Mesh Network for New Home

Networking Networking Hardware
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OK going to be moving in about a month.

In my current place I have a pfsense box and ubiquity AP with a switch.

I want to simplify and go with a Mesh WiFi system.

Want good QOS and need port forwarding for Nextcloud. I would like to be able to admin it via an Android app.

The Master router will be hooked up to a switch and small UPS.

House is 1600sqft single story.

Two people with about three devices a piece. 4K streaming, gaming and will have a security system with outdoor cameras on the network.

Will be building a NAS (Plex and Nextcloud) and Steam in home streaming server to put on the network. So, NAT loopback would be nice or the ability to point device at a single URL either on the network or not.

Any recommendations?

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You’re going to need so much time to set everything else up with the move and everything.

I’d recommend you just transplant your current setup, and add another AP and enable wireless uplink.

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No, PFsense and ubiquity take longer than a setup wizard.

And the AC lite is not enough for the space and I am not going to run Cat 6 to add another.

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I’ve looked at both Netgear Orbi & Linksys Velop and they don’t seem to have any nice QoS capabilities. You can manage both via android app though.

When I get the time, I’ll see if google has anything…
@Kat You have any input when it comes to managing google wifi devices with the phone?

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QOS is nice but basic functionality is fine. I want good coverage more than anything.

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Velop has basic functionality and is renamed “Device Prioritization”
The name is pretty much a good description. I have no experience with that feature due to my setup being different with PFSense being the router with the Velop devices acting as MESH APs rather than MESH System.

While researching the Orbi, it looks like Netgear hides the QoS functionality and may be removing it in the future.

A bit off-topic, but it seems like Mesh devices are designed to be somewhat like a set piece, so it doesn’t look like an ugly device that has no place being where it is.

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buddy of mine at work went with the google mesh and they arent terrible. they wont do mesh as ap only though, so you either go double nat or forget the pfsense box.

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Didn’t ask, but I should, Wireless back-hauling or Wired?

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The Google Mesh routers provide a lot of control away from home. In all honesty a lot of the features are excellent for people who have a family. Cause a lot of the good features are the limiting speeds on devices and or making sure network speed is prioritized on one device as opposed to another.

Also If your network goes down you will receive notification telling you your network is down.

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I am probably going to ditch PFsense because I don’t care much about admining it any more and want something simpler

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There is some ‘Advanced’ networking control with some of the mesh routers like port forwarding. Reserving IP’s for devices and setting DNS settings.

But overall the Google Router is just simple and it works. Also I don’t know if you can do this with the other Mesh routers, from Linksys or Netgear.

But you can have one Google Router, and then have 2 more act as Wireless repeaters so your wireless signal becomes more stronger throughout your house

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The guy at work who has the google mesh stuff knows nothing about networking and he had no issues. I would say they are about as simple as mesh gets.

For me I would probably go with the asus AiMesh stuff but I’m lazy and cheap so I just stick with non mesh on 3 different access points. Sometimes I have to switch manually but it doesnt bug me.

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All google I have done industrial networking professionaly but want something easy St home lol

All mesh does that.

Google sounds alright to be honest. Samsung’s is more expensive but looks to have killer QOS.

Still have a month to decide.

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I am having a similar dilemma, except I am already moved in…

Currently, I’m using a pair of Asus AC-86u’s for their AiMesh. It worked well at first but it seems that Asus can’t be bothered to produce quality firmware updates for my particular models.

While they have an Android app and its simple and easy to setup and works for the most part, I’d be lying if I said I loved it and it works 100% perfectly.

I’ve been looking for an alternative to take advantage of my wired backhaul (already in use with my current setup).

For your situation, I’ll suggest you just grab a Ubiquiti USG, add your NAS to the switch, drop your pfsense box and add APs as necessary… thats pretty much what I might do anyways, but to humor you I’ll divulge my full option list.

Please note: These below options are for my use case, so please ignore if this doesn’t fit your mold

Option A)
All Ubiquiti UniFi brand gear

Option B)
This newfangled all wireless mesh thing called Plume
https://www.plume.com/

Option C)
Blast me to Bermuda (Merlin my current Asus gear)
https://asuswrt.lostrealm.ca/

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Samsung uses plume.

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I really don’t understand why you want to switch; setting up PFsense is a bunch of work at the beginning, but maintaining it is cake.

At any rate, I would go with The Wirecutter’s suggestion. They like the Orbis.

Plume requires a subscription. F that noise.

I love Ubiquiti and use it myself, but the OP is trying to minimize hassle and going with semi-enterprise gear won’t do that.

Last I checked, Merlin doesn’t support the Asus mesh stuff. I switched from an Asus router to Ubiquiti several years ago so that might be out of date.

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It uses a fair amount of power and I don’t use most of the festures. And, I don’t wish to run Ethernet for the APs

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Any recent (AC) Ubiquiti AP supports wireless uplink and will mesh just fine. But if you’re trying to simplify your life, that isn’t the way to go.

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Yea I appreciate you addressing both our issues, I didn’t mean to hijack the thread.

I’ve been thinking mostly about the all UniFi gear setup as my end game, but in the meantime just turning off bandwidth steering because AiMesh’s sucks.

I’ll likely add a PFsense box in my mix at some point since my ISP allows me to run all my own gear already anyways.

I checked on the Merlin stuff, I would have to run a router + repeater which I don’t want to do.

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Yea one of my buddies has the Google Mesh, and is looking to switch to something else (likely Ubiquiti) for his changing use-case.

Maybe something like Google Mesh would work for you?