for example a single MAC ACL or L2 firewall object or set of radio parameters can be created and used by several SSIDS and radios.

I love these so much, the problem is locating a worthy successor which will speak at least 802.11ac wave 2 with beamforming, advanced MU-MIMO and fast roaming and support for other roaming enhancement-related standards. Or even skip it and go straight to 802.11ax [!] when it matures - maybe wait for version x.01 x.1 or 2.0 - and when there’s any chance of clients’ support soon.

* So do I stick with ZyXEL - extremely tempted to do so after such a good experience. Lost with current ZyXEL top-end business WAPs.

* Ubiquiti would poss be good if they were to work with Apple iOS, and the past iOS roaming- and IPv6-related reported bugs are a showstopper unless they have now been fixed.

* Aruba: am interested but don’t know anything about them. The attraction of Aruba is that I could get support from my ISP, AA, on these devices and it’s then AA’s fault if anything at all goes wrong. (In fact it becomes AA’s fault even if anything goes wrong with my sex life.) I think Aruba prices are utterly terrifying but I’m not sure. Tested with iOS.

* TP-Link - I had some outdoor _5GHz-only_ WAPs which cost peanuts - £50-  had POE, v reliable sophisticated radio tweakability (a bit overwhelming, as not well documented, so advanced settings not very useable and a bit dangerous unless you are a low level radio link-layer protocol expert). Only single-radio per device. Not great MIMO, only150Mbps max. Not fantastic re other features. I used a pair of these devices for outside LAN-to-LAN line-of-sight links with one device set in client mode. This worked really well, but was a stupid choice by me as these devices are not directional, and they should have been. Because of the incredible prices and quality I think TP-Link are always worth a look at least, but I have no idea what they are doing nowadays.

* Cisco: gorgeous specs for 802.11ac wave 2, wonderful roaming and highly iOS-friendly thanks to inter-company development and testing. However my purchases of two WAPs was a disaster as I can’t find the software that I need and can’t get any support. Basically with Cisco you can forget it if you don’t go through a dealer and have a support contract, can’t even find out anything because they’re so inaccessible as their website is a nightmare fortress of corporate jargon and barriers.
« Last Edit: March 07, 2019, 01:52:32 AM by Weaver »
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