Hi all! I recently bought a house and want to run an outdoor AP as the WiFi coverage is horrendous and I like to sit out there with my pup. Couple of questions for those who have done something similar:
Is there any recommendations for an AP that can mount to the side of a house? I’ve looked at Ubiquiti and while I’m interested in the U6 Lite, I do not see it listed as being for both indoor & outdoor (as compared to the U6 Long Range. I just don’t need a 6E AP like that for what I or my fiancee want to do out there.) Has anyone done this with an AP Lite that can chime in? I would say that the side of the house where it is going to go on will get exposed to a lot of rain, wind, and sometimes debris.
I currently have coax to a Netgear Nighthawk CM1200 which is connected to a ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AXE11000 router. Should I run directly from the router (iirc it does have a PoE port I need to double check though) to the AP or would it be better to run from the router → PoE switch → AP.
Ubiquiti gear is designed for outdoor use. I’ve had no environmental problems even with them on a pole above the chimney. They can work in either AP or Client modes. For general AP use you want to avoid the proprietary modes. Those modes are only for Ubiquiti to Ubiquiti links when both are in the same mode.
If you only have one PoE device then just use the Ubiquity PoE PSU they usually supply with the device.
They stopped supplying injectors with the devices for their ax / wifi 6 APs…
… it’s probably better for the environment and/or makes diverting non-us supply easier… although, it’s a nuisance (small one) that some of their stuff requires 802.3at and they still sell 100Mbps 802.3af injectors (ie. it’s possible for folks to misunderstand / skip reading the spec sheet and get the wrong adapter).
I have used a U6+ and a U6 Pro outdoors, but I mounted them both underneath a patio cover so that keeps rain and such from getting directly on it. For good measure, I also used silicone RTV around the outside of the AP so that it seals up against the wood nicely to keep hose spray from getting in as well. For you, mounting it under your overhang would be best instead of the side of the house.
A warehouse near my work also has a Ubiquiti AP mounted outside on a bracket they attached to the outside of the warehouse, and its been there for years. SO it seems they work fine as long as minimal precautions are taken.
I have a few clients who have some unifi equipment outside ran for years fine.
but they had an overhang.
I’d be concerned about water following the patch cable and frying a port. but outside of that 10/10 recommend the
u6 lr (long range if its a big yard) if not regular u6 / u6+
When installing equipment outside you leave a “drip loop” so that wires don’t run directly into the equipment. The outdoor focused ones like what I linked above also have silicone gaskets that help to stop water ingress at the port.
I am on board with you on that.
I am a bit paranoid about it though. Those rubber gaskets are very good but not perfect. That’s why I try to make sure there is some sort of overhang so its a non issue.
