Connecting homes to network for villas Optimize communication and management across your villa properties.
Connecting homes to network for villas Optimize communication and management across your villa properties.
Hello fellas, im building a network for 3 villas to rent and need some help with the details. For now i have an idea to get a router and 3 Access points for each house and route them with RJ45. i want a router that can handle 2 lines from my ISP because the speed is kinda slow and wonky here so if i need more bandwith and speed in the future i will need the router to handle 2 lines then divide the bandwith to the 3 AP's with different ssid's. The hardwear im looking at at the moment are: for the router MikroTik RB3011UiAS-RM and for the AP's 3 Ubiquiti Unifi AP AC PRO and my laptop for setup. I also have a TP-Link SG108PE switch, could i use it to power the AP's with PoE ? I see my router has 1 PoE port, would it be better to buy the Ubiquiti EdgeRouter 6P ? the access points will be on the 1st floor, of a 60m2 room and the 2nd floor is 20m2. there is a big metal staircase that connects the two floors that i fear will interfere with the signal but i think 1 AP per villa will be fine. I think the setup is adequate but i would really appreciate your input on it. thank you in advance. Edited May 23, 2021 by Kouk
The Mikrotik router doesn't offer dual-WAN functionality. Review the manual for failover and load balancing options. This is because unless you purchase the Ubiquiti APs in a multi-pack, they typically include PoE injectors. Each unit is an individual device. Also, check the specs for your specific TP-Link switch model to confirm supported PoE voltage. The UAP-AC-Pro needs 48V at 0.5A. Unless you anticipate many users in one location (high density), this model isn't necessary. A U6-Lite is more affordable, supports WiFi 6, and performs better than the Pro's 3x3 despite being a 2x2 device.
Thanks for the feedback. I chose the Pro model because local pricing matches and the 3x3 Mimo offers good value. The U6-lite with Wi-Fi 6 is still in early stages, so I’m not overly worried about long-term compatibility. I switched to simplify wiring—using a single PoE cable per AP instead of injectors. Regarding the Mikrotik, it supports dual-WAN but only has one PoE port, which makes pairing APs with their own EdgeRouter 12P from Ubiquiti seem like a better option.
Well, if the MSRP varies by location, that should influence the decision. Even with 20 wireless devices in one villa (which seems unrealistic for such a setup), an AC-Pro isn't essential. Comparing the AC-Pro's 3x3 MU-MIMO to the U6-Lite's 2x2 MU-MIMO isn't always accurate. They represent different generations, with the latter offering more optimized hardware and radios. It's not just about beta releases anymore. Many companies are now launching WiFi 6-compatible APs because the technology improves efficiency, particularly in crowded environments. WiFi 6E presents another scenario altogether. The U6-Lite and U6-LR have demonstrated superior performance in real-world tests compared to the AC-Pro. While the AC-Pro was a solid choice for its price, even the nanoHD (a 4x4 AC wave 2 AP) outperformed it. I suspect Ubiquiti may be discontinuing the AC-Pro soon due to its better performance-to-value ratio. If you're considering using the 12P as both router and PoE switch for APs, its power output might fall short. Many of these high-density APs need 48V passive PoE; the 12P can only supply 24V unless I'm mistaken. What speed are you receiving from your ISP? Does it include a modem or gateway? If that's the case, can it be easily switched to bridge mode? Do you already own a Mikrotik router?
I'm not using any hardware yet. My ISP's only option is VDSL 50mbps in my area, which splits the speed to three and still feels around 40mbps—so I might need a second device soon. It includes a standard Telekom speed port and modem, but it's quite slow on its own. Would you mind recommending a router that can support at least three U6-Lites and has four PoE ports?
I believe I've completed my list and am prepared to place the order. In summary, I have three Ubiquiti UniFi 6 Lite switches (1 model), an Ubiquiti EdgeRouter 10x along with the necessary cables, all priced identically. The updated version includes the same price but has different components. Note: The EdgeRouter is currently unavailable in Europe for several months, and I couldn't locate it anywhere during my search.