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Thank you very much for the advice, although I'm a bit baffled.
Can you tell me if I have this correct?I keep my existing router, but disable its wifi in settings (modem mode)
Connect the old router to the ToughSwitch - which provides the connectivity to the two other Ubiquiti products (and I guess to the 4x other things I currently have connected to the ethernet ports on my existing router).
The EdgeMAX is doing what my router used to do.
The Unify UAP is then taking care of the wifi.Sorry for all the questions but I really have no idea about this sort of thing, and thanks again for the help.
dangeek-
- ISP Router to modem mode (it's disabled, except for talking to the ISP)
- ISP Router connected to EdgeMAX router
- EdgeMAX is now your main router, it routes traffic to and from the ISP router and your local networks
- Unifi UAP connects to the EdgeMAX router and provides your WiFi
At this point, you're all good, you have great WiFi everywhere.
Optional:
- ToughSwitch connects to the EdgeMAX to provide lots of gigabit ethernet
- Unifi UAP can connect to the ToughSwitch if you want WiFi devices and cabled devices to be on the same physical network (not required, but it can make some rare edge cases simpler to solve)
That's it.
The hardest bits are:
- Enabling modem mode... check with your ISP
- Configuring the EdgeMAX, which by default is dumb and requires you to connect a laptop and upgrade the firmware and run a wizard.
If this all scares you... stop here, retreat, buy whatever you feel most comfortable with. This setup is awesome powerful, super fast, will last years and give great ethernet and WiFi... but the setup isn't by Apple, isn't "just works", this is setting up a professional network at home because home equipment by default may be easy to set up but tends to be shit.
- ISP Router to modem mode (it's disabled, except for talking to the ISP)
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To start with I'd be tempted to go with the in-between method. Keep your existing modem/router but turn off the Wifi.
Get the Ubiquiti Wifi Unifi UAP and plug that into the router.
The wi-fi will be better than the equivalent price router with wi-fi, you can add a new router further down the line if required.
Velocio
aggi
Routers and WiFi provided by ISPs are universally shit, there are no exceptions that I've heard of.
You need to put your ISP modem into "modem mode" then hook up your own equipment.
My current recommendations (been the same for a few years, it still rules):
Ubiquiti EdgeMAX Router is the router, does DHCP, each port is a different physical network, handles firewall, this thing is flawless, fanless, silent, very fast.
Ubiquiti Unifi UAP does WiFi. It is power-over-ethernet so only needs a single cable and isn't too ugly so can be put anywhere. Incredible range, speed, and power.
Ubiquiti ToughSwitch provides cabled ports if you need wired devices and you want to run them off a single network (the EdgeMAX has every port supplying a different network).
Those three, together, basically power the homes of a lot of people at Cloudflare. They are super fast, and are long-term investments as you can take them anywhere and use them. Since buying mine I've been blissfully disconnected from the "What is the best of all the shitty home router/wifi things out there?", now I don't care... it all works.