Our Home Internet AP Set-up Plan - Is This Ok?

Liflyin on 01/06/2024 - 16:20

Hi,

We're new to this, and would value any input.

We have been using our mobile 3/4G to stream Netflix at home, but our son is coming to age where he is having online classes and we wanted more stable internet connections without dropouts.

We're getting NBN FTTP installed next week. Our home has Cat6 data cables running throughout when we built and we want to take advantage of this instead of using a wifi router/mesh set-up.

After much reading (and going crazy), we've come up with a shopping list, but we havent bought anything yet. This is our plan, and we'd appreciate any feedback.

NBN to Router TP-Iink ER605 (to purchase)

TP-link ER605 to switch TL-SG1008P, an 8-port PoE switch (to purchase)

TL-SG1008P switch connected to:

  • controlled CG200 (to purchase)
  • 2x EAP 615 wall (to purcahse), one for the front living room, one for the back living room of home (we have a long single-storey narrow home). Main choice for wall-mount APs over ceiling mount APs is mainly bc (1) ethernet outlets are located at study/living room (2) where we will use the most internet (3) wall APs we can have ethernet passthrough to connect to laptop (4) aesthetics, minimalistic
  • network video recorder, NVR8COM2 (existing)

Things I plan for:

  • connect a NAS to the switch to store family photos and videos as back-up… is this possible? Can I upload photos to the NAS anywhere in the world when i travel, or do I have to be at home to do this?
  • connect to NVR cameras wireless anywhere in the world when I go travelling (is this possible with this set-up?)

Appreciate any feedback, thanks

Internet

Comments

  • sumyungguy on 01/06/2024 - 17:18
    -8

    The last two corporate fitouts I worked in converted from cabled to wireless. Can you share the reason you're planning a high-cost hardware-intensive setup in a domestic setting?

    • cohiba30 on 02/06/2024 - 10:42

      I perfer cable where possible in my home because of semi-regular deauth attacks on my wifi, I'm assuming it's someone nearby playing/learning Kali etc

    • 2esc on 02/06/2024 - 11:21

      Simply because wifi is eratic. We will be changing to cable soon

  • SBOB on 01/06/2024 - 17:51
    +1

    Things I plan for:

    i'd recommend strongly not exposing your NAS or NVR directly to the internet and instead setting up a VPN/Wiregaurd/Tailscale type access into your network for accessing these.
    One extra step in accessing your network devices, but a more secure and well tested solution.

    That router looks to support OpenVPN, Wireguard (via some user guides, eg https://community.tp-link.com/en/business/forum/topic/610198) so thats good starting point to achieve your last 2 points

    • iflyin on 02/06/2024 - 01:29

      The system above is $553.

      Compared to a 3-node mesh setup with wired overhaul, the AP system:
      - is cleaner looking (APs wall mounted, powered by PoE so no additional powerpoint connection)
      - modularity? I can upgrade each component as i need fit instead of replacing entire mesh system
      - more customisation

      This has got me thinking… should i get a 3-node mesh wired-backhaul set-up instead? Eg deco x20 and switch:

      • NBN Box to X20 node 1
      • X20 Node 1 to switch TP-SG1008d (non-PoE swtich since, this time, each these nodes are be powered on their own via powerpoint)
      • TP-SG1008d separately to (1) X20 node 2 at front of house (2) X20 node 3 at back of house

      This setup will cost $280 for 3-node and $31 for switch (total $311). Cheaper (and ill find a way to get over the extra powerpoint connection.)

      If I replace the 3 deco X20s with X60s. New price will be ($449 + $31 = $470). Almost same price as the AP system.

      What do you guys think?

      Is this 3-node mesh backhaul setup (with X20s or X60s) better than AP set up?

      • SBOB on 02/06/2024 - 10:58
        +1

        I'd likely stick with the TP-link Omada range if you're technically minded and want the additional features and functionality the 'prosumer' range would offer

      • rumblytangara on 02/06/2024 - 15:09
        +1

        Consumer mesh works most the time for most the people. If you want to do anything slightly out of the ordinary (tweak channel usage, TX power, firewall rules, anything even slightly technical) you might find mesh frustratingly limited.

        I'd also expect the business-oriented stuff to have longer lasting firmware updates.

  • psyren89 on 01/06/2024 - 19:59
    +1

    connect a NAS to the switch to store family photos and videos as back-up

    Shouldn't be an issue.

    Can I upload photos to the NAS anywhere in the world when i travel, or do I have to be at home to do this?

    If your NAS is set up to accept connections from the internet and you know what public IP address your home uses (static IP/DDNS helps), then you should be able to access your NAS from outside your home network.

    connect to NVR cameras wireless anywhere in the world when I go travelling (is this possible with this set-up?)

    See above.

    If in doubt, the SmallNetBuilder forum might be a good place to ask.

    Depending on your level of networking expertise/requirements, you might end up substituting some TP-Link devices for Ubiquiti.

  • apple2016 on 01/06/2024 - 21:39

    I would recomend the tp link ER7212PC.
    It would provide a better firewall , ap controller and vpn.
    Instead of exposing your NAS/ NVR cameras to internet, you can just von into your house to access them. Much more safer option.

    • SBOB on 01/06/2024 - 21:47
      +1

      Apart from sfps , more ports and a bit more grunt (faster processor), for a home setup that seems a bit overkill?

      What difference is there in VPN and firewall functionality compared to the entry level er605?

      (Not fully over the omada range but it's on my maybe list for next upgrade away from my entry level ubiquiti setup)

    • iflyin on 02/06/2024 - 01:33

      I read that the 7212 is very slow and requires multiple reboots..something to do with the processing chip is not powerful enough. Some customer reciews have complained about this and recommended to go modular set-up as each component is good at what it does. I did consider the 7212, much cleaner and simpler to setup, but i dont mind spending more to have a smooth start up with 0 issues and less wait times.

      Yes, and would like to know firewall comparison between 7212 and ER604.

  • rumblytangara on 01/06/2024 - 22:37
    +1

    FWIW, I have used ceiling mounted APs as wall mounted, and been quite happy with the results. I know that they're really designed for a specific orientation, but because I was using these at home and not a giant conference centre, there was no range issue.

    I have no install/planning experience with the in-wall stuff, but any place I ever saw that kind of AP was extremely high density, short range. i.e. 1 AP per hotel room, so maybe APs were only five metres from the next. Perhaps they were all tuned down like crazy, but I didn't think they were designed for wide area coverage.

    • iflyin on 02/06/2024 - 01:47

      The ceiling-mount APs from TP-link have a 15m range on all models. I reached TP-Link business team about this (theyre in Singapore) and told me they are specifically designed to be built on a ceiling for better connectivity. Im glad to hear you have no issies.

      FYI: the girl did mention that the wall-mount APs are usually sold to hotel rooms and she found it odd that i was using it at my home (i love it when customer service questions what you do btw). I explained to her that i was using it for my large living room at the front (8x5m) and at the back (10m x 7m). She mentioned the range for wall-mounted is 10m and it was happy with my choice of AP.

      FYI: a great video about wall-mounted APs from TP-Link comparing EAP615 and EAP655 when mounted in the correct position vs the opposite direction. Surprising results.

      • rumblytangara on 02/06/2024 - 02:08
        +1

        Worth noting that the spec sheets for business level APs show signal sensitivity it different orientations. It's not just a uniform X metres in all directions.

  • exceladdict on 02/06/2024 - 09:47
    +1

    Have purchased and will be soon setting up an oc200, er605v2 (which has the 4G USB backup), and two eap670s for each level of a square-ish floorplan. Still need to purchase a switch, considering the tl-sg2016p for a few extra POE ports for eventual cameras & doorbells (thinking reolink poe doorbells).

    Have tested bits and pieces of the setup, thoughts so far:
    - experience with the 4G failover is not as snappy as I'd hoped. A Telstra 4G zte stick (mf833) is working but it's a slow cutover and performance isn't great (reception not helping). I'm considering trying to get a cheap second hand 5g router instead to see if that performs better.
    - don't find the omada platform on the oc200 particularly snappy, buy all I have to compare it to is a udm-pro so not exactly a fair comparison.
    - wired and wireless speeds on 250/25 NBN were great.
    - need to jump into a rabbit hole of figuring out how to segregate the network so that external network wires aren't a security risk. It seems possible but as a networking novice I need learn the process.

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