Any recommendation for Access point.

[catchyuser]

Hello Everyone,

I have recently moved to Opnsense for my home network and I am looking for recommendation to install the Access Point for Wifi access .

I have tried using Intel AX210 6E wireless card and Mediatek MT7921K wireless card in the N5105 router/firewall for Wifi access point, but do not get good speed and coverage.

Can some one recommend me good 6E access point which can cover around 2000 sqft area, one of the model I am looking out is Ubquiti 6E access point.

Any help for recommendation is appreciated.

Thanks!

[cookiemonster]

I don't know what area it covers but at home I use three eeros in bridge mode and I have no black spots. Only one is plugged into a Gigabit switch as some sort of backhaul.

[Seimus]

Personally dont use your FW as a WiFi point, this is just a no-go.

Now do you need specifically an proprietary AP? Or are you up for as well possible OpenSource based OS such as OpenWRT & DD-WRT? (sadly these by now dont support 6/6e).

Regards,
S.

[bartjsmit]

one of the model I am looking out is Ubquiti 6E access point.

Unifi kit is very good. There is a planning tool for their AP's here: https://design.ui.com/login

I use two aimed at right angles of each other to reduce interference but ceiling mounted is easiest for wiring.

Bart...

[CJ]

I've been running Unifi for a while now but I don't have a 6e yet.  After their handling of the insider threat I'm looking at alternatives, but haven't decided.

I'm thinking of trying EnGenius but there are a couple of other candidates that I've looked into.  Unfortunately I can't recall the brand names off the top of my head.

[catchyuser]

Thank you all for the inputs.

So far I have only found Ubquiti U6 Enterprise model which offers 6E.

I checked EnGenius but ECW336 - 6E model offered is $699, which is bit expensive. 

[harshw]

n/m - saw the OP specifically wants 6E APs

[hushcoden]

Have a look at Aruba

[catchyuser]

Thank you @hushcoden, I will check out Aruba AP

[lilsense]

If you are gonna look at Aruba, (meh) I recommend Eero Pro

https://eero.com/shop/eero-pro-6e

it covers around 6000sqft with just one.

[catchyuser]

Thank you @lilsense.

I see Eero Pro 6E and it covers 2000 sqft with one AP, to cover 6000 it requires set of 3 AP as per their website.

They are offering monthly plan for premium features which I assume is not required and I can leverage what is offered in Opnsense

[lilsense]

yeah, no need to get any premium package.

[cookiemonster]

Thank you @lilsense.

I see Eero Pro 6E and it covers 2000 sqft with one AP, to cover 6000 it requires set of 3 AP as per their website.

They are offering monthly plan for premium features which I assume is not required and I can leverage what is offered in Opnsense

that's exactly what I do as I wrote earlier. I have three  eero Pro 6. All in bridge mode so they act as Access Points only. One is plugged to the switch. I could probably get by with only two. I had weak spots (note not black spots) with only one, then went for two and I was given them and a third for free as employee perk. In terms of coverage and speed they have been great.
All the premium functionality is not available when in bridge mode, but I am not missing out. All that fanciness is available in OPN. The only thing I wish they had was VLAN awareness, but they don't.
You can still use their guest mode when you have people visiting and is a separate SSID isolated from your main.
In my opinion as AP they are a good balance of price and AP functionality.
One more thing, I have another line and I only use it for the TV package, that line is only using an eero 6 Pro and is broadcasting its SSID in the same household and they seem to move of each other's way. Quite nice.

[newsense]

Unifi APs and Switches would be fine, use the docker/podman image for the controller though.

Otherwise go with OpenWRT and/or DDWRT, but it will be a much more involved experience finding the right router, flashing, configuring and upgrading it.

[CJ]

Otherwise go with OpenWRT and/or DDWRT, but it will be a much more involved experience finding the right router, flashing, configuring and upgrading it.

I don't understand this viewpoint.  It's not like Unifi is the only prosumer AP out there.  Why would you buy a consumer router specifically to flash and use as an AP?