setting up public wifi

[unc417]

Currently at our church we have private wifi, set up for staff only. I've been thinking about and researching ways to safely and properly add a public wifi for the rest of the congregation.

The only feasible way I've come across so far is open-mesh. Does anyone have any knowledge or experience with their stuff? We have 1 router and 2 wired AP's, all linksys right now. It appears as if the open mesh system uses wireless repeaters instead of wired AP's. Given our facility, that would not work. The 3 AP's are not in range of one another. Can the open mesh system, I'm looking at the MR500, function as a router and wired AP rather than wireless repeater?

What makes me interested in this company, asides from a reasonable price, is I can set up my private protected network as I have it now, but also open a separate network (with WPA2 I'm thinking) available for non staff to use and the system will keep that network cut off from the private network, for security. I'm guessing it also has other useful mgt features.

thanks

[petereit]

We use an Apple Airport wireless router. It allows you to configure a private, encrypted network for your office network, but also provides a separate open public network. Really simple to configure.

[cw4u]

I guess this depends on your level of skill in networking.

But, what I've done is installed DD-WRT on all of our access points and broadcast two SSIDs from each AP. Using VLANs, I've got one SSID routing to the business (private) VLAN and the other to the public VLAN. DD-WRT is more work for you to configure and only works with select equipment but it does give you a lot of functionality out of cheaper routers. (We're using TP-Link WR841N)

If you go with a solution like you mentioned, make sure that you will be able to install additional APs if you need to. This usually isn't an issue but since you're broadcasting two SSIDs, you need to make sure that you can somehow balance DHCP requests between APs.

[EricE]

Old thread, but figured I would bump/post for those subscribed to it. There is finally a reasonable, enterprise grade managed wifi solution that is perfect for Churches: Looking for a great wifi solution that won't cost a fortune?

[unc417]

Thanks for that. I found Unifi a few weeks ago and have been looking at it. Looks like a great solution. I was set to buy the UAP LR until I found the Pro model is due out soon. I think I'll wait and look at that when it comes out before deciding.

[EricE]

Originally Posted by unc417

I was set to buy the UAP LR until I found the Pro model is due out soon. I think I'll wait and look at that when it comes out before deciding.

Unless you are going LR AP to LR AP, LR probably isn't worth it. It won't help your wireless clients if they can "hear" an LR AP but don't have the power to "talk" back to it. Yeah, obvious when pointed out but I didn't think about it at the time

Well, that an the LR was all I could find in stock anywhere and I really needed to secure our Wifi but maintain easy public access.

As for the pro, here: http://forum.ubnt.com/showpost.php?p...6&postcount=28

[unc417]

What devices are you suggesting would benefit from the LR?

[EricE]

Originally Posted by unc417

What devices are you suggesting would benefit from the LR?

Only other access points. Not most clients.

Let's say the AP can broadcast at "100" (just making that up for comparison purposes) and my iPhone can broadcast at "80", it can "hear" the long range access point, but doesn't have enough power to talk back to it.

And such an issue could be really tough to troubleshoot - the device may appear to have a strong "signal" depending on what is being show for "signal" (received signal, sent, or some amalgamation of the two) but not work reliably or at all.

I think I've been reading the Unifi forums too much with guys who have been getting pretty hot and heavy into power, db loss, antenna, environmental factors and more

I would keep it simple and stick with the normal Access Points. If you need more coverage, I would add more of them. Double benefit - since you can only realistically have about 30 devices or so per AP, more of them lets you have more clients too. Luckily they are pretty cheap! Two of the 3 packs is a little over $300, which is about $60 more than a single 3 pack of the long range APs. I'd vote for more of the normal APs.

Not sure if the Pro changes this much since I haven't really paid much attention to it. The hardest part is finding any of them in stock. Supposedly more are on the way...

[unc417]

I understand. Though I talked with a Unifi dealer and told them I was interested in the LR because of the concrete and steel construction of the building makes reception difficult and I preferred to maximize coverage while keeping the AP count to 3 (why run more wire if longer range AP's will do the job?). Number of users will be low so I don't worry about that.

The rep recommended the LR. Though they may have been talking more in a sales capacity than technical support.

fyi, I also asked about the Pro model. It will have the same antenna gain as the UAP standard, not LR, but will have 3x3 chains on 2.4GHz and 2x2 on 5GHz. Though I'm not familiar enough with AP technology to know what that will mean as far as real world range and performance.

[EricE]

Originally Posted by unc417

I understand. Though I talked with a Unifi dealer and told them I was interested in the LR because of the concrete and steel construction of the building makes reception difficult and I preferred to maximize coverage while keeping the AP count to 3 (why run more wire if longer range AP's will do the job?). Number of users will be low so I don't worry about that.

If your going to have low users, you could configure some of them to just piggyback off of wifi - like WDS but UniFi calls it something else that escapes me a the moment.

I hear you on the cabling - still have to cable mine once I figure out where I want them to be permanently.

The rep recommended the LR. Though they may have been talking more in a sales capacity than technical support.

Well they do cost more, so they probably get a slightly better margin - but it could be the only ones they have in stock. The LR ones were the only ones I could find. I'm happy with them, but I probably spent more than I needed to.

fyi, I also asked about the Pro model. It will have the same antenna gain as the UAP standard, not LR, but will have 3x3 chains on 2.4GHz and 2x2 on 5GHz. Though I'm not familiar enough with AP technology to know what that will mean as far as real world range and performance.

Probably more clients per access points. I haven't read up on the Pro at all - I think the three pack I have will do everything we need and more.

Either way I think you will be pleased with them! The management interface is really nice. I had a floor plan of our building - I was able to take a picture of it with my iPhone, crop it down and upload it to the controller. Did the scale thing where you pick two known points, enter the distance and it scales accordingly. I ended up with this:



Pretty cool! If you notice, I have the details and coverage options selected. Obviously no one is in the building tonight, but it's pretty nice when there are lots of people - you can see what is happening and where. And no, I'm not leaving the third one in the server room - just haven't had a chance to run some more cable to test out some alternate locations.

The map is the only part of the interface that uses flash - everything else works great in Safari on an iPhone or iPad.

BTW - if you have a Mac laptop, a great program to map out your space: http://www.netspotapp.com/ It's very handy for figuring out the best places for your APs because you can map out your actual signals in your environment as a regular device "see's" them. I'm sure there are similar programs for Windows or Linux if that's more your style.

[cw4u]

How many sq feet does that map represent?

[EricE]

Originally Posted by cw4u

How many sq feet does that map represent?

There's a scale in the lower right - the segment represents 5 feet. You can estimate it from there - I'm not sure how big our building is off the top of my head (but it's pretty good sized, the sanctuary seats 1,400 and that's a basketball court/gym in the middle).