Finding a way to connect Wi-Fi to your roof deck
Finding a way to connect Wi-Fi to your roof deck
The elevator shaft between your apartment and the deck will pose a hurdle for consumer or commercial WiFi signals due to the dense concrete and steel. Let’s assess how to improve what you already have. Could you share the models of your ISP device, router, and repeater? Also, identify where the Ethernet ports (in the room across from the router) are connected.
It's something I didn't really observe when I moved in, and until now it hasn't caused any issues—actually it remains a convenience issue. Right now I'm limited to running cables within my flat, which requires getting approval from my landlord and drilling through about 20cm of concrete plus other obstacles I'd rather avoid. I'm currently using an AVM Fritzbox 7530, placed exactly where I marked the "router" in my floor plan. (I don't believe AVM is a recognized router manufacturer outside Germany, but it's the most popular there, and it performs well overall.) The Ethernet ports on the opposite side of the room connect to the router, or can be connected as needed. Around my apartment I have six CAT6 Ethernet cables and outlets, with the ones near the floor plan closest to the balcony. In theory, I could extend a LAN cable from there up to the entrance door and install an AP there. The elevator shaft would then be out of the way. Ideally the AP would only need to reach roughly 10-15 meters to the edge of my deck. The main hurdle is those two thick concrete walls. As I mentioned, I've tried using a repeater—I placed it near my entrance door but it didn't make it all the way to the deck.
I switched from a Fritzbox 7530 to a Ubiquiti nanoHD for WiFi, and the performance was significantly better. In your setup, you’d want to place something like a nanoHD near the router as close to it as possible. The advantage is its ceiling-mounted design—it resembles a small smoke alarm rather than anything else. Concrete tends to block signals a lot (especially with metal supports), but if you have an AP positioned appropriately, it should reach the deck.
I checked the Ubiquiti NanoHD and noticed some feedback on Amazon suggesting the Unifi AC Pro offers better range. Since I mainly need to cover my whole deck without requiring maximum bandwidth, I think the Unifi AC Pro would be a good choice too—it's a bit more affordable. Would anyone have experience with the Unifi AC Pro? Thanks for your thoughts!
I've also noticed that, based on my experience, the nanoHD is similar to the Fritzbox. If I were to purchase one today, I'd likely choose Zyxel since they have stronger internal construction and avoid transferring half their capabilities to a separate app or cloud service, unlike Ubiquiti.
I’m testing the Unifi AC Pro and noticed some friends using similar APs. These devices are about 50€ cheaper in Germany compared to comparable Zyxel models. Regarding my experience with the repeater, I observed significantly higher upload speeds than expected—often more than double during uploads. On my deck, download speeds reach around 10Mbps while uploads exceed 20Mbps, which is only about 5% of the download limit and still over 50% of the upload speed. This suggests something beyond just frequency channel differences.
I own a UAP-AC-Pro and a UAP-AC-LR in a compact two-level home, thanks to the numerous solid barriers between rooms and floors. I’ve lowered the antenna output to medium or low levels so the signal stays inside the house without affecting neighbors’ Wi-Fi, and set up separate 2.4GHz and 5GHz channels (I actually turned off one 2.4GHz radio). This configuration functions perfectly for me! In areas with weak signals where both wired and wireless are needed, I’ve connected an AmpliFi airCube-AC in bridge mode—a compact router/WAP that’s quite useful on its own. For any purchase decision (and I’d also recommend checking the FlexHD as a solid AC wave device), many UniFi access points rely on Ethernet power and require a managed software controller. With the first option, you can use the included power injector, but you’ll need two sets of Ethernet cables (POE-to-AP and POE-to-router/switch) or opt for a POE switch from Ubiquiti for a cleaner setup. I began with the power injectors before switching to an 8-port POE UniFi switch. Concerning the second choice, the UniFi Network Controller lets you manage all connected hardware through software. You can set it up via the phone app (though options may be limited), install it on a PC, or use hosted solutions like Raspberry Pi, a UniFi Cloud Key, or the UI.com cloud interface. Just keep in mind that if you’re using professional-grade equipment, expect a more complex setup compared to typical consumer gear.
Thanks for the update. I think I’ll handle this myself. To keep you informed, my new Unifi AC Pro just arrived and I set it up using only the standard options initially. So far it’s delivering a weaker signal compared to my previous repeater... I’m starting to wonder if my apartment is surrounded by lead walls. Anyway, I’ll experiment with the settings now and see if I can improve things.
Interesting observation: My Wi-Fi isn’t reaching the deck when the access point is mounted high on the ceiling right above my entrance. Placing it loosely on the cable and angling it toward the deck gives me the strongest signal so far. Now I just need a clever way to secure it this manner on the wall...