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Author Topic: Wireless Upgrade Needed (wanted)  (Read 6955 times)

aesmith

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Wireless Upgrade Needed (wanted)
« on: December 27, 2025, 09:04:20 AM »
Hi,
I keep meaning to look for an improved wireless system for the house. Currently it's served by two APs. Initially just the built in wireless on the main router a Mikrotik RB4011, now supplemented by a retired Mikrotik "Hap ac" stripped down to just act as an AP.

There's some very slight flakiness that I can't quite put my finger on, and the speed isn't that great.

What do people suggest as decent wireless gear nowadays, low cost if possible but not rubbish?  I was thinking maybe Ubiquiti. Or maybe Mikrotik has moved on.
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meritez

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Re: Wireless Upgrade Needed (wanted)
« Reply #1 on: December 28, 2025, 06:38:07 PM »
Do you mean the original hAP ac?

Tik made a few interesting design choices, there wasn't full WiFi Wave 2 mimo support until the hAP ac3.
hAP ac2 hardware supported it, as proven by Openwrt but mikrotik claimed there wasn't enough nand for the drivers on stock firmware.

So your first bottleneck is the hAP ac.

Zyxel NWA50AX is worth looking at if you want wall or ceiling mounted aps.
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aesmith

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Re: Wireless Upgrade Needed (wanted)
« Reply #2 on: December 28, 2025, 07:23:42 PM »
Quote from: meritez on December 28, 2025, 06:38:07 PM
Do you mean the original hAP ac?

Yes, not ac2 which had just come when I bought it and which i thought unsuitable for some reason I can't recall. The model I have is RB962UiGS-5HacT2HnT.  The other AP is the core router RB4011iGS+5HacQ2HnD.
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perlen

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Re: Wireless Upgrade Needed (wanted)
« Reply #3 on: December 28, 2025, 09:17:54 PM »
Thanks meritez for the tip re. Zyxel NWA50AX... I have just ordered one as I see it supports openwrt, which I will install when it arrives tomorrow  :)

Only £60 which is nice:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09925PHCZ
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meritez

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Re: Wireless Upgrade Needed (wanted)
« Reply #4 on: December 28, 2025, 10:33:29 PM »
Openwrt is complete overkill for the NWA50AX as it then supports 2 Gbps WAN/LAN throughput  :cool:
https://forum.openwrt.org/t/2-gbps-wan-lan-nat-routing-on-ramips-mt7621-devices/131478

The used version of the NWA50AX keeps tempting me, but I have 6 x Zyxel wsm20 that I need to find a home for and they are almost identical just with more ports.
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meritez

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Re: Wireless Upgrade Needed (wanted)
« Reply #5 on: December 28, 2025, 10:38:22 PM »
Quote from: aesmith on December 28, 2025, 07:23:42 PM
Yes, not ac2 which had just come when I bought it and which i thought unsuitable for some reason I can't recall. The model I have is RB962UiGS-5HacT2HnT.  The other AP is the core router RB4011iGS+5HacQ2HnD.

Okay, so the rb4011 supports wave 2 mimo with the newer WiFi drivers that mikrotik offers, but the rb962 isn't compatible.
So you can keep the rb4011 as the router or look at a full upgrade.
Tik are currently showing off WiFi 7 devices but what do you need.
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