Topic: Wireless Access Points

[MacGyver]

We need to upgrade WAPs at several location.

Ideally will be expandable to multiple APs on the same system
Must have a browser GUI interface; no cr-apps, or software required
Must have MAC address filtering
Must have >32 MAC slots in the table and preferably >40

It's getting hard to wade through the trash out there, and finding specs online is getting difficult as well.  Any insight would be appreciated.

[Keighlar]

I sent this to you directly, but I'm adding here to see if anyone has any input or opinion on this one:

Ruckus ZoneFlex R300 Wireless Access Point
https://www.cdw.com/product/ruckus-zoneflex-r300-wireless-access-point/3289146#PO

[oobie]

Have you looked into Ubiquity?   Or i know they are pricey but what about the meraki's?

[MacGyver]

Have you looked into Ubiquity?   Or i know they are pricey but what about the meraki's?

I actually wanted to use Ubiquity, but 1) apparently you have to use their software for configuration (no web GUI), and 2) in reading up on them I keep reading about issues with MAC filtering.  I haven't read much on the Meraki.

[Marc Haycook]

As a CMNA... I have to say Meraki.

If you want an install and forget appliance, the Meraki line is awesome. As an MSP, we love them. If I client has an issue with a firewall, a switch or an AP and it's defective - we just ship them a new one. Configurations are stored in the cloud and they just plug in the device and they are done. Meraki also warranties hardware as long as it's licensed.

If you take the time to get your CMNA, Cisco gives you a Meraki stack. MX appliance, MS switch, and MR access point. They also give you a three year license. At the end of the three years, you renew your certification and they give you three more years.

You can start with just the APs and move the rest of the network over to Meraki line in time or just use the APs. If you have a branch office and you think you might need a second AP, don't get a firewall with the built in wireless. They are managed completely differently.

I hated the Meraki line until I started to use it every day. It's all we sell to our customers, so I use it everyday and I love it. You can also access and manage all your customers from the same login on the portal. If you need help moving to Meraki, let me know.

[MacGyver]

I'll take a look at them, Marc.  Thanks.

And btw, I'm about to post a thread on switches.  Would love your input there as well.

[Yoda]

+1 for Meraki. I helped on a AP replacement project at a small school. The IT guy and the school's on site admin liked them. Nice gui, everything is in the cloud. When they received the shipment, the supplier had all the mac's, serial numbers, etc. in the Meraki cloud. The admin logged in and activated, configured, etc. and was good to go. A phone call for support went well, too.

They used the Meraki/Cisco switches too. Everything worked well together.

[MacGyver]

Update:

Well after quite a bit of research and testing we went with MicroTik.  When it was first suggested I felt like an idiot for not thinking of them earlier as we've used their routers in the past out in front of the DMZ.  They recently rolled out a new 3x3.  They were back ordered for a while, but considering how long we've waited to find a good solution we decided to wait on them.

There was a bit of a learning curve and I'm pretty sure you could operate the space station with one of these things, but they pretty much seem to do it all and much more.  We started rolling them out a couple of weeks ago and as of today we have them at about half of our installations.  By this time next week we'll have them completely deployed at all locations.

I'll know more in the coming weeks, but so far range is good, linking with other devices supported, MAC filtering works very well, and throughput is awesome. 

Update:  While overall the device has more options than we'll ever need, the one place it's lacking is in sustained throughput.  I feel like the device has potential, but unfortunately support is severely lacking.  We bought from ispsupplies.com (and actually paid a little more than I could have gotten them for elsewhere) because we wanted to do business with a local company where we could build a relationship.  Unfortunately, as soon as they made the sale, what their "engineer" couldn't figure out in the first 10 minutes of a call turned into, "Well if you want to look at it further, troubleshooting is $180.00/Hr."  "No thanks, we'll send them back and buy from someone else."