Home Networking Help. Need a modem, switch/router, and WAP selection

Hardware Hub Networking
21

So, you can go:

  • all in one gateway (modem+router+switch+wifi all in one box)
  • all in one modem+router (modem in one box, router+switch+wifi in other box)
  • discrete (all separate boxes)
  • mesh (mostly separate boxes but instead of cat5/cat6 wired, they use wifi for their own interconnectedness).

Discrete category of solutions gives you most performance and most flexibility, but requires Ethernet/cat5/cat5e/cat6/cat6a backbone, which you have. You can mix and match vendors and companies usually to no performance detriment, but keeping things with the same vendor will make things easier to manage (either because they offer the ability to configure more devices from a single UI, or because it’s helpful to have one marketing department inventing terminology over having multiple marketing departments inventing different terminology).

Here’s a starter setup with discrete:

You can add accesspoints as needed.

You’ll also need either a small patch panel or you could crimp the connectors directly onto those couple of cables.

Here’s an alternative discrete setup:

Both of these are super flexible, Mikrotik is insanely flexibile (those boxes are great routers and switches and good wifi APs). Ubiquiti accesspoints have higher raw wifi performance and slightly better range (less slowdown with distance) and you can get one mesh-like networking hop with Ubiquiti and you can set it up using a phone app, or you can install a controller software on a computer for configuration and 24/7 monitoring.

Mikrotik has better wired performance, but somewhat worse wireless performance. Mikrotik can do multiple hops, doesn’t need a centralized controller or an app but you can use an app or a controller or ssh if you want to, or a weird Ethernet only protocol, or a combination, it has so many knobs it’s confusing to a lot of people. Most people still just use them for basic routing or as basic APs as above since that’s all they need. I like using them as travel routers and repeaters and to setup guest networks and to extend wifi, but they work at home too. They’re my goto spare routers, but with lots of features comes great complexity - if you’re not enthusiastic about network and need something that you want to get it over with and forget about, but want a discrete setup get the Ubiquiti setup above.

If you’re an enthusiast get the Mikrotik and the Ubiquiti and a Netgear x4s / R7800 or a Linksys wrt3200acm for use with OpenWRT, and try DDWRT, pfSense, pfSense in a VM, VyOS, OpenWRT in a VM, and try rolling your own Linux router or accesspoint using e.g. Debian or Arch.

2 Likes
22

Sorry I was super tired when reading your post and replying…

3e) Can this be done without a router

I’ve looked at your proposed network map and things are looking clearer to me now.

Seems like you’re wanting to have that pfSense box do all your “router-y” things like DHCP, NAT, Firewall, etc and then just run WAPs off of the ethernet?

That seems reasonable to me, but again if you say you’re new but this is a bold plan. Proceed at your own risk.

Good luck

EDIT: about the mix n match routing equipment… Yea since im using AiMesh thats a newer ASUS thing so obviously not. This thread seems like a similar conversation, and the comment at the bottom about the APs doing everything well except seamless roaming is also my concern.

If you’re not worried about going from AP to AP and not having to manually switch networks then do whatever you want.

Generally when people say they want a “mesh” network, they mean the mesh bit in the seamless sense.

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You should’ve seen my house… the dude cut all the RG6 and RJ45 in order to do some DIY work to the basement.

Installing internet was a chore for the Comcast tech, and re-crimping those cables was a bucket of fun.

He even cut the back of ports! What a guy!