So I have been doing a lot of reading and trying to research everything on the site to help narrow down my decision. This site is truly great and has helped me a lot already. The reviews by Thiggins are awesome!
First let me tell my current needs are and what my future needs will be so you can better understand my goals.
ATT Fiber 1G internet up and down (Modem is a Pace 5268AC (Was in pass through mode, no true bridge mode)
Current home is a 1725 sq-ft house pretty open concept single floor, modem is in the front office (Front corner of the home) router will also be there as well.
Currently on the network is
3 apple Iphones
3 laptops
2 apple smart watches
1 Ipad
2 ps4 1 wired (1 wifi)
1 smart TV
1 smart dvd player
1 Printer
I had two Air Port extremes and they provided great coverage and speed when the were new. But they are always dropping signal or not connecting or need to be restarted so I disconnected them all together. So I turned the wifi back on the Pace 5268AC and well it just isn’t very good speeds suck.
Future needs will be all of the above except in a larger home 2200sq-ft with more of a ranch design. It will be a full gut renovation and will have Cat 6 wire drops anywhere and everywhere I want.
As well as the stuff above I can see adding serval smart home additions ie. (lighting, exterior cameras, locks, etc, etc. )
So now that you know what I have and my needs, let me tell you what I am not.
I’m not a networking guy. I have dabbled with setting up routers, plug in play, changing ssid names and passwords, bridge mode, and some small other things. But 97% of the stuff I read on here is Greek to me. I don’t mind reading and getting to know my system and learning but I don’t want to be a network guy. (SO I want a system that works well with an easy amount of true networking knowledge, doesn’t have to be plug and play but not complicated where customer support or someone on here can’t walk me through a step I get hung up on)
So my current thinking (until y’all tell me I’m wrong ) is
For my current home go with a Unifi Dream Machine. I only have the one PS4 and printer wired currently. I think it would work for my current needs and be a step up from the Apple Airports and 100% better than the Pace 5268AC on the wireless side. My current home is in a subdivision and they are close together so wireless channels I’m sure are being used all around me so sticking to 1 unit I think is best, by what I have read on here?
The second reason to go with the dream machine is when I move into the new home (with in the next year) I want to add more connected items. So I can upgrade the system with a Switch and access points as I think I will need at least 2 points of access for the new home by the way its laid out. This home will be on 5 acres and the closest house is 200’ away. The internet will also change to Comcast 1g supplied on coaxial cable, ATT fiber isn’t available
Add maybe a
Switch USW-Pro-24-POE Gen 2
Unfi Ap HD (will I need two? See questions below)
Unfi cameras
Questions if I go this route,
1) Can I still use the Dream machine as an access point when adding the switch and other AP ?
2) Are the ethernet ports still usable on the dream machine when adding the switch?
My questions is I guess would I just be better off doing a Orbi RBK50 Mesh system with the simplicity.
Doing a wired back haul isn’t a problem as stated above, I can run cat6 as needed.
So would a different mesh system that supports wired back be better and easier (I don’t think the Orbi has wired backhaul)?
Something like a Netgear R7800 with a 2nd unit for another access point.
Or The new Unfi Alien Kit when it comes back in stock which would also give me Wifi Ax (which I don’t think I need or really want right now until its all been out for a while and the bugs worked out of it) So is there an advantage to it?
Well this post turned out a lot longer so I think I will leave it here for now.
Thank you in advance for your help!
First let me tell my current needs are and what my future needs will be so you can better understand my goals.
ATT Fiber 1G internet up and down (Modem is a Pace 5268AC (Was in pass through mode, no true bridge mode)
Current home is a 1725 sq-ft house pretty open concept single floor, modem is in the front office (Front corner of the home) router will also be there as well.
Currently on the network is
3 apple Iphones
3 laptops
2 apple smart watches
1 Ipad
2 ps4 1 wired (1 wifi)
1 smart TV
1 smart dvd player
1 Printer
I had two Air Port extremes and they provided great coverage and speed when the were new. But they are always dropping signal or not connecting or need to be restarted so I disconnected them all together. So I turned the wifi back on the Pace 5268AC and well it just isn’t very good speeds suck.
Future needs will be all of the above except in a larger home 2200sq-ft with more of a ranch design. It will be a full gut renovation and will have Cat 6 wire drops anywhere and everywhere I want.
As well as the stuff above I can see adding serval smart home additions ie. (lighting, exterior cameras, locks, etc, etc. )
So now that you know what I have and my needs, let me tell you what I am not.
I’m not a networking guy. I have dabbled with setting up routers, plug in play, changing ssid names and passwords, bridge mode, and some small other things. But 97% of the stuff I read on here is Greek to me. I don’t mind reading and getting to know my system and learning but I don’t want to be a network guy. (SO I want a system that works well with an easy amount of true networking knowledge, doesn’t have to be plug and play but not complicated where customer support or someone on here can’t walk me through a step I get hung up on)
So my current thinking (until y’all tell me I’m wrong ) is
For my current home go with a Unifi Dream Machine. I only have the one PS4 and printer wired currently. I think it would work for my current needs and be a step up from the Apple Airports and 100% better than the Pace 5268AC on the wireless side. My current home is in a subdivision and they are close together so wireless channels I’m sure are being used all around me so sticking to 1 unit I think is best, by what I have read on here?
The second reason to go with the dream machine is when I move into the new home (with in the next year) I want to add more connected items. So I can upgrade the system with a Switch and access points as I think I will need at least 2 points of access for the new home by the way its laid out. This home will be on 5 acres and the closest house is 200’ away. The internet will also change to Comcast 1g supplied on coaxial cable, ATT fiber isn’t available
Add maybe a
Switch USW-Pro-24-POE Gen 2
Unfi Ap HD (will I need two? See questions below)
Unfi cameras
Questions if I go this route,
1) Can I still use the Dream machine as an access point when adding the switch and other AP ?
2) Are the ethernet ports still usable on the dream machine when adding the switch?
My questions is I guess would I just be better off doing a Orbi RBK50 Mesh system with the simplicity.
Doing a wired back haul isn’t a problem as stated above, I can run cat6 as needed.
So would a different mesh system that supports wired back be better and easier (I don’t think the Orbi has wired backhaul)?
Something like a Netgear R7800 with a 2nd unit for another access point.
Or The new Unfi Alien Kit when it comes back in stock which would also give me Wifi Ax (which I don’t think I need or really want right now until its all been out for a while and the bugs worked out of it) So is there an advantage to it?
Well this post turned out a lot longer so I think I will leave it here for now.
Thank you in advance for your help!