Questions for Ubiquiti UAP-AC-Lite / PRO users

[thiggins]

I'm going to publish a review of both devices shortly and have a few things I'd like to check.

1) My experience is that these devices need a Unifi controller constantly connected. If the controller is removed, the devices go offline. True?

2) Tests indicate poor 2.4 GHz range. What's your experience?

3) Has anyone used the minimum RSSI feature?

Thanks.

 

[MichaelCG]

Don't have a Lite or a PRO, but have a pair of LR.

1.) False, after setup, controller is only there for reporting as far as I can tell. I can take my controller offline and the APs function just fine. Some of the guest portal features may be tied to the controller....not sure, I don't use those features.

2.) Can't help since I am using the LR.

3.) Toying with it...but haven't done any serious testing to confirm if it helps or hurts me. Only have two UAP-AC-LR in a residential environment.

 

[thiggins]

Don't have a Lite or a PRO, but have a pair of LR.

Thanks for your answer.

I'm using a CloudKey. If it can't reach the Lite or PRO, it reports "heartbeat missed" and AP light blinks.

What version of Unifi controller are you using?

I also found this here:

After it's been configured, you have the option of not running the controller anymore (or at least not constantly) - you just have to disable the "Uplink and Connectivity Monitor" from the site settings so that the APs continue to run after they lose connectivity to the controller.

This is enabled by default.

 

[paraplu]

1. Never had these problems though with disabled uplink monitor all the way. Never used uplink monitoring.

2. The LR is giving me the best possible connection through 2.4G from distances much better than consumer stuff. Not a high bitrate, but stable, which is more important. BUT some consumer routers can give better 2.4 throughput.

3. I use minRSSI at -75db as I have 3 of these devices in my house and works roaming near perfect. Near because there are some borderlines in which a client flips constantly between AP's. but in normal use not noticeable.

 

[thiggins]

Thanks for the report, paraplu

 

[netwrks]

I have 2 Ac Pro's. I have minRSSI set to -75dBm. Mostly iDevices (one ipad and 3 iphones) that will start to look to roam at -70dBm, which they do well. So minRSSI does not really come into play.

Only one AP has 2.4ghz enabled at 6dBm, for a wireless printer only, which is in the same room as the AP. Both AP's set to prefer 5ghz.

I am using DFS channels for 5ghz. All iDevices, Samsung phone and Windows laptops connect to DFS channels with no issues. All roam as expected. Both AP 5ghz radios are set to 16dBm.

My cloudkey controller is always online, but i did disable the Uplink and Connectivity Monitor as I had a previous version of firmware miss a heart beat when I was streaming music on my Samsung phone. Once it was disabled, issue went away. Haven't tried using with CK powered off. Could give that a try.

I use vouchers for Guest wireless, (not always enabled) which does need to see the controller, for voucher generation / authentication / expiration.

AP's: 3.7.38.6088 - CK Firmware: v0.6.0 - CK Controller: 5.4.11.

EDIT: also of note: In 5.4.11 the default DTIM was set to one. Previous version's were set to three. I changed the default back to three, which iDvices seem to like (according to Apple).

 

[thiggins]

Thanks, netwrks

 

[MichaelCG]

Thanks for your answer.

I'm using a CloudKey. If it can't reach the Lite or PRO, it reports "heartbeat missed" and AP light blinks.

What version of Unifi controller are you using?

APs: 3.7.37.6065
Controller: 5.4.11.2 (running as local Ubuntu VM)
MinRSSI: -75

I haven't bit the bullet and purchased a CK yet. So far my slow VM is meeting my household requirements. Neither of my APs are visible normally so I have never noticed any blinking or anything when my VM goes off-line.

I have yet to really test different settings on the MinRSSI. I turned it on at 75 and just left it. So far, my devices seem to behave mostly...at least far better than they did on my previous mix of Asus and Belkin APs. My speed opinion is skewed since I moved from N to AC. My stability opinion is skewed as well since I had a failing RT-N66u causing me lots of intermittent issues.....so way more stable. As someone else already stated...I will take stability over top-speed any day.

 

[DanH]

I move into my new home on April 11th Tim, you better get hot with this review.
Although I am leaning towards the HDs because I never know I might get 500 friends...

 

[riel_net]

I move into my new home on April 11th Tim, you better get hot with this review.
Although I am leaning towards the HDs because I never know I might get 500 friends...

HD is very nice. I use it with Google Wifi as a media network for my Samsung SmartTVs that don't like the one SSID setup. To answer some questions you need a cloud key unless you have a constant machine on collecting data. Only if you are into looking at stats. Google Wifi Stats are good enough so no need for it here.

 

[thiggins]

Review posted. Discussion here please.