dslreports logo
 
    All Forums Hot Topics Gallery
spc
Search similar:


uniqs
842

WiFi50
@38.96.48.x

WiFi50

Anon

[Equipment] Best WiFi Equipment for 50 Buildings

Hello, I'm beginning to explore servicing 50 two-story buildings all within a square area of about 100 yards x 100 yards with each building having four to six suites and each suite one to six users. There's a utility closet in each building that feeds into each suite which will be handy for providing an Ethernet handoff to each suite from a roof mounted AP that picks up signal from one or two center offset towers (a master AP setup on one or two centrally located building roofs) fed with Gigabit fiber.

Is this approach of setting up an AP for each building easier/better than dealing with an AP for every suite (nearly 200 of them) and struggling with signal penetration (and also avoiding the existing plethora of WiFi AP's saturating the 2.4 GHz air space)?

Any best equipment recommendations for above average quality, set it and forget it, simple, managed, controller-less, reliable, problem and hiccup free?

Very open to considering suggestions to make the architecture simpler and/or better!

TIA
wirelessdog
join:2008-07-15
Queen Anne, MD

wirelessdog

Member

Why would you want something without a controller? That's just stupid

viperm
Carpe Diem
Premium Member
join:2002-07-09
Winchester, CA

viperm to WiFi50

Premium Member

to WiFi50
I personally would use a Ruckus system with a controller. By far one of the best systems for performance, penetration and eas if use and configuration. You can cover more with less AP's then the competition and signal strengths seem to be 5-10% better then all other AP's we have worked with.

Cisco, Meraki, Fire tide and the list goes on. If you need help in designing something hit me offline and we can discuss.

WHT
join:2010-03-26
Rosston, TX

WHT to WiFi50

Member

to WiFi50
Do you have any experience designing systems like this?
Porch
join:2005-06-19

Porch to WiFi50

Member

to WiFi50
Your question is confusing.

Yes, doing a point to multipoint setup, on 5Gz, between buildings is a good idea if you don't have cabling between them. I do the same with Ubiquiti line of gear on a school.

Now this has nothing to do with getting the signal inside the buildings. For that, I like the UniFi access points. How many you will need will depends on building configuration and construction. One per suite might not be out of the question depending on layout.

Managed = Controller

WiFi50
@38.96.48.x

WiFi50

Anon

The goal is to make the deployment as simple and generic as possible with the least equipment dependencies thus the preference for cloud management ala Aruba Instant Access Points versus a controller, but my use of a controller-based system goes back six years, so I could be talking out my arse.

Rather than dealing with an individual AP in each suite, I *think* it would be simpler and less expensive to put one AP on each building roof, hardwire the AP to the utility closet into a switch and then CAT5 to each suite. Of course, I haven't yet looked at what's involved in getting the CAT5 network cable through the walls into each suite. But, by and large, the more hardwire, the better.

I'm leaning toward something like Ubiquiti or Microtik, but only if the quality, sophistication and maturity is on par with Aruba, et al.

I'm open to consultants!
wirelessdog
join:2008-07-15
Queen Anne, MD

wirelessdog

Member

Why don't you register on the site?

Aruba, Mikrotik - note spelling, and Ubiquiti don't belong in the same sentence.

If you want cloud managed look at Meraki.
wirelessdog

wirelessdog to WiFi50

Member

to WiFi50
Oh, and, stop referring to the antennas you are placing on top of each building as AP's. Call them SM's, SU's, CPE, Stations, anything but AP. Its confusing as hell.
Porch
join:2005-06-19

Porch to WiFi50

Member

to WiFi50
If you have the budget for Aruba, then go with them. They are about 5-10x the cost of Ubiquity or Microtik. As for quality, I don't have much experience with Aruba. They seem excellent, but I can't see paying $400 for a CPE when a Ubiquity is $60.

If you are going to hardwire each suite, then your wireless equipment is going to be 50 CPE and about 2-3 APs for the towers. You might not need any type of central management since things are not going to change. Ubiquity does have central management, but I have not used it so I can't say how good it is.

Ubiquity are simple to setup and use. Microtik has every feature under the sun, but is not nearly as simple or easy. Both will do what you want. Some people have good luck with ether or both brand.

WiFi50
@68.99.183.x

WiFi50

Anon

Thank you, everyone! That helps!

I'll let you know how it goes.

viperm
Carpe Diem
Premium Member
join:2002-07-09
Winchester, CA

viperm to WiFi50

Premium Member

to WiFi50
No the quality is not the same and your coverage will not be as good as Aruba or others designed for this type of situation.
viperm

viperm to WiFi50

Premium Member

to WiFi50
More then happy to Consult see previous post. If you want to do it right and get predictable results then your going to pay money for a good system. The UBNT stuff and Mikrotik have their place.

dongato17
join:2000-07-28
Atlanta, GA

dongato17 to WiFi50

Member

to WiFi50
One funny thing - controller-less doesn't necessarily mean no controller. Some vendors use this term to mean that one device on the network can be the controller.

If you are wanting higher capacity (gigabit fiber mentioned), send me an email - hbledsoe56@gmail.com. There are some new options to consider...
mj3431
join:2003-04-21
STL, MO

mj3431 to WiFi50

Member

to WiFi50
Do you have access to the telco closet? If so consider using existing wiring and pushing DSL to the units...

Cloud wifi is a never ending licensing cost... A controller will give you more flexibility and often better performance and monitoring.

WHT
join:2010-03-26
Rosston, TX

WHT to WiFi50

Member

to WiFi50
said by WiFi50 :

I'm beginning to explore servicing 50 two-story buildings

You really need to do some testing with a temporary AP at many locations to get an idea what you will need for the rooms.

viperm
Carpe Diem
Premium Member
join:2002-07-09
Winchester, CA

viperm to WiFi50

Premium Member

to WiFi50
Sounds like he has it figured out from the info we gave him???

I would not just buy stuff and expect it to work without testing. If it were me I would test with a couple vendors but I am particular to Ruckus they would even come out and do a heat map to show you predicted coverage based on equipment.

Ultimately actual testing is needed. Anyone that doesn't would be foolish.
LLigetfa
join:2006-05-15
Fort Frances, ON

LLigetfa

Member

said by viperm:

Sounds like he has it figured out from the info we gave him???

I'm glad someone has this figured out cuz i'm confused. In the OP it sounded like he wanted to put an AP on the roof and shoot the signal wirelessly down into the units. Now it sounds like he just wants wireless SM between the building and the AP where there is gig fibre. It's not clear to me if every unit is to get a SM on the roof or just one on the roof and then fed out through switches. It's also not clear to me how much bandwidth is to go to each unit. Maybe a bit of TL;DR on my part.

viperm
Carpe Diem
Premium Member
join:2002-07-09
Winchester, CA

viperm to WiFi50

Premium Member

to WiFi50
I was joking I agree he was all over the place the just POOF I got it don't need your help now.

Anav
Sarcastic Llama? Naw, Just Acerbic
Premium Member
join:2001-07-16
Dartmouth, NS

Anav

Premium Member

Its usually that way with homework assignments........... tis the season.