Reviewing tax documents for accuracy.
Reviewing tax documents for accuracy.
I've been considering installing Ethernet directly through the house since purchasing it two years ago. I'm almost ready to order the necessary components. My goal is to use CAT6 for future upgrades and to receive fiber from our ISP as advertised. In about four years, it should be possible to connect to the network directly. The main reason for choosing CAT6 is my NAS setup—Unraid, which functions more like a server for hosting friends' games and media content. I plan to run the LP access point using Unifi. I'm also thinking about adding a second router in the future to extend WiFi coverage into the garage. My idea involves running Ethernet from the ISP connection through the main closet to a switch, then connecting to a closet with six ports. The room contains computers, a NAS, and two more devices for temporary use until my server mounts. Currently, there are four connectors in the living room; I'm considering replacing the TV with a projector mounted on the ceiling, supported by a drop-down screen over three wall closets to the left of the living room. This mounting point won't be on the floor. Regarding alternatives, Unifi doesn’t have 24 POE switches available right now. A budget-friendly option could be a secure gateway. I haven’t noticed anything critical yet, but I’ll double-check. For now, the switch and potential gateway should sit on a table in the closet, eventually being mounted there. Spoiler: this plan has some adjustments ahead.
You're referring to long-range capabilities? Ubiquiti offers the UAP-AC-LR (WiFi 5) and U6-LR-US (WiFi 6). The latter performs impressively. If you can afford it and have sufficient space for parallel Ethernet, I recommend it. Some users combine link aggregation between their NAS and switch to boost LAN bandwidth. You don't need to purchase directly from Ubiquiti; in fact, locating a local reseller could yield better pricing. They often secure discounts by buying in bulk. If unavailable, online alternatives exist. Newegg and BHPhotoVideo typically stock Ubiquiti products. BalticNetworks.com also offers both individual and bulk purchases. For comprehensive UniFi management via the controller, the UDM-Pro is a solid choice. You're free to customize your setup as needed. Let me know how it goes.
I did mean LR. The UAP-AC-LR to be exact. I'm not too worried about having WiFi 6 yet. At the end of the day, I'm limited by my ISP to about 800Mbps. No Gigabit here yet. Since the access point would pretty much only be used for outward traffic, I'm fine with that. Part of my hopes with it is property coverage. Detached shop, metal siding, insulation and then metal interior siding. I haven't been able to get WiFi out there except for in the narrow area that you can see from the house facing door. I'd like to run ethernet out there and another AP, but my driveway is paved and is still too new to tear up to run a cable. There's plenty of room to run parallel. A 1000' spool should give me plenty for that as well. I purposefully did the lines in the UniFi tool at odd shapes to over estimate distance. Even with that I'm at less than half a spool. I was also planning on doing link aggregation. To add to this, I'm just going to run the wires through the retrofit gang boxes, down into the crawl space, then back up under the back wall of the closet. I've got plenty of space for running parallel. The only one that would be different is the AP. I'd run that through the attic and down to the ceiling. Resellers is where I get put in a rough spot. Alaska. Currently, I've got everything in an Amazon cart waiting for me to get a little closer to being home to order. That being said, even just a quick look shows them selling the AP for less than Amazon. For us up here, Amazon tends to be easiest. Most places wont ship up here etc or when they do, it's an arm and a leg. It's hard to beat free 2 day shipping. I'm going to give Baltic Networks a look for sure! This was one of the reasons why I was looking so hard at Ubiquiti and Unifi in general. I'd like to do some smart home stuff, without having it hard linked to Amazon or Google. My NAS runs on Unraid, and has more than enough overhead for a VM or two. The idea of being able to later on have a camera or two and locally save video feed without hard linked to Google or the others. I've also decided since the OP to move my NAS over to rack mount and get a little rack. So it's going to be a large overhaul project. Glad to hear it at least looks like a good plan and layout. I bought the house 2 summers ago and have started a thread or two on here, but then other projects got in the way.