Upgrading router for a rural multi-building wifi/wired network

[tgl]

I don’t even know why wireless meshing is or was enabled on this system. This requires the controller running 24/7.

You sure about that? I know that using a portal page requires the controller to be up (because it runs the webserver that creates the portal page). But I thought UniFi APs were pretty autonomous for everything else, once configured.

 

[Tech9]

You sure about that?

Yes, perhaps with exception the configuration is wireless mesh always and never changes. As far as I know there is no uplink monitoring without the controller and no wired to wireless fail over/back. I checked on Ubiquiti community and some say the network keeps going with the controller powered off, but I can't guarantee this statement is valid for all AP models and scenarios. I can't test the theory since the controller on my network is built into UCG and I have no option to turn it off.

 

[tgl]

As far as I know there is no uplink monitoring without the controller and no wired to wireless fail over/back.

Hmm. The "connectivity monitor" behavior, where an AP drops offline if it can't ping a specified address, is surely done by the APs themselves. There may be aspects of this that require the controller to be involved, but I don't know details since I don't use wireless uplinks myself.

I checked on Ubiquiti community and some say the network keeps going with the controller powered off, but I can't guarantee this statement is valid for all AP models and scenarios. I can't test the theory since the controller on my network is built into UCG and I have no option to turn it off.

I've got a separate Cloud Key, and I know quite well that my APs keep chugging along when the CK is off or rebooting. But as said, the APs are all wired, so maybe the answer is different if they're not. I've not seen anybody mention any such behavior on the https://community.ui.com/ forums, though.

 

[Tech9]

You are probably right, but this is unlikely the only issue @vinylgrrl has. There are multiple points of failure in this system including aging outdoor equipment. I believe 10+ years of service time calls for an upgrade.

 

[Digilog]

Its installation choices that basically causing the system to degrade by age. The ubiquity APs would probably work for the next decade but it was this wired network That should have been fiber in the first place.

There are not many routers that have high power driving ports for long runs because they don't want to deal with the heat they give off. But the best lowest price router that would do this would be a Ubiquity Edge router (any new or old). Other options include putting an industrial switch so it will drive the net properly and allow the long runs (+300 feet) to be upgraded to a fiber run. For harsh environments I would recommend TRENDnet TI-G5062. If the router is in a regular environment, then a TEG-S562 will work at the router and existing switch locations long with fiber SPF+ port modules .

There are cheap no name brand switches that have high power ports. Most of them are used for POE cameras, but they are not going to have a lifetime warranty like the TRENDnet switches and would probably have to replace them 5-10 years down the road.