Want to move away from Asus routers, Ubiquiti? advice needed

[Jbennett360]

You perhaps know, but Custom is also available with 1dBm step per radio. May help with fine tuning for someone with OCD.

Ooo, no I didn't know actually! That's good to know.

I'll leave it for the time being with low and high. I can't put myself through anymore 'tinkering'... Yet! Haha

 

[Tech9]

Don't have this in AP settings?

Perhaps need to do this first in System, General?

 

[Jbennett360]

Don't have this in AP settings?

View attachment 66375

Perhaps need to do this first in System, General?

View attachment 66374

Thanks for pointing that out. I don't think I have professional installer ticked, so that's, probably why.

Something to play with at some point!

 

[tgl]

Don't have this in AP settings?

View attachment 66375

Perhaps need to do this first in System, General?

View attachment 66374

Don't think so ... I don't have "Professional Installer" set, but I have access to custom Tx power settings.

In older versions of the UniFi Network app, the Tx power options were presented in a drop-down menu where the Custom option was typically below the visible part of the menu, and it was not too obvious (perhaps by design?) that you had to scroll down to see that option. Maybe the OP is still running one of those releases?

 

[BooBox]

I will have a look, thanks. That last one looks a bit of a beast!

Look into setting up and configuring a wired Network in your house. Spending time, money and effort on buying and configuring a new router for better Wi-Fi is kind of silly since doing all that when you could just run a wire from point a to point b. Sometimes it's literally as simple as drilling a hole but there are lots of ways to make it look prettier or more professional. There was just usually take more time, effort or money. Wi-Fi should be used for portable things because that's what it was designed to be used for. If you have a desktop or laptop, you're not moving very often. It should not be using Wi-Fi and that is doubly true for device Trying to use a real-time application like zoom.

Also, have you looked into other things like if it's your router at all and not your internet connection. The thing that comes to mind is t3 timeout errors with cable modems when you have internet service provider like Cox or Comcast. Or have you looked into the Wi-Fi signal itself and see if it's going up and down or if it's a band congestion issue? Like if there's a lot of Wi-Fi networks in your area. But all these are reasons you should be using a wired connection anyway. It is cheaper, faster and better and I can't think of any downfalls except having to set it all up initially. Once it's set up it should be almost flawless with no maintenance. You don't want to get into the habit of buying a new router every time you have a problem. That is kind of like throwing money at an issue because you don't feel like learning about it. If you're not learning, you're dying or already dead.

 

[mromero]

I have the Pro sat on a stand that roughly 4 foot high, no metal mounting backplate.

Sitting on shelf with dome pointed up towards ceiling?

 

[Tech9]

Most ceiling mount type APs will work just fine on a shelf. Many models have low dBi antennas with almost omnidirectional radiation pattern. Not ideal placement, but acceptable when no other option is available.

 

[Jbennett360]

Sitting on shelf with dome pointed up towards ceiling?

Yep

 

[tgl]

I don't buy the idea that ceiling-mount APs are omnidirectional. Yeah, most models do pretty well at spreading the signal in front of them (dome side), but they are not made to serve clients behind them. Clients at exactly 90 degrees may or may not do okay. So if you can't actually put the thing on the ceiling, I'd recommend either

• put it on a high shelf, dome side down
• mount it on a wall, facing out into the room(s) to be served

I've done both things with reasonable success.

But don't take my word for it. You can find UniFi AP antenna radiation patterns here. (I'd recommend scrolling down to the "Model Summary Plots"; for me, at least, those convey much more info than the "Comparison Table".) Depending on which band you look at, the U6 Pro is as much as 15dB worse out the back than the front.

 

[Tech9]

but they are not made to serve clients behind them

Now you know why the mounting plate is made of metal. It's the shield behind the AP making it more directional. The low dBi antennas inside make the same doughnut around the AP like home routers with similar dBi antennas. I agree the intended placement and use is best case scenario, but sometimes not possible in home setup.

 

[tgl]

Now you know why the mounting plate is made of metal. It's the shield behind the AP making it more directional.

Perhaps, but I wouldn't recommend omitting the mounting plate in hopes of getting something closer to omnidirectional service. The mounting plate is also an important part of the thermal design of UniFi APs: it helps radiate away heat. They run hot enough anyway, you don't want to make that worse.

 

[Tech9]

The mounting plate is also an important part of the thermal design of UniFi APs

It's a shield behind the plastic casing and doesn't touch any metal parts for heat transfer purposes.

https://cdn.ecomm.ui.com/products/8e88b222-7a55-4cf0-8677-ae9b6347fe84/2aa522c8-bc0f-41f5-804a-81be4f011139.mp4

 

[tgl]

Shrug ... it gets pretty darn warm on mine.

 

[Tech9]

My U6-Mesh APs work at >50C surface temperature.

 

[Jbennett360]

I don't buy the idea that ceiling-mount APs are omnidirectional. Yeah, most models do pretty well at spreading the signal in front of them (dome side), but they are not made to serve clients behind them. Clients at exactly 90 degrees may or may not do okay. So if you can't actually put the thing on the ceiling, I'd recommend either

• put it on a high shelf, dome side down
• mount it on a wall, facing out into the room(s) to be served

I've done both things with reasonable success.

But don't take my word for it. You can find UniFi AP antenna radiation patterns here. (I'd recommend scrolling down to the "Model Summary Plots"; for me, at least, those convey much more info than the "Comparison Table".) Depending on which band you look at, the U6 Pro is as much as 15dB worse out the back than the front.

I mean, mine are pretty much in the same place I had my Asus router and my Asus AP and the signal seems to be pretty much the same, and In some cases, a little better.

That's with them both sat, dome up. Roughly 3 or 4 feet off the floor.