I've had my Orbi router and satellite setup in AP mode (i.e. not using mesh).

One of them bit the dust so I'm thinking of switching to WAPs in the ceiling mounted pre-wires we added when we built.

I see a lot of people say to use the Ubiquiti Unifi APs. Any suggestions on which model?

Are they POE?

Current setup:

In my server closet I have my att modem/router (wifi disabled). It feeds into an araknis router, which feeds a 24port araknis switch and a 16 port araknis switch. I don't currently have the AP cat6 cables plugged in because there is no use without a device on the other end.

My router only has 2 LAN ports - one going to the 24port and the other to the 16. Would I need to upgrade the router to one with 3 LAN ports in order to route traffic to a POE switch?

Note: I want to involve the A/V company as little as possible. I could go w/their WAP solution but they've taken enough of my $ already and I think this is something I can muck through.

I saw the title and thought of a recent song. I can't help with either

I have been using unifi ac lr but the wifi6 unifi lr are due already and if you are upgrading i would skip ac and go to wifi6. But ac's are being discounted by some vendors.

If you have available ports on the 24 or 16, you could plug hardwired WAPs to those ports (probably with a POE injector in the middle). Almost all Unifi gear is POE powered.

I recommend the new UniFi 6 lite. They are POE. You can use these with either a POE switch or power injectors. Use power injectors if you are only going to have two POE devices.

UniFi 6 Lite
POE Injector, 802.3AF

switch -> power injector -> ap

TAMU-93 said:

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I recommend the new UniFi 6 lite. They are POE. You can use these with either a POE switch or power injectors. Use power injectors if you are only going to have two POE devices.

UniFi 6 Lite
POE Injector, 802.3AF

switch -> power injector -> ap

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Agreed. The nice thing about POE devices is that you only have to run a single CAT5e/6 cable to them, you don't need separate power. This makes a big difference when you're in the attic and you don't have an outlet nearby.

I have a pair of Unifi APs, and they've been excellent.

lockett93 said:

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If you have available ports on the 24 or 16, you could plug hardwired WAPs to those ports (probably with a POE injector in the middle). Almost all Unifi gear is POE powered.

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Thank you all!

lockett93 - I have the available ports. Putting this together (when dumbing things down for me, you often have to go dumber for networking stuff) -

I 3 WAPs - I could use 3 of the POE injector's that TAMU-93 linked between the ports and the cat6 - correct?

I have the available power outlets, but can anyone recommend a POE injector with more ports that only takes up 1 power outlet? Then I could have the injector with a single power source with 3 (minimum) ports for the switch side, and 3 output ports to the WAPs.

Second question (and thread derail but related) - My 8 channel NVR has developed some...odditities...and I may need to replace it. It has built-in POE. If I replace I'll likely move towards building a PC to use blue iris and ultimately acting as a NAS.

That would bring my total POE injector ports to 11. 3 in/out for the WAP, plus 8 in that I'd connect to the PC/server.

Google unifi poe switch

Be sure to research the Poe spec/voltage that your NVR cameras use and that the Poe switch is compatible

Lube

Thanks again everyone. I pre-ordered the unifi LR wifi-6. I found a 4port 802.3AT injector (unmanaged -data pass-thru only) on Amazon.

The 6 requires 802.3at due to higher watts. Looks like 802.3af is 15 watts max out per port and the WiFi-6 is 16.5.

Sadly, the Nerdery is truly the last place that will be able to assistance in your WAP