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WiFi channel allocation in mesh (wired or non wired)

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WiFi channel allocation in mesh (wired or non wired)

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WiFi channel allocation in mesh (wired or non wired)
WiFi channel allocation in mesh (wired or non wired)
2023-02-27 15:46:32 - last edited 2023-03-01 11:07:58
Tags: #VLAN & Multi-Networks #Mesh #Roaming
Model: EAP610  
Hardware Version: V3
Firmware Version: 1.1.0 Build 20220729 Rel. 73179

Hello folks

 

Context:

This is for advanced home networking. I run mostly wired networking, my network uses 5 VLANs:

  • one for regular LAN

  • one for IoT devices

  • one for DSL WAN

  • one for Starlink WAN

  • one for a IPTV set-top box wich is a PITA to configure, and required IPv6 SLAAC. Didn't want that on any of my regular LANs, so now it has its own VLAN.

Routing between VLANs is done by a pfSense box with 4 interfaces. Core switch is a Cisco SG-500 28 port.

 

WiFi & Zigbee:

All my AP use channels 6 or 11. I never use other channels. Channel 1 is blacklisted, since it would interfere with my ZigBee mesh running on Zigbee channel11.

 

Considering that each electric radiator is now individually controlled with ZigBee, it is critical that I maintain stable ZigBee performance, or the comfort in the house, as well as the Wife Acceptance Factor are going to drop dramatically.

 

I used to have "simple" AP for WiFi devices, and used D-Link DAP-2310, because it allows for 2 WiFi SSID. SSID 1 is mapped to LAN VLAN, and SSID 2 is mapped to IoT VLAN

Recently one of the AP died, so I decided to test out "new" WiFi, and got myself a TP-Link EAP610. It works very well. So well that I am now considering adding another one to improve coverage. I configured the Omada controller software in a Linux VM, so I can configure centrally, have roaming between APs and mesh functions.

 

Question:

Suppose I add 2 more EAP610. I have a couple questions related to design and channel usage:

  • if the 2 additional EAP are using wireless only, would they still use channel 11 (same as the current EAP610)? Or would I have to select channels 6 and 11 and distribute between APs?I think I understand that in mesh, they all use the same channel, but am not sure

  • if I add them using wireless only, should I buy a bigger central AP for the connection to the wired network? use the current EAP610 as a wireless mesh member, and bump the wired mesh member to a EAP653 or even a EAP670?I noticed that the current EAP610 is already high in CPU and memory usage, with just my laptop using WiFi (OK so I'm using 100Mpbs right now since doing a backup, but still!)

  • if I wire the additional AP (should be easy). As far as I understand, it would give me better backhaul bandwith. But in that case, would the AP still use a single channel?

 

Having a better WiFi would be nice, but I really don't want to install additional APs if any solution will degrade the performance of the ZigBee mesh.

 
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1 Accepted Solution
Re:WiFi channel allocation in mesh (wired or non wired)-Solution
2023-02-27 19:03:36 - last edited 2023-03-01 11:07:58

  @LilYoda 

 

Hey and Welcome!

 

Glad you are finding the EAP610 does the job, its a great AP for the price!   Hopefully be able to answer some of your questions

 

  • if the 2 additional EAP are using wireless only, would they still use channel 11 (same as the current EAP610)? Or would I have to select channels 6 and 11 and distribute between APs?I think I understand that in mesh, they all use the same channel, but am not sure

 

The Downstream AP will have to talk to the ROOT AP on the same frequency, so yes it will adopt channel 11 if you have that set as the ROOT.   This can however be adjusted manually if required.  

 

  • if I add them using wireless only, should I buy a bigger central AP for the connection to the wired network? use the current EAP610 as a wireless mesh member, and bump the wired mesh member to a EAP653 or even a EAP670?I noticed that the current EAP610 is already high in CPU and memory usage, with just my laptop using WiFi (OK so I'm using 100Mpbs right now since doing a backup, but still!)

  •  

 

This has been asked a few times, and while there is no hard and fast answer for it.. here is my 2 cents from experience.   Personally, yes I would look to replace the ROOT with an AP that can handle 3x3 or 4x4, something like the EAP670.   My thinking is that 95% of clients have 2x2 cards in them, so a 4x4 AP could technically have 2x2 for clients, and 2x2 for the MESH transfer..    while its not as simplistic as that in reality, from my experience the speed difference is noticeably faster with a 4x4 ROOT.   

 

However, if you only have a few WiFi devices hanging off the MESH at at time, it may not be an issue. 

 

 

  • if I wire the additional AP (should be easy). As far as I understand, it would give me better backhaul bandwith. But in that case, would the AP still use a single channel?

 

This would be the optimal solution, if cabling is at all an option.. do it!   Obviously, you wont have a MESH anymore as its not wirelessly connected, will just be the normal Managed APs with Roaming but performance will be 100% faster than any MESH solution.    In terms of channel, no it won't automatically adopt the same channel 11, but just change it manually.

 

In terms of single vs multi-channel setups.. its a personal preference really, but if the experience is anything then 90% of the WiFi networks I have come across via work are multi channel.   I can actually only think of 1 single channel setup.    If you are asking my advice, multi-channel appears to have won the arguement in business use anyways! 

 

Arrange the APs on channels   6   11   6   (basically 11 in middle) and you should be OK.  Just keep the channel widths on 2.4ghz to 20mhz else you will start flooding the entire range.  

 

 

 

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Re:WiFi channel allocation in mesh (wired or non wired)-Solution
2023-02-27 19:03:36 - last edited 2023-03-01 11:07:58

  @LilYoda 

 

Hey and Welcome!

 

Glad you are finding the EAP610 does the job, its a great AP for the price!   Hopefully be able to answer some of your questions

 

  • if the 2 additional EAP are using wireless only, would they still use channel 11 (same as the current EAP610)? Or would I have to select channels 6 and 11 and distribute between APs?I think I understand that in mesh, they all use the same channel, but am not sure

 

The Downstream AP will have to talk to the ROOT AP on the same frequency, so yes it will adopt channel 11 if you have that set as the ROOT.   This can however be adjusted manually if required.  

 

  • if I add them using wireless only, should I buy a bigger central AP for the connection to the wired network? use the current EAP610 as a wireless mesh member, and bump the wired mesh member to a EAP653 or even a EAP670?I noticed that the current EAP610 is already high in CPU and memory usage, with just my laptop using WiFi (OK so I'm using 100Mpbs right now since doing a backup, but still!)

  •  

 

This has been asked a few times, and while there is no hard and fast answer for it.. here is my 2 cents from experience.   Personally, yes I would look to replace the ROOT with an AP that can handle 3x3 or 4x4, something like the EAP670.   My thinking is that 95% of clients have 2x2 cards in them, so a 4x4 AP could technically have 2x2 for clients, and 2x2 for the MESH transfer..    while its not as simplistic as that in reality, from my experience the speed difference is noticeably faster with a 4x4 ROOT.   

 

However, if you only have a few WiFi devices hanging off the MESH at at time, it may not be an issue. 

 

 

  • if I wire the additional AP (should be easy). As far as I understand, it would give me better backhaul bandwith. But in that case, would the AP still use a single channel?

 

This would be the optimal solution, if cabling is at all an option.. do it!   Obviously, you wont have a MESH anymore as its not wirelessly connected, will just be the normal Managed APs with Roaming but performance will be 100% faster than any MESH solution.    In terms of channel, no it won't automatically adopt the same channel 11, but just change it manually.

 

In terms of single vs multi-channel setups.. its a personal preference really, but if the experience is anything then 90% of the WiFi networks I have come across via work are multi channel.   I can actually only think of 1 single channel setup.    If you are asking my advice, multi-channel appears to have won the arguement in business use anyways! 

 

Arrange the APs on channels   6   11   6   (basically 11 in middle) and you should be OK.  Just keep the channel widths on 2.4ghz to 20mhz else you will start flooding the entire range.  

 

 

 

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Re:WiFi channel allocation in mesh (wired or non wired)
2023-02-28 21:46:49
Thanks a lot Philbert. I'll try to keep it wired as much as possible, alternating between 6 and 11 channels, as I've been doing to far with "dumb" APs But it's good to know that both can coexist in the same environment, and also the trick to keep bandwidth to 20MHz
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