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Wifi Network

Darthsinex

Darthsinex

Registered
10 Years
Joined
Apr 22, 2014
Messages
317
Seems we have many experts on here so thought I'd ask. I've got a problem when trying to extend my home internet using access points. I have 2 Wired Wivlink AP's and they are connected to the router via ethernet. They have separate SSID. All good and I can choose between 2.4 and 5 so have both running. Problem is that Sonos and Google Home won't play nice. They will only work on the same network and see areas of the house with seperate google mini's as on a different network. Not sure if changing the AP's to having the same SSID name would really change much or whether it's even possible to make multiple AP's work with Google and Sonos? I have a wireless range extender in the middle of the house that literally rebroadcasts the Virgin Hub Wifi and that works with both Sonos and Google but clearly isn't as fast or stable as my ethernet would provide. Any thoughts?
 
I don't know about Google Home but Sonos devices need all of the extenders to have the same SSID and password although the channels can be different. This doesn't apply if you have a Sonos Bridge in the system as that will then form a separate Sonos wireless network and won't use the access points (but will be limited to the range of the Sonos Bridge wireless.
 
I know this works with Sonos as recently did a very large property with 6 Unifi access points and 8 Sonos devices. Worked anywhere in the house or half acre of gardens...
 
I've had all sorts of trouble trying to get bridging to work in the past to have essentially a single wifi network. I gave up and bought Unifi APs (Ubiquiti). There are Pro versions and the standard (which I went for). They aren't cheap but (at least at the time) were the highest rated way to get a single wifi network in a big area. My 3 cover 6000 sqft easily and a chunk of the garden. I'm just about to add an external extender to get more outside coverage. With Pros you can mesh, but if you are wired just plug them straight in. They are PoE but have their own plug.

The standard versions are essentially small business robust - the Pros are used in tons of businesses. There are other providers though (I'm sure Neil will point out BT's own version). If you can stretch to it, get a controlled single wifi solution - I haven't looked back since...
 
As MartinY says, the units I use are Unifi and they are configured from a central controller so they use the same SSID and password on each device. However you can also set up multiple SSIDs if you want, for example, a guest network. The standard/lite versions are bombproof for home or small business use (we even have them in small hotels supporting around 500 users/week and they literally run for years without needing rebooting).
 
Another Ubiquiti UniFi fan here...

3 AP AC Pro access points, awesome coverage in house and garden.
4 US 8 60W powering some of them, plus other PoE stuff.
1 UniFi controller.

1 network SSD (more if you want), single app, all dead easy.

2 Sonos speakers working perfectly.

E607D13E-7C1C-4F8C-AFBB-D42FC62B0585.png
 
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I'm running Ubiquti also.

Screenshot 2019-06-14 at 20.06.19.png

However with Sonos you have to be careful, if you run the Sonosnet (with a Sonos Hub) you can find the traffic going over that rather than your own wifi network.

Not sure why you want different SSIDs, but you also need to make sure they are all on the same subnet.
 
Neil McRae said:
I'm running Ubiquti also.

View attachment 87133

However with Sonos you have to be careful, if you run the Sonosnet (with a Sonos Hub) you can find the traffic going over that rather than your own wifi network.

Not sure why you want different SSIDs, but you also need to make sure they are all on the same subnet.
Click to expand...
Don't run Sonos on the mesh - get rid of the bridge!!!

Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk
 
The Ubiquity stuff is cheap and cheerful with its cloud based controller.
Ok for SOHO deployments on a tight budget.... deploy 2.4 + 5ghz using same SSID over your WLAN. Try and get an Ethernet cable where possible to all WAPs, if you do have to Mesh over the 5Ghz keep the hop count down to 1-2 hops.
Do not use WiFi extenders as they kill the through put and are sh***
If you have the dollars, you can deploy Aruba, Cisco, Meraki or Ruckus. Depending on your network setup, WLAN controllers can cater for seamless Layer 3 roaming over subnets without any loss of service.
 
Unifi here too, great stuff.

Careful your sonos doesnt try to connect wired and meshed to same network. I turned off the mesh on hard wired devices and all resolved.

Running multiple UniFi ap inside and meshed outside, covering probably 6000sqft internally and may be 3000 sqft externally. May be 10 Sonos with no issues.
 
Sako-TRG said:
The Ubiquity stuff is cheap and cheerful with its cloud based controller.
Ok for SOHO deployments on a tight budget.... deploy 2.4 + 5ghz using same SSID over your WLAN. Try and get an Ethernet cable where possible to all WAPs, if you do have to Mesh over the 5Ghz keep the hop count down to 1-2 hops.
Do not use WiFi extenders as they kill the through put and are sh***
If you have the dollars, you can deploy Aruba, Cisco, Meraki or Ruckus. Depending on your network setup, WLAN controllers can cater for seamless Layer 3 roaming over subnets without any loss of service.
Click to expand...

I wouldn’t touch any of that ****e over ubiquity.


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Neil McRae said:
I wouldn’t touch any of that ****e over ubiquity.


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Click to expand...
You work for BT @Neil McRae ?
As I said, Ubiquity ok for the SOHO for those on a budget ..but to say the vendor names I mentioned are Sh*t makes me question your expertise here I’m afraid dear Sir.

Just curious as to why you think Cisco is sh***?
Given your employer is the biggest purchaser of this vendors kit in UK probably Europe - not just for LAN/WAN but also WLAN. BT also get the biggest discount (Cisco Gold Partner)
Amongst other projects, working in the Channel...Ive been involved with Pre-Sales, Design and Deployment of Wireless networks on behalf of your employer since 2001 until 2015 as an outsourced approved safe contractor on behalf of:-
BT Global Services
BT Expedite
BT - ITS
BT Openzone
Ive since moved onto other stuff........but
Guess how many Ubiquity vendor networks we designed and installed for BT corporate customers ?
Zero 😂
All Cisco 👍 but I guess it must be Sh**t - it may be expensive but you get what you pay for - MTBF - I went round 5 MOD bases ripping out Ubiquity Pro units that all died a death and replaced with Cisco a few years ago cause it was done on the cheap by another WiFi ISP (not BT) that paid the price - false economy. Cheaper units get found wanting when run in harsher environments with constant data flowing through the radio and Ethernet interfaces - the MTBF takes a nose dive 👍
 
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I’ve ran them all at home, in customers and at mega events (like ten of thousands of people), ubiquiti is all I take now, performance and power at a cost that’s fantastic.

Customers want other suppliers for sure.

I love the questioning of my expertise, that’s made my day!

Next you’ll be telling me your a CCIE or some other rubbish like that! ;)

Cheers,
Neil.


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Neil McRae said:
I’ve ran them all at home, in customers and at mega events (like ten of thousands of people), ubiquiti is all I take now, performance and power at a cost that’s fantastic.

Customers want other suppliers for sure.

I love the questioning of my expertise, that’s made my day!

Next you’ll be telling me your a CCIE or some other rubbish like that! ;)

Cheers,
Neil.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Click to expand...
Na, I’m not at the top of that pyramid of power, one rung below... 😬 I work multi vendor - so have to certify on different vendor kit to acquire partner status, Cisco, HP/Aruba for coy .........

Sorry ..... I know this has went a bit off the topic......,
High Density deployments is a completely different beast - I’ve helped with wireless design HD venues such as for FA, Press and bowl for Wembley Stadium - again Cisco although this is not the best vendor for High Density.....RF coverage for small numbers is easy, but catering for large numbers in small areas can be a challenge. Ruckus shines for HD and outdoor deployments, surveyed many a caravan park / holiday home theme park including Alton Towers 👍 using a combination of dual 802.11Ac wave2 radios +suitable antennas -+Single mode OS1 fibre 👍A lot of digging involved using moling rigs
That was for BSkyb...
I have used a Ubiquity product in the field for a customer in the past where I could not get a hard dig for a fibre and it worked great . It held a sub 1ms continuous ping over a mile and saved a small fortune. Of course you need LoS taking Freznel Zone into consideration etc..... We used it to join to two LAN segments of a Caravan Park.
It was called Ubiquity Air Fibre.
There’s a lot of dollars banding about on this forum and Pinheads with mansion size houses 😃 (Not me BTW) If anyone wants to join their boathouse, remote arcade etc.... to their palace then look no further 😂
License Free 24 GHz - it’s amazing how much companies like Cable + Wireless used to charge for similar products like these to go a 100 metres on contracts for 100mbps 😂
https://www.4gon.co.uk/ubiquiti-air...WRR8_DhjVtQR0ZSBMYnwSdD9S6P6vMrAaAgbsEALw_wcB
 
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I Cisco kit for switching/routing commercially because it 'just works', but their kit for smaller deployments is extremely expensive and lacking in features/usability.

I have two sets of Unifi kit and it is great, by far the easiest whole-house Wifi option I found (I'd been building my own meshed systems with custom written firmware loaded onto routers before that).
 
OpenWRT at a guess?

Mesh solutions are not as great as folks think in my view.


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Ah, thought he'd written some custom shizzle I'd not heard of.
 
Anyone have any experience of the Ubiquiti Networks AFI-HD AMPLIFI HD Range? Reasonable priced and seems to be all-round nice kit...
 
Thanks all. Went to John Lewis and the had a sale on BT Home Discs 2 for £75 (3 were 169.99?) so bought 4 for less. As I have a house with over 70 ethernet ports, I wired them in around the house and in the office. Up and running in 20 minutes. 120 mb/s download on the wifi and nice app to boot that lets my wife triangulate specific devices playing fortnight and neutralise them. Everyone happy. Thanks again. Neil you can feedback positive news to BT
 
Neil McRae said:
OpenWRT at a guess?

Mesh solutions are not as great as folks think in my view.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Click to expand...

Quite liking my BT mini mesh wifi over TP Link Powerlines. I have 7 discs...but you only support 6 discs. Sort it out Neil :)
 
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