Where are the Access Point reviews?

[majnu]

Hi

I need to purchase an Access Point into a loft conversion. I have cat6a cables routed to the room but need an AP as wireless coverage does not extend at all into the third story.

I cannot find a sub section for AP's, you only have routers so where are they please? Additionally would I just be better of purchasing a router like the Netgear R7000 or do AP's have better coverage and high attenuation?

 

[System Error Message]

If you're increasing wifi coverage than using a powerful AP like ubiquiti's outdoor AP isnt going to help because of client transmit limitations however their indoor APs can be powered through POE. There are many reviews on APs but they are only in the forums so you may have to search.
Cisco, Ruckus, Ubiquiti, mikrotik all make APs just dont use the max transmit power as a benchmark because the maximum a consumer wifi client can do is 500mw while many do 100mw and mobiles around 50mw. This isnt a constant but its from what has been revealed from technical specs. Im just giving you an idea of their transmit powers so you can plan your network better for coverages.

When it comes to wifi other than some features both consumer and enterprise are in the same boat for range, performance and stability because of the laws of physics so they differ by antenna, radio chip quality and their wifi design. Ruckus for example design theirs for density rather than range. So before you buy an AP or wifi router to use as an AP take a look at the wifi chip used and the antennas provided or which you can use with it. If you need specific features it significantly narrows the list. POE in is very helpful if you have multiple APs since you dont need those bulky plugs.

You also get the odd models from consumer brands that are APs with an ethernet port or 2 and POE in. Not many consumers consider APs because most homes have 1 wifi router + modem or a single all in one box for their home and they often have extra left over wifi routers to use as an AP.

The netgear R7000 has good hardware and some linksys WRT1900AC versions have good harwdare too. ASUS may not have the best hardware but their firmware tends to be better and netgear R7000 supports a fork of RMerlin firmware however do look at APs as well.

 

[stevech]

many recent WiFi 'routers' have a configuration option to morph into a client bridge, an Access Point, and other roles.
I think this is a good way to go, so the hardware investment is more general and the product is flexible for future network changes.

I have ASUS products with the above capabilities.


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PS: the 100mW and up claims are usually only for the lowest modulation modes, esp. non-OFDM. Due to the peak-to-average ratio and the high cost of a power amplifier than stay highly linear (and thus preserve transmitted waveform quality/Rho) at the higher OFDM rates.
In other words... there's fine print on power. Most chipsets can't do more than 30-50mW at the higher modulation orders. A power amp for 500mW at the higher modulation orders is quite expensive.

 

[thiggins]

There is no dedicated section for access point reviews. But there is a Chart for them to make reviews easier to find.

Any router can be converted into an Access Point

 

[System Error Message]

i think he knows that any wifi router can be converted into an AP. Hes basically talking about reviews on dedicated APs which i think there are a few on SNB review pages but not many. Consumer wifi routers do not take POE while dedicated APs even a tp-link AP will accept POE as a power source.

 

[CaptainSTX]

Consumer wifi routers do not take POE while dedicated APs even a tp-link AP will accept POE as a power source.

You can buy for less than $5.oo adapters that will let you inject and break out power for non POE devices. In many cases this will allow you to repurpose an SOHO router as an AP and power it using POE.

 

[stevech]

i think he knows that any wifi router can be converted into an AP. Hes basically talking about reviews on dedicated APs which i think there are a few on SNB review pages but not many. Consumer wifi routers do not take POE while dedicated APs even a tp-link AP will accept POE as a power source.

I wasn't clear... I meant WiFi products marked ROUTER on the box but which have easy to change modes to be a bridge or access point. Rather than a router-only product that a knowledgeable person can re-purpose.

PoE... there are 5V PoE inserters like the D-Link DWL-P50 and others, but the IR-drop can be an issue with 5V.

A dedicated AP is always the best, but they cost much more.