Looking for a good AP/Router to use in a comprehensive Wireless setup

[brodes18]

I have a large house that needs to be setup with Wireless access in every part of it. There are 5 floors including 2 basements. I know that I will need at least 3 Access points. I also want to do Wireless N. All the AP's/Routers can be wired directly into the network except for one witch will have to connect to the network wirelessly. Ideally, I would use AP's since I don't need a router or switch. However, I can't find an Wireless N AP with good reviews and may have to settle with routers. Additionally, is a WDS system a good idea? Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[tipstir]

I have a large house that needs to be setup with Wireless access in every part of it. There are 5 floors including 2 basements. I know that I will need at least 3 Access points. I also want to do Wireless N. All the AP's/Routers can be wired directly into the network except for one witch will have to connect to the network wirelessly. Ideally, I would use AP's since I don't need a router or switch. However, I can't find an Wireless N AP with good reviews and may have to settle with routers. Additionally, is a WDS system a good idea? Any help is greatly appreciated.

You to start off with wireless router, then use either WDS WCB (wireless client bridge) which you can connect any wireless access point to it to make it 100% wireless. Of course you'll need both in pairs on each floor. Works quite well. Or use WDS but there are trade offs with it system. You could run LAN cable down to each floor but not through the walls you can run it out of the rear of the house over the roof and down. Then again you'll can't exceed 300 feet. So Best to use WDS or Wireless Client Bridge would also allow you to attached wired devices into it to make it wireless, think of it as a wireless drop in any location you want.

The way I would do that...

In the Basement you'll have Wireless Router and Cable Modem. Where ever the Cable coax comes into the main part of the house is where you make the main connection with the router. On the next floor you would run a wired LAN cable from the router to Wireless Access Point this would be your primary Wireless Access Point beacon for all the rest of the WDS or Wireless Client Bridges in your building there.

 

[thiggins]

Most consumer wireless comes as routers. But you can easily convert them to APs.

Use WDS sparingly. Each WDS "hop" will cut the throughput delivered to an attached client by more than half.

 

[tipstir]

Better to use Wireless Client Bridge Drop than connect wire to Wireless Access Point then. I ran some test and works great. WDS like Tim said throughput is reduce.

 

[Danny]

You might take a look at the D-Link DAP-2590. It is a business-class wireless access point for about $330. I don't have direct experience with this one, but I have generally been pleased with D-Link products. I like the fact that it can be powered via PoE. It does not come with a PoE injector from what I can tell. I don't like that it only has a one-year warranty, though. If you have a large enough budget, you might want to buy a small switch that supplies PoE to your APs.

Newegg also carries the D-Link DWL-3200AP for $160. I've seen it for anywhere from $130-$199. It has only 802.11g but it also comes with a PoE injector. Business-class APs from D-Link can be centrally managed when you deploy more than one.

If you're willing to drop the requirement for 802.11n, you'll be able to select more mature products that might give you fewer headaches in the long run. I'd rather build a g network using high-quality components, rather than a n network with cheaper consumer-grade components.

 

[brodes18]

Thanks for all of your help thus far. I should clarify:

There are Ethernet jacks on all of the floors except one of the Basements. I guess I could convert routers, but was wondering which one is best for this. I can use WCB on the Basement that has no Ethernet jack.

Also, is there any way for a client to seamlessly switch from one AP/router to another?