I got 99 problems but my WiFi ain't one

If you have cable to your APs why do you want a meshing AP?

This is why I moved from a mesh network (Ubiquiti Amplifi) to APs (Ubiquiti Unifi)... I added ethernet cabling.

NB: I push large files around the home network, on Sunday I moved 1TB and the limiting factor was the write speed of HDDs... but this is how it should be, the network shouldn't be the limiting factor.

Depends on the speed of your internet connection and the size of your house. I just bought the M5's (3 pack) for 3 t0 5 bedroom house as I had an amazon voucher and they were on sale but the m4's seem more than adequate for most people. I probably would have gone for the M5's anyway because of the size, they're a lot smaller than the M4's. I live in a small victorian 3 bed terrace and I've only needed to set up 2 of the 3 discs.

Which model Deco is the forum recommendation?

The Deco M4.

But much of that was due to the Argos x2 pack deal which made them great vfm.

The x2 pack is on amazon for £70.

We are in a 2 up 2 down 1950s semi. X2 M4 on the ground floor, not quite located as per the instructions and it's enough for us.

Don't particularly want meshing, what I want is relatively cheap, attractive looking, decent easy to use interface, reliable and POE. I currently have TP Link EAP ones, they look ok, they are POE, but the interface is awful and they seem to spend as much time offline as online for no apparent reason.

If you know how to install a package on Linux then I'd recommend Ubiquiti. Or spend a little more (£75) and get a Cloud Key to drive them. The APs (UAP-AC-LITE) are £78 each.

They are a very boring flat disc, you can turn the light off. https://www.broadbandbuyer.com/products/23763-ubiquiti-uap-ac-lite/

I've been running a TP Link AV500 powerline wifi kit to the bedroom for WFH purposes for the past month now, no drop-outs at all until today when I couldn't get internet access using it.

I've read you're not supposed to run these on extension leads, but as I say, this had been working fine for the last month, and the other extender, also running off an extension lead from the house to the shed to turbo purposes has been fine for the past year now...

Plugged it directly into the mains and it works as it did before. Why would it stop working after a month though?

Yeah, they have been on the shopping list for the last 2 years, but have never quite managed to pull the trigger, mainly as I would have to get the cloud key as I am useless at linux, and then I figure I might as well go for a router and some of their switches and then suddenly I have got £500 in my basket...

and @hugo7
Thanks.

Looks like I bought one of the last few remainining twin packs from Argos for £70,
and,
I'm about to cycle down to the badlands of South Ruislip to collect them.
Expect to see my contributions to the forum arriving with lightning speed this evening.

Broadbandbuyer are doing 3 years free hosted cloud controller so you could go that way to start with.

https://www.broadbandbuyer.com/features/3831-5-reasons-to-choose-our-free-ubiquiti-hosted-cloud-controller/

You can switch after 3 years to a self-hosted controller or pay them some money.

I have a different router for various reasons.

Did it just crash? My powerline adaptors do from time to time and need power cycling.

Extension lead just reduces the speed, they should still work.

and then suddenly I have got £500 in my basket

That's why I jumped on that Deco deal after starting to research the unifi stuff.

Can you not just use a couple of the AP without the cloud key? I thought if you don't want all the stats you can just install it on your PC and then load it up occasionally for updates, etc. Not saying that's the case - just what I understood.

Yes, I saw that, well payday on friday, might finally bite the bullet and purchase. then I just need a mesh system for outside...

Can you not just use a couple of the AP without the cloud key?

You need a controller somewhere. That can be the cloud key, your own computer running their software or a hosted service.

You can apparently run a single AP with an app (iOS and Android) but I'm not sure you can do 2+.

Sorry I edited my post.

Is it the case that for basic use you can run it on your PC for set up and then just run it occasionally for updates, etc?

The controller runs on all sorts of stuff (Windows, MacOS, Raspberry Pi, Linux) so you don't have to have much expertise. I picked up most of mine second hand, ex-business stuff seems to come up pretty often.

Is it the case that for basic use you can run it on your PC for set up and then just run it occasionally for updates, etc?

Yep (so long as you don't want to do any logging, I think that needs to write somewhere).

Yeah, they have been on the shopping list for the last 2 years, but have never quite managed to pull the trigger, mainly as I would have to get the cloud key as I am useless at linux, and then I figure I might as well go for a router and some of their switches and then suddenly I have got £500 in my basket...

This happened to me, and I do not regret it.

The WiFi and network is ridiculously reliable and fast now... no dead spots, lots of great security features, and a signal so good I can park the car outside and a few doors down and still do maps and application updates.

Unifi is stunningly good.

Is it the case that for basic use you can run it on your PC for set up and then just run it occasionally for updates, etc?

Yes. I broke my controller once and it wasn't running for months without issues.

Yeah, guess I need to just bite the bullet, what I need is...

5 x internal APs
3 x External Mesh APs
8 port POE switch to power above
48 port non-POE Switch (Have an old one which seems to be doing this fine, so prob no need to change)
Router (again can probably stick with existing)

soon adds up!

How big is your house?

8 APs should just about cover Buckingham Palace!

Also, aren't you in the middle of nowhere?

With little WiFi congestion?

You'd be surprised by the coverage of the Unifi APs

Fair. I'd not say I was well-read on the subject but what you're saying seems reasonable.

My approach is going to be trying to get my pair Decos to work as a wireless mesh network. If I still can't get adequate performance then I will bite the bullet and run ethernet cable between them. In that case, I'll only have paid £35 per wireless access point which seems decent enough value. But in the best case scenario I'll end up with decent wifi coverage without having to dig beneath my floors (because who knows what monsters lurk down there).

Just set it up, I am a convert. Big improvement.

They are very good. I got 3 last week. House much better.

One internal for the West Wing, one internal for the East Wing, two for the main block and one for the servants' residences, greatly throttled on bandwidth. Then one external for the formal gardens, one for the swimming pool, and one for the tennis court(s). Easily done.

I'm more staggered by the need for a total of 56 Ethernet ports. I thought I was being excessive with 16!