Access point upgrade needed, with a few requirements

[SamS]

Hello all,

I recently had to relocate my Cisco WAP4410N wireless access point to another room in the house. This has been a good AP, but the new location is causing some coverage issues. Specifically, the signal is practically unusable in certain rooms where the signal has to pass through a couple of brick walls, and another 1-2 interior walls. Otherwise, coverage and speed is fine.

I have come up with two options:

1) Move the WAP4410N to yet another location - the only suitable one will require a PoE injector. Any recommendations for a suitable PoE injector are appreciated. That should fix my problem, I might test the location first.

2) Upgrade to something new/better and keep it in the same location as current WAP, assume the performance through walls will be better with a newer device. Here are my requirements/needs:

• Guest SSID
• I only have a half-dozen WiFi devices, mainly iPhones/iPads and a Macbook Pro. I like everything hardwired
• I have AT&T U-verse (including IPTV) with the HGV3801 router
• IGMP Snooping is nice, but not required. (see above, I can plug WAP directly into router port if required).

I have been looking closely at the Asus RT-N66U, just because I like new toys and the "latest and greatest". I realize that 5Ghz will not do any better going through walls (my main issue), but I understand you can adjust the 2.4Ghz transmit power of the RT-66U. My 4410N has Tx-Power of 18dBm, apparently.

Any and all suggestions are appreciated. I'm including a bonus picture of my new server rack that I assembled last weekend. The WAP is not near the rack, but in another room, more centrally located in the house.

 

[stevech]

"I understand you can adjust the 2.4Ghz transmit power of the RT-66U. My 4410N has Tx-Power of 18dBm, apparently.

Any and all suggestions are appreciated."

Don't overlook that WiFi performance is constrained by the client device-to access point (/router) direction. This is because the client is usually low powered and has a poor antenna. A megawatt access point won't fix that. Low power = weak signal = lower data rates. WiFi (except for some exotic modes of 11n) uses the same data rate in both directions (modulation order). So the bi-directional rate is governed by the "weakest link".

 

[SamS]

Don't overlook that WiFi performance is constrained by the client device-to access point (/router) direction. This is because the client is usually low powered and has a poor antenna. A megawatt access point won't fix that. Low power = weak signal = lower data rates. WiFi (except for some exotic modes of 11n) uses the same data rate in both directions (modulation order). So the bi-directional rate is governed by the "weakest link".

I might be misunderstanding you, or you're misinterpreting my setup.

I'm not using the built-in WiFi of my U-verse router at all. I'm only using the WiFi of the Cisco access point, i.e. not as a bridge.

 

[thiggins]

The best solution is the simplest. Move the AP.

For PoE injectors try http://panoptictechnology.com/network-smart-adapters/

Cisco also makes the SB-PWR-INJ1.

 

[SamS]

The best solution is the simplest. Move the AP.

For PoE injectors try http://panoptictechnology.com/network-smart-adapters/

Cisco also makes the SB-PWR-INJ1.

Thank you.

I did some experimentation last night, and moved the AP to my home office (where that rack pictured above is located). I put it on the top of a bookshelf cabinet, the top of which is about 6" down from a 8' ceiling. I got pretty good results, certainly better than the previous location. Since it did OK, last night I ordered this TP-Link PoE injector. Although the ones you linked to look more robust!

I think I will experiment with aiming the 3 Cisco antenna downward, to get even better coverage/throughput. Any resource or advice on aiming antennas is appreciated, as I'm clueless on how the physics of those antennas work.

I really like this site!

 

[SamS]

Hoping someone can offer additional input, instead of me starting a new thread for this additional question.

So, I've decided just to move the WAP to a new location, one which requires the TP-Link PoE injector.

My question: at which point do I put the PoE injector? I have to run the WAP directly off my U-verse router, as those are the only ports I have that feature IGMP Snooping. I'd like go Cat6 from router, to a Cat6 patch panel, then from the patch panel Cat6 wire through the attic, directly to the WAP's location.

Should I put the PoE injector directly after the router port? In other words, is it safe to run the power through the patch panel?

 

[Daybreak]

Hoping someone can offer additional input, instead of me starting a new thread for this additional question.

So, I've decided just to move the WAP to a new location, one which requires the TP-Link PoE injector.

My question: at which point do I put the PoE injector? I have to run the WAP directly off my U-verse router, as those are the only ports I have that feature IGMP Snooping. I'd like go Cat6 from router, to a Cat6 patch panel, then from the patch panel Cat6 wire through the attic, directly to the WAP's location.

Should I put the PoE injector directly after the router port? In other words, is it safe to run the power through the patch panel?

Howdy,
The preferred method would be after patch panel, the poe injector, then a straight run to the poe device.

 

[SamS]

Howdy,
The preferred method would be after patch panel, the poe injector, then a straight run to the poe device.

I figured as much. However there is not really any need to even put the run through the patch panel if it needs to go straight to the device?

I would just run router->injector->straight to device. I won't send it through any switches because it needs IGMP Snooping, and only my router supports that on it's included ports.

I assume that even a bit of voltage through the patch panel is not a good idea?