Finally upgraded my home wifi to something that works - managed wifi review

[revelations]

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UniFi is so much fun if you are a nerd. Otherwise the new mesh systems are pretty great.

Exactly, you have to geek out on their forums and such to find out things like best practices.

Once its set though, it wins.

[jwslam]

Anyone using one of these?

https://www.pcworld.com/article/3445...fi-review.html

[LilDrunkenSmurf]

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UniFi is so much fun if you are a nerd. Otherwise the new mesh systems are pretty great.

I keep going into the dashboard to play, but there's only so much I can do with a USG and some APs. I also mistakenly thought the USG could double as a controller, and didn't realize it was otherwise until after I had one.

- - - Updated - - -

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Anyone using one of these?

https://www.pcworld.com/article/3445...fi-review.html

I bought one when it was super cheap at Home Depot. It was awful for my purposes. It gave me almost no network control, and all changes had to be made through the app, so I couldn't configure it using a PC/laptop.

I was using the base as a cheapo smartthings hub, but I don't even know if it's working right now.

[killramos]

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I keep going into the dashboard to play, but there's only so much I can do with a USG and some APs. I also mistakenly thought the USG could double as a controller, and didn't realize it was otherwise until after I had one.

They are rectifying this with the UDM which is essentially a one stop shop.

The UDM Pro that is currently in early access looks awesome. Essentially it’s a much more powerful USG, Cloud Key, managed switch and NVR server all in one. And the price at 380 really isn’t that bad for what you are getting. Plus it’s rack mountable.

For now my USG and CC will do.

[LilDrunkenSmurf]

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They are rectifying this with the UDM which is essentially a one stop shop.

The UDM Pro that is currently in early access looks awesome. Essentially it’s a much more powerful USG, Cloud Key, and NVR server all in one. And the price at 380 really isn’t that bad for what you are getting.

For now my USG and CC will do.

I don't have a CC. I'm just running a Pi3b+, that's running the controller, a pi-hole, and pivpn. It's my one-stop shop for networking in my house, and I already had it lying around. I enabled cloud access on it as well.

[Kavy]

I had all kinds of issues with my unifi setup until I made some changes to DTIM and minimum RSSI.

Far from a need when it comes to the controller setup so I’m sure there is lots of things I have done wrong but everything is working so that’s a plus.

[revelations]

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I had all kinds of issues with my unifi setup until I made some changes to DTIM and minimum RSSI.

Far from a need when it comes to the controller setup so I’m sure there is lots of things I have done wrong but everything is working so that’s a plus.

Exactly this - with multi WAP setups it becomes a tune-fest with RSSI. I was stuck hanging on to a low db signal (-95?) until I tweaked the default minimums.

I went through several trial and error learning sessions before all this started to make sense. Now it whips ass.

[Kavy]

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Exactly this - with multi WAP setups it becomes a tune-fest with RSSI. I was stuck hanging on to a low db signal (-95?) until I tweaked the default minimums.

I went through several trial and error learning sessions before all this started to make sense. Now it whips ass.

What did you end up going with?

I’m at -70 on all 3 access points with 2g at low power (channel 1-6-11)and 5g at medium (channel 40,100,151).

[revelations]

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What did you end up going with?

I’m at -70 on all 3 access points with 2g at low power (channel 1-6-11)and 5g at medium (channel 40,100,151).

I see you also found the best multi-wap channel recommendations - all that above sounds pretty much what their best practices discussion group mentions, at several locations.

I believe the custom power settings of -18 or -19 dB was also recommended for the wap as well. That seems to be right at the ideal cut off point for most devices.

No point having microwave-cooking power wifi when your mobile device only sends back a small fraction of this.

[kenny]

If you have MacOS devices, the tuning can also be done on the client side.

By default MacOS doesn't join the strongest AP, it will only switch if the signal improvement crosses a certain threshold which likely wouldn't occur in a home environment with multiple APs.

It might be easier than fiddling with Min RSSI values.

[LilDrunkenSmurf]

I'm running a dual-WAP setup right now. I think I have things back at Auto right now, because I was having issues with my OP5T, but that was more device related. Would you still recommend -70 with only 2 APs? They're both towards the front of the house, one in the basement, one on the second floor, both wall mounted.

Edit:
Basement AP:
2g:
Channel 1/HT20
Medium Power
No min RSSI
5g
Channel 64 (dfs)/VHT80
Medium Power
No min RSSI

Upstairs AP:
2g
Channel 11/HT20
Medium Power
No min RSSI
5g
Auto Channel/VHT80
High Power
No min RSSI

[killramos]

I feel like recommending RSSI numbers is a bit more situation specific rather than a blanket number.

Like at what minimum RSSI signal do you find you start to have problems on key devices? Try cutting off a bit before that and see how it works.

This could also lead to messing up other devices on your network though. AP signal cutoff is a fickle mistress.

[Kavy]

I’m had zero luck on auto channel......zero luck.

I’m not expert but I agree with the above win minimum rssi as my Apple TV had issues until I adjusted it.

[revelations]

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I’m had zero luck on auto channel......zero luck.

That exactly what the forums said too - everything that is 'default' or 'auto' on these Unifi devices does NOT work - or works poorly. I've had to go through the same headaches.

Until they fix all this, the company will sell just for nerds like us who browse through best practices on their internal discussion groups.

[Kavy]

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That exactly what the forums said too - everything that is 'default' or 'auto' on these Unifi devices does NOT work - or works poorly. I've had to go through the same headaches.

Until they fix all this, the company will sell just for nerds like us who browse through best practices on their internal discussion groups.

I am currently trying wi-fi AI to see how it works itself out as well.

My Access points are all FlexHD's that are wall mounted in the center of the house on each floor. I like everything about the setup except the low power issues I see with apple devices, I am hoping the DTIM upped to 3 helps with how they wake up.

When it comes to switching I am blown away that my iPhone or iPad switch to that floors AP as i walk down the stairs. My balancing is decent as well with 1 AP at 19 devices, the 2nd at 24 devices and the 3rd at 21. My Plex server seems to have a few issues with initial connects on devices and you normally have to close the app and rediscover on the apple tv's or mobile devices so if anyone has a fix for that im all ears.

[LilDrunkenSmurf]

Has anyone tried the new Wifi AI that was in 5.12.35? It scans the network in a multi-AP environment, and adjusts channels?

Edit: What he said ^

[revelations]

Here is my best practices for MULTI UNIFI WAPs

- use channels 1,6,11 - NO OVERLAP
- 18 dB (custom power)
- RSSI to -75 or -70 (test to see which is best)
- disable things like band steering and air time fairness for small setups
- DTIM, 3 recommended for most modern mobile devices

I based these from the internal forums as well as from:

https://help.ubnt.com/hc/en-us/artic...ctivity-Issues

[killramos]

The key is to constrain the wifi AI to non overlapping channels you agree with and let the algorithm tweak from there.

I have mine to iterate every Sunday so we will see how it works.

My balance isn’t great, one of my higher end AP’s typically has 0 devices on it. Where’s my cheap AC-Lite is a workhorse and is always busy.

I think it’s a factor of the in walls having pretty limited antenna setups.

[revelations]

Another thing I wish they had (a CRON job is doable, but takes a while to setup) is monthly/weekly rebooting schedules.

[killramos]

I find my cloud key in particular benefits a bunch from regular reboots.