Spotty Home Wifi? Why You Need Access Points, Not a New Router

In today’s world of technology, wifi is a must-have for home networks. A lot of people think that if you have Wifi, then that is all you need. But if you don’t have wifi, then you are screwed. Now that I have gotten rid of my wifi device, I left the NetGear router behind. What did I move to?

Access Points

Now, I have always wanted to have some access points in my house. But what exactly is an Access Point?

This device creates a wireless local area network (WLAN). Access points (APs) act as portals that connect your devices.

• Phones
• Laptops
• Tablets
• Kindles
• Switch’s (NES)
• TV’s
• Etc.

This is how Wi-Fi spreads around your home or area.

These aren’t routers, as most people will assume. So people don’t even care. Just as long as they can surf the Internet.

How many

So, how many APs would you need in your area? Well, it all depends on who you are and what you would like to do. In my house, I have a couple of different kinds. I would suggest that you have all the same model and type.

I was going to get all the same. But for some reason, I only got one to start with, and that was for the upstairs, since that is where 99% of our devices were. (NetGear was located in the basement, not a good spot for all the upstairs devices.

The upstairs AP is a U6 Lite, and the one in the basement is an AC Pro.

Feature / Capability	UniFi U6 Lite	UniFi AC Pro	Winning Edge / Use Case
Wi-Fi Generation	Wi-Fi 6(802.11ax)	Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)	U6 Lite: Better efficiency, lower latency, and future-proofing.
Aggregate Max Speed	Up to 1.5 Gbps	Up to 1.75 Gbps	AC Pro:Higher overall raw speed potential, mostly due to its stronger 2.4 GHz band.
5 GHz Performance	1.2 Gbps (2×2 MU-MIMO & OFDMA)	1.3 Gbps (3×3 MIMO)	U6 Lite:Features OFDMA, which slices channels to talk to multiple modern devices simultaneously without lag.
2.4 GHz Performance	300 Mbps (2×2 MIMO)	450 Mbps (3×3 MIMO)	AC Pro:Better for older legacy devices and long-range 2.4 GHz clients due to its 3rd spatial stream.
Coverage Area	Up to 1,250 sq ft ($115\text{ m}^2$)	Up to 1,500 sq ft($140\text{ m}^2$)	AC Pro:Slightly larger coverage footprint and stronger penetration power.
Concurrent Clients	300+ clients	250+ clients	U6 Lite: Better optimized for smart homes dense with IoT devices.
Ethernet Ports	1x Gigabit RJ45 port	2x Gigabit RJ45 ports	AC Pro: The secondary port allows you to “daisy-chain” a hardwired device (like a computer or camera) right off the AP.
Placement Environment	Indoors only	Indoors or Covered Outdoors	AC Pro:Weather-resistant rubber gaskets allow it to be mounted under eaves, patios, or open garages.
Power Method	Standard 48V, 802.3af PoE	Standard 48V, 802.3af PoE or 802.3at PoE+	Tie: Both run easily off standard PoE switches.
Wireless Meshing	Yes	Yes	Tie: Both can connect wirelessly to other UniFi APs to extend coverage without an Ethernet backhaul.
Multiple SSIDs & VLANs	Yes (Up to 8 per radio)	Yes (Up to 8 per radio)	Tie: Both fully support network segmentation (e.g., Main, IoT, Guest).
Guest Portal / Isolation	Yes	Yes	Tie: Both handle secure captive guest network landing pages and voucher systems natively.
Form Factor / Size	Compact & Discreet ($\varnothing160 \times 33\text{ mm}$)	Larger Profile ($\varnothing196.7 \times 35\text{ mm}$)	U6 Lite: Much smaller footprint on walls/ceilings and compatible with nanoHD aesthetic skins.

Power

So, gadget guy, who does one power the AP’s don’t have? Do you need power for these to run? Well, yes, you do; that is how they work. So, you don’t have a plug to plug them in with. That is why many people tend to hide them in the closet.

These are powered over the Ethernet cable, and you need an adapter that converts the Ethernet cable into power. It is called PoE. Power over Ethernet, and it is amazing. You will not have to provide a separate power outlet. You plug the Ethernet cable into a PoE switch or an adapter. It is quite nice. However, there are some UI APs that you can easily chain the connection to, but not the power. What the heck, UI? That was a mistake.

Placement

It all depends on where you would like to have the AP placed. When I was building the house, the electrician asked if I wanted this in the closet since most people like to hide the plug and the device. Not me, I wanted it in the hallway. I mean, it is hidden behind the hallway arch’s header. You won’t know it is there unless you are looking for it.

I found this to be the best placement for my needs. Some might move it to the closet or somewhere else. But this was the best spot for the devices in the house. Since a lot of them are laptops, work tablets, etc. They are all located in this area. This is where the majority of the other devices were. So it made sense.

That was the lite AP.

I place one on the opposite side of the house in the basement. This way, this could take on the load of the south side of the house, like smart home devices.

Which made it nice. Splitting the load across the devices improved the range.

My son still complains that the Wifi is spotty downstairs, where he is. But, hey, at least the direct connect stuff works great.

 Worth it

For me, yes, the AP is very, very worth it. It helps spread out the connection and improve the flow of the Internet. It also helps extend the Wifi. My wifi can be seen around the neighborhood. Well, not a long way, but it’s visible.

Yes, the AP is very worth it. A lot of people will never use them. But for those who would like to make sure that the Wifi is working well. Then they will know this is a must. If you aren’t technical or don’t want to run cables to places outside the house. Then, no, these aren’t for you. But if you’re doing a new build, then these are for you.

My opinion. I think all builders should be home network-minded. However, not many people will use UNFI devices. But still, this should be an option.

Future

I would love to get two more for the house. Yes, two more. To make sure the Wifif is strong every. My plan, since my wife took my office, is to have one there, and maybe one outside on the patio.

The patio one might be overkill. But I will have to see. That is down the road.

Next Week

Talking about the AP6+ AP.

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