Link to home
Start Free TrialLog in
Avatar of byt3
byt3

asked on

Wireless LAN distribution and client access recommendation

I need to distribute wireless connectivity to a camp from the demarc point of the ISP. I need to use wireless to get the the signal to the trailers and then wireless access points in the trailers for clients. I'm trying to research a product to use as an alternative to Cisco (including Meraki). Cisco is quite costly (Meraki is not as costly, but it is cloud managed and there are potential security issues) and if another solution exists that works great and costs less I want to know.

I'm looking for a mesh setup for connecting the trailers to the internet. I'd like the mesh backhaul links and the client access points to be the same brand for ease of management.

Thanks.
Avatar of Miftaul H
Miftaul H

Meraki is also owned by Cisco.

Could you please check Ubiquiti - here
+1 for Ubiquiti
Avatar of byt3

ASKER

I did think about Ubiquiti. I used it for another company I worked for (and liked using it there), however I don't like the limitations it has. Ubiquiti doesn't support roaming (Only in beta) and Ubiquiti maxes out at 4 SSIDs.

Aside from that I do really like Ubiquiti.
Hmmm, Ubiquiti does support roaming in v3 (production, not beta)...

http://dl.ubnt.com/datasheets/unifi/UBNT_DS_Zero_Handoff_Roaming.pdf

The 4 SSID issue is annoying though that is true, however if you use RADIUS you 'could' use dynamic VLAN assignment via one SSID for your users, so the VLAN-to-SSID limit doesn't apply.
Avatar of byt3

ASKER

The deployment won't integrate with the client's authentication infrastructure and I'd need user or machine logins or certificates or something for the dynamic assignment via RADIUS.

Thanks though.
You're right, but you can do User authentication via PEAP-MSChapV2 to facilitate dynamic VLAN assignment via RADIUS.  You would only need a certificate on the RADIUS server for that.

Alas though if you are doing this for domain-joined machines though you would need a computer certificate per PC.

What authentication solution does the client have?
Avatar of byt3

ASKER

Just found out that I don't need to provide client wireless access. Only mesh back-haul links to connect trailers to the trailer with the demarc. That simplifies things a lot. Ubiquiti has a proprietary mesh network substitute doesn't it?
Kind of.  If it's what I think you mean, it's more like a bridging solution off the back of the wireless.  That's all you'd need though - a bridge.
Avatar of byt3

ASKER

Yes I need a bridge, but a mesh network too. The mesh will automatically find another device to connect to if it's current connected device goes down to maintain network connectivity.
That will happen anyway.

A mesh would give you multiple backhaul links at the same time, which isn't technically the same thing.
Avatar of byt3

ASKER

Oh right. It just starts using a different link if the one its using goes down. I don't think Ubiquiti supports the mesh protocol, but has their own proprietary thing... I think.

When you said bridge I thought you meant a single point to point connection.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
Avatar of byt3
byt3

Link to home
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Start Free Trial
Avatar of byt3

ASKER

Didn't receive any other info that helped.