Re: [PLUG] dd-wrt wrt54gl pdq - ponder

["Keith C. Perry via plug" <plug@lists.phillylinux.org>]

To be clear, Amplifi and Unifi are different product lines from Ubiquity.  Also, the controller software as pointed out by someone earlier is free (there are Linux packages) and is how you manage the entire system but the "app" is web portal.  There is also an android app but that just talks to the controller.  It runs very well in a VM with not a lot of resources.

While that concept was initially annoying to me, in practice...  well, I was already using a web interface to manage my wireless network.  I had two Buffalo units and 3 ids, which means anything I did I had to go into BOTH units.  That process was getting old too.

When I switched to Unifi, I also bought their switches so now I have 4 devices but they are all managed through ONE web interface.  The same would be true if I later decided to add some mesh units.  Plug them in, do whats called an "adopt" to bring them into your into your network and they get automatically provisioned and then brought online.  Its ridiculously easy.

At this point, having to manage a bunch of wire devices, even in a residential context through multiple interfaces is what would be annoying to me- enough of an annoyance human nature dictates I not going to want to do what I need to do.  I really don't like having to type the same thing over and over again.  Plus being able to see everything in one place means that I have a complete picture of what is one my net at any one time at the same time.

I don't know if the Amplifi controller is different but I would not call the Unifi one "useless".  Everything is done through it.  You can see traffic amount, bandwidth utilization, statistics, charts, connection type status, temperature and power consumption as well as being able to reset power (good for if you need to power cycle a PoE device).  You can assign bandwidth limits (per client) to ids- great for when you want to your public or guest network from consuming too much traffic.   Firmware updates are all done from one place- click a button and wait.  Guest network and guest portal function are all controlled from one place too.  Despite everything being done in the controller, you do NOT have to leave the controller running (unless you are running a guest portal- think hotel or restaurant wifi sign in landing page).  For my smaller customers, I have their controller setup on one of my devices and it only get used when I do firmware updates or make other changes.  What you loose is all of the performance metrics and event logs.  Personally I like being able to review that data initially but it not something that is **strictly** needed for operation.

Also, +1 on Troy's Unifi article.  It is very good.  I read that after I had upgraded my net but he's spot on.  The one thing he doesn't say or imply strongly enough is that wifi issues are usually the result of not have enough devices in your network.  It is not about power or even antenna.  You need to run your devices with as little power as possible for the units you have that will cover most but not all of the target service area (i.e. you don't want overlaps).  That yields less noise in the system, higher throughput in the system and your devices will disconnect/reconnect to the closest/strongest signal as you move around.  With these newer mesh units you can probably turn the power down even more.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 
Keith C. Perry, MS E.E. 
Managing Member, DAO Technologies LLC 
(O) +1.215.525.4165 x2033 
(M) +1.215.432.5167 
www.daotechnologies.com

----- Original Message -----
From: "JP Vossen via plug" <plug@lists.phillylinux.org>
To: plug@lists.phillylinux.org
Sent: Tuesday, September 10, 2019 10:53:16 PM
Subject: Re: [PLUG] dd-wrt wrt54gl pdq - ponder

On 9/10/19 10:20 PM, jeff via plug wrote:
...
> Brent, Keith, Will - thanks for Ubiquity. I'll definitely check it out. 
> Stellar recommendations.

+1 for Ubiquity.  Mostly.  Be aware their web interface is just about 
useless.  You basically *must* manage the thing from the "app" which 
annoys the crap out of me.  And the "Amplifi" unit I have is in bridge 
mode, which negates a bunch of the really nifty features like the "guest 
Wi-Fi" (which must be enabled every 24 hours, from the app) and 
per-device tracking, time rules, etc.  One of these years I really must 
re-architect my LAN segments & FW and get it out of bridge mode.

Great, highly detailed reviews:
1. 
https://www.troyhunt.com/ubiquiti-all-the-things-how-i-finally-fixed-my-dodgy-wifi/
2. 
https://www.troyhunt.com/how-i-finally-fixed-my-parents-dodgy-wifi-with-amplifi/

Jeff, you want to read Troy's blog anyway, just try to get over the 
whole Windows/M$ thing in his case.  :-)

Later,
JP
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