Outdoor Wireless Access Point

[nelsonic]

As noted in https://github.com/dwyl/home/issues/201#issuecomment-1162894643 the Doorbell needs WiFi

Searching for "outdoor wireless access point" on the UI store gives us a few results but nothing "cheap" ... 🙄 https://eu.store.ui.com/search?mockup=outdoor+wireless+access+point&q=outdoor+wireless+access+point

Apparently, the Access Point WiFi 6 Long-Range (SKU: U6-LR) is IP54-rated for water and dust protection: https://eu.store.ui.com/products/unifi-6-long-range-access-point-1

So we could just use that outside. 💭

However ... if we're going to have to run an ethernet cable outside in any case ... note: thinking of using the solar panel conduit ... Then I'm thinking of getting an access point that has a secondary PoE output which we can use for a security camera #169 https://eu.store.ui.com/collections/wireless/products/unifi-in-wall-hd

For our immediate needs, I'm just going to use what we have rather than spend anymore cash. But in the future we will want to have the outdoor security camera [currently out-of-stock everywhere!!] so having the PoE Output on the AP will save us having to run more cables and also save ports on the switch.

Side-note: every time I go on the Ubiquiti online store and see how expensive these products are i'm in pain ... 💸 🙄

[nelsonic]

https://eu.store.ui.com/products/unifi-ac-mesh-ap?_pos=3&_sid=b0c8fce7e&_ss=r&variant=32045200441453

[nelsonic]

"Sold out" on the UI store ... [artificial scarcity!!]

Available on Worten Marketplace €118,66 if we are desperate: https://www.worten.pt/smarthome-e-redes/redes/ver-mais-redes/access-point-wlan-ubiquiti-networks-unifi-ac-mesh-MRKEAN-0810354025792

[iteles]

I've spoken to Bruno about running the Ethernet cable. He said this week will be impossible but he's going to check and I'm supposed to call tomorrow afternoon to check.

[nelsonic]

Please keep me posted. I can prob do the cable myself if they don’t have availability next week. I’m keen to get this done ASAP so we can test the doorbell both for entry and security while we are away. 🤞

[nelsonic]

Sadly, nothing is in-stock right now... #ChipShortage ... Keep checking: https://eu.store.ui.com/

[nelsonic]

Given that no other outdoor Wifi AP/Antenna was in-stock I ended up ordering this one: https://eu.store.ui.com/products/access-point-wifi-6-mesh

Yes, it's definitely over-priced. but reviews are good and it should solve our issue with the Doorbell not connecting. #201 Going to try and mount it with Miguel's help tomorrow afternoon. But it will still require the Electricians to visit to run a couple of Ethernet cables through the conduit and out of the Garage ...

@iteles could you please contact Bruno (electrician) and ask him when they might be able to visit either for T1h or for a full day if possible? 🙏

[nelsonic]

Busy testing the outdoor AP and getting full Wi-Fi - albeit at slightly lower speed - from across the street @home 🎉

more importantly the Outdoor AP has almost direct line of sight to the doorbell #201 … I say almost because the AP has line of sight to the gate, but then the doorbell is embedded in thick piece of Granite … 🙃

which limits the bandwidth to ~9mbps:

this is quite a steep decline in bandwidth, but it should be more than enough to run a doorbell (with integrated camera…) 🤞🏼

[nelsonic]

The AP is not yet fully installed; it’s currently dangling off the network cable:

I’m still testing the remaining CAT6 cables before mounting the wall bracket I made, but sadly, 2 of the cables appear to be faulty. 😢

Don’t know if you can see from this photo, but the connectors are mangled:

So I’m thinking of heading back to the electronics store to buy 2 new cables this afternoon. 💭

[nelsonic]

Confident the Outdoor Mesh AP is going to work though. So there’s some progress. 👌

[nelsonic]

And the up-side is that the whole south and west garden of the house has excellent Wi-Fi signal. 🛜🎉

[nelsonic]

Mounted the AP tonight after the munchkins were asleep. Too dark to take a photo. Will get one tomorrow morning. 👌

[nelsonic]

working flawlessly. ✅ Closing.

Next: #201 🤞🏼