re: Getting ATT fiber at the house Friday, need to get reception outside. Recs?

quote:

---

But without existing unifi setup, wont he have to install controller software on computer and configure it to match his routers wifi ssid/password? Ive only used unifi APs with full unifi system. And only mention this since post was clarifying at&t passthrough requirements to offload routing and wifi

---

if he wants it to be seamless...yes

FFS. This is getting wildly complicated for a simple ask. Unifi AP lights, PoE injectors, etc., have nearly nothing to do with the question.


There are outlets that look like telephone jacks that are probably Cat5 (i.e. Data). You probably have one on the oustide, or on a wall directly near the backyard. Plug a fu@*%$ OneMesh (or similar mesh Access Point) into a power outlet, and plug a 6" piece of Cat5 into the jack and make sure it is connected. No "control software" needed, you set it up in an iOS app. Verify that the access point you buy mates with your router (IP Passthrough isn't germaine to where this discussion is at). Check your router on the providers website and see what it is interoperable with (cool if it is mesh, but not essential.)

LINK / covers 5k+ square feet fine, as long as it's not constrained by architectural features (metal, lathe, etc.)

If you want "mesh" 100% you need to make sure whatever primary and secondary devices you buy (any brand) support some sort of mesh setup. Just because it's from Netgear doesn't mean it can form a mesh with another Netgear, etc.

However, since you're looking for coverage at one point, you probably don't actually care if it is seamless or not. Kids will watch TikTok in the pool, but not need to do banking transactions walking between the outdoors and the house. Where the AP/Router is and where the all metal fireplace chimney is, etc., can cause connectivity challenges, so it could be a simple issue of moving the router two feet out of a "box" (usually next to the fireplace and under the TV) and your signal can boom.

Dork version: Plugging the mesh device in means that it doesn't have to use ~30% of the wireless spectrum available for backhaul, which means what the access point is doing talking to the router. More reliability, probably higher speeds.