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Started By
Message
Help upgrading home tech
Posted on 11/8/22 at 1:18 pm
Posted on 11/8/22 at 1:18 pm
Ok, fellas I'm looking for some help upgrading the house. I'm capable of running my own electrical connecting (ex. splicing). Major upgrades I want to get done are upgrading the WiFi to a home mesh system, and installing a POE/NVR home camera system. With the upgraded wifi I can do alot of the automating I want done. Thermostat, locks, sound system...
Here's what I got so far. I'm out in the sticks and recently got Starlink internet. I've also got the ethernet adapter. Some of this I could figure out on my own given enough time, but the options and vastness of info is a little overwhelming. Any info and/or links to simplify this would be awesome.
Questions
What mesh system would you install- best value?
In what order do I need to put switches (what kind) in?
What camera system would you recommend? Reolink?
Do I need a smart home system (alexa/google etc)? Which one?
Here's what I got so far. I'm out in the sticks and recently got Starlink internet. I've also got the ethernet adapter. Some of this I could figure out on my own given enough time, but the options and vastness of info is a little overwhelming. Any info and/or links to simplify this would be awesome.
Questions
What mesh system would you install- best value?
In what order do I need to put switches (what kind) in?
What camera system would you recommend? Reolink?
Do I need a smart home system (alexa/google etc)? Which one?
7
Posted on 11/8/22 at 1:59 pm to Athletix
Just to address the wifi....if I was already going to run cable for POE cameras, I'd do additional drops for Unifi APs and go that route. All cables going back to your POE router
Posted on 11/8/22 at 3:39 pm to Athletix
Wink
Posted on 11/8/22 at 5:02 pm to Athletix
Just get a unifi dream machine se with a couple access points and add their cameras also. Will be about $3k in upgrades and will be a solid set up for a long time.
Posted on 11/8/22 at 5:19 pm to Vrai
quote:I'll second (or third?) this. Since you seem capable and will already be getting into it, definitely put some cat6 drops at strategic points in the ceiling for access points. Everybody talks about mesh systems because it's the easy way to get multiple access points. Real AP's mounted on the ceiling is the way to go.
Just to address the wifi....if I was already going to run cable for POE cameras, I'd do additional drops for Unifi APs and go that route. All cables going back to your POE router
Posted on 11/8/22 at 5:20 pm to Athletix
Like Vrai said, if you're will to run ethernet, get wired access points instead of a mesh system.
For around $1600, you could install an integrated UniFi system with a Dream Machine SE, 2 UniFi APs 6 Lites, and 4 UniFi G4 cams. With upgraded cams it could be $3000 like PHNBK said.
For around $1000, you could stay with the Starlink router, get a switch, 2 UniFi AP 6 Lites w/ power injectors, and a Reolink NVR 4 cam combo.
For around $1600, you could install an integrated UniFi system with a Dream Machine SE, 2 UniFi APs 6 Lites, and 4 UniFi G4 cams. With upgraded cams it could be $3000 like PHNBK said.
For around $1000, you could stay with the Starlink router, get a switch, 2 UniFi AP 6 Lites w/ power injectors, and a Reolink NVR 4 cam combo.
Posted on 11/8/22 at 6:57 pm to TAMU-93
I'll throw in my two cents on the UniFi cameras as well...
They are *not* the best value if you're looking strictly at video quality vs. price. There are loads of chinese cameras that stomp all over them in video quality for half the cost, and the camera selection is larger and they have more features. However, I think the UniFi apps more than make up the difference for most people. It doesn't matter what someone has, be it reolink or ring or wyze or amcrest or any of the dozens/hundreds of chinese brands, when I whip out the UniFi Protect app and flip through some video they say "I want that". It really is a top notch user experience.
If you follow the advice in this thread and get the dream machine SE, you're getting a router and camera NVR in one which offsets some of the cost.
They are *not* the best value if you're looking strictly at video quality vs. price. There are loads of chinese cameras that stomp all over them in video quality for half the cost, and the camera selection is larger and they have more features. However, I think the UniFi apps more than make up the difference for most people. It doesn't matter what someone has, be it reolink or ring or wyze or amcrest or any of the dozens/hundreds of chinese brands, when I whip out the UniFi Protect app and flip through some video they say "I want that". It really is a top notch user experience.
If you follow the advice in this thread and get the dream machine SE, you're getting a router and camera NVR in one which offsets some of the cost.
Posted on 11/8/22 at 8:25 pm to Athletix
I went full omada in my home upgrade.
1 8 port poe switch
1 16 port non poe switch
4 4k reolink cameras
2 tp link omada 610 v3s
1 tp link exterior wifi 6 ap
Diy'd wiring for $200
Get a hardwired 900up/down
Plus 700+ wifi more than 200ft from my house. That includes 12 new hardwired drops, 2 to each tv plus 2 at a wfh station, plus 2 in assorted rooms
1 8 port poe switch
1 16 port non poe switch
4 4k reolink cameras
2 tp link omada 610 v3s
1 tp link exterior wifi 6 ap
Diy'd wiring for $200
Get a hardwired 900up/down
Plus 700+ wifi more than 200ft from my house. That includes 12 new hardwired drops, 2 to each tv plus 2 at a wfh station, plus 2 in assorted rooms
Posted on 11/8/22 at 9:27 pm to baseballmind1212
Thanks for the replies, I've leaned into watching a guy on youtube "The Hook Up". He's got great info and runs unifi. I'll start more research there
Posted on 11/8/22 at 10:29 pm to TAMU-93
quote:
For around $1000, you could stay with the Starlink router, get a switch, 2 UniFi AP 6 Lites w/ power injectors, and a Reolink NVR 4 cam combo.
If I was to go this route... Will the UniFi APs play nice with Reolink or do they not interact at all via the initial switch.
Starlink router -> Switch (what kind)? -> ethernet cords to NVR and UniFi APs from switch -> ethernet cords from NVR to cameras
Posted on 11/9/22 at 7:07 am to Athletix
The Unifi APs just provide your wifi. Reolink can work on it just like it would work on any other mesh or non-mesh setup.
I bought a 32 port linksys switch with 8 POE ports on Ebay for like $75 a few years back. Unifi dream machines are nice but not necessary.
I bought a 32 port linksys switch with 8 POE ports on Ebay for like $75 a few years back. Unifi dream machines are nice but not necessary.
Posted on 11/9/22 at 8:48 am to Vrai
quote:
Unifi dream machines are nice but not necessary.
And this is where I’m at. We don’t use a lot of data. Streaming, light gaming and upgrading to some more smart devices. I don’t need the best, just a good signal spanned across the house.
Posted on 11/9/22 at 9:26 am to Athletix
quote:
Starlink router -> Switch (what kind)? -> ethernet cords to NVR and UniFi APs from switch -> ethernet cords from NVR to cameras
Netgear 5-Port PoE Switch
Port 1 - UniFi AP U6 Lite
Port 2 - UniFi AP U6 Lite
Port 3 -
Port 4 - Reolink NVR
Port 5 - Starlink Router
And make sure the Cat 6 cable you use is solid copper, not copper clad aluminum. Something like trueCable Cat 6
eta:
Reolink also has a video doorbell that is compatible with that NVR.
This post was edited on 11/9/22 at 1:04 pm
Posted on 11/9/22 at 4:22 pm to Athletix
quote:I agree that a dream machine (or similar router) is not necessary, but IMO it's not your data use that is the deciding factor. For me it's more about additional features on top of what you'd get from typical consumer routers, while still being easy to configure. For example, since you plan to add cameras and smart devices, it's recommended to put them on different subnets (one for cams and one for IoT, and possibly another for NoT, in addition to your main network). Maybe some consumer routers can do this, but I know the Ubiquiti gear can as well as other "prosumer" gear.quote:And this is where I’m at. We don’t use a lot of data. Streaming, light gaming and upgrading to some more smart devices. I don’t need the best, just a good signal spanned across the house.
Unifi dream machines are nice but not necessary.
Posted on 11/10/22 at 8:07 am to Vrai
I have ordered 3 UniFi access points and a UniFi 4th outdoor ap. I’m going to run a firewalla gold router and try to have it load balance between att fixed wireless and starlink, neither of which are perfect in my area. Do I need the UniFi cloud key? I haven’t installed this yet because I am still running cat6 cabling (which has been a true pain with spray foam but I only have one more to complete). The cloud key confuses me. Thanks for any input.
Posted on 11/10/22 at 8:13 am to TGCM
quote:No, you can configure the AP's via the app (or by running the controller software on a computer) and they will continue running as configured. The cloud key is just a low power computer that runs UniFi Controller (or maybe they call it Network Application now). It is an always-on configuration tool that also collects certain network stats, but if you don't need the stats then you don't need it always-on. Alternatively you can keep the controller running on a regular computer.
Do I need the UniFi cloud key?
If you had more UniFi stuff then I'd say get a cloud key, but with just the AP's it's not much use.
Posted on 11/10/22 at 8:18 am to TGCM
Which outdoor AP did you get? I'm looking to add one to my setup
Posted on 11/10/22 at 8:31 am to Vrai
AFAIK Ubiquiti only has 2 outdoor rated AP's that are suitable for home use, the AC Mesh and U6 Mesh. The AC one works great, I've connected to one from about 300' just fine, and it supplies wifi to a computer in a detached building 130' away on a daily basis. And for $99 it's tough to beat. If you need wifi6 then of course get the U6, but for nearly twice the cost I haven't been able to find a need for it. I think it looks better though.
Posted on 11/10/22 at 7:20 pm to Vrai
UAP-AC-M-PRO-US Is the designation on Amazon. Supposed to have a range of 600 yards. We shall see. I don’t have my system set up yet so I don’t know how well it works.
Posted on 11/10/22 at 8:22 pm to TGCM
quote:It's not gonna reach that far, 600 feet maybe. Ubiquiti claims 183 meters on the mesh pro.
Supposed to have a range of 600 yards. We shall see.
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