Got the AP. Should I go for the switch too?

Posted on
Thu Sep 14, 2017 1:57 pm
Different Computers offline
User avatar
Posts: 2533
Joined: Jan 02, 2016
Location: East Coast

Got the AP. Should I go for the switch too?

I've got a Unifi Wifi AP that enables all the stuff I need to do, as far as I know, via the Unifi Plugin.

I'm wrapping up a renovation of my office that includes creating an actual network closet, and I'm going to get some sort of 24 port gigabit switch. I can get a decent unmanaged 24 port non-Unifi switch for about $95.

Or I could go for this, which is a solid $100 more.

My question is: is the Unifi switch going to give the Unifi plugin some new superpowers that I might not be aware of, and that will be worth the price difference?

(If Unifi made a DSL modem/router, I would definitely be buying that.)

SmartThings refugee, so happy to be on Indigo. Monterey on a base M1 Mini w/Harmony Hub, Hue, DomoPad, Dynamic URL, Device Extensions, HomeKitLink, Grafana, Plex, uniFAP, Fantastic Weather, Nanoleaf, LED Simple Effects, Bond Home, Camect.

Posted on
Thu Sep 14, 2017 3:17 pm
Busta999 offline
User avatar
Posts: 714
Joined: Mar 30, 2016
Location: Wales UK

Re: Got the AP. Should I go for the switch too?

Sorry can’t answer the switch question. I have two Unifi APs sitting off my preferred DSL Modem/Router, a Draytek Vigor. I have been using the Draytek for 5 years and it is solid, only added the Unifi to get a better end to end Wi-Fi across the house.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Posted on
Thu Sep 14, 2017 3:44 pm
kw123 offline
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Posts: 8333
Joined: May 12, 2013
Location: Dallas, TX

Got the AP. Should I go for the switch too?

The switch knows every device on the network as ALL traffic goes through it.
You could make it the dhcp server - I have not done that-
It has info of last package for each device and number of bytes.
Mine has been running since the beginning wo any hickup what so ever.
Only down is its noise.

I am using the Poe for the ap and the UniFi stick

If the room is cool the fan does not run all the time. Since I moved it into small closet at ~78F it is on all the time



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Posted on
Thu Sep 14, 2017 3:51 pm
kw123 offline
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Posts: 8333
Joined: May 12, 2013
Location: Dallas, TX

Re: Got the AP. Should I go for the switch too?

this is part of the dump of the SWITCH database (i have XX out the ip etc numbers, besides the inertial data it has info for each port, which MAC number # of bytes etc is on that port, a lot of it is shown in the unifi plugin

Code: Select all
{
  "board_rev": 7,
  "bootrom_version": "usw-v1.1.3.109-g90a2a80b",
  "cfgversion": "ca56f328941b2b2d",
  "connect_request_ip": "xx",
  "connect_request_port": "xx",
  "default": false,
  "dhcp_server_table": [
    {
      "blocked": false,
      "ip": "xx",
      "last_seen": 11339742,
      "mac": "44:d9:xx:9f:67:54",
      "port_idx": 24,
      "vlan": 1
    }
  ],
  "discovery_response": false,
  "fan_level": 1,
  "fw_caps": 5,
  "general_temperature": 44,
  "guest_token": "2304FB6090A662F2A4B12432453243A6",
  "has_eth1": false,
  "has_fan": true,
  "has_speaker": false,
  "hostname": "switch",
  "if_table": [
    {
      "full_duplex": true,
      "ip": "192.168.1.8",
      "mac": "xx",
      "name": "eth0",
      "netmask": "255.255.255.0",
      "num_port": 26,
      "rx_bytes": 1274610871,
      "rx_dropped": 0,
      "rx_errors": 0,
      "rx_multicast": 0,
      "rx_packets": 119063012,
      "speed": 10,
      "tx_bytes": 3750849201,
      "tx_dropped": 0,
      "tx_errors": 0,
      "tx_packets": 23732246,
      "up": true
    }
  ],
  "inform_url": "http://xx/inform",
  "ip": "xx",
  "isolated": false,
  "locating": false,
  "mac": "xx",
  "model": "US24P250",
  "model_display": "USW-24P-250",
  "netmask": "255.255.255.0",
  "overheating": false,
  "port_table": [
    {
      "autoneg": true,
      "dot1x_mode": "auto",
      "dot1x_status": "authorized",
      "enable": true,
      "flowctrl_rx": false,
      "flowctrl_tx": false,
      "full_duplex": true,
      "is_uplink": false,
      "jumbo": true,
      "mac_table": [
        {
          "age": 3,
          "ip": "xx",
          "mac": "xx",
          "static": false,
          "uptime": 1206218,
          "vlan": 1
        }
      ],
      "media": "GE",
      "poe_caps": 7,
      "poe_class": "Unknown",
      "poe_current": "0.00",
      "poe_enable": false,
      "poe_good": false,
      "poe_mode": "auto",
      "poe_power": "0.00",
      "poe_voltage": "0.00",
      "port_idx": 1,
      "port_poe": true,
      "rx_broadcast": 79435630,
      "rx_bytes": 1692772784629,
      "rx_dropped": 0,
      "rx_errors": 0,
      "rx_multicast": 713013,
      "rx_packets": 10653428911,
      "speed": 1000,
      "stp_pathcost": 20000,
      "stp_state": "forwarding",
      "tx_broadcast": 19157641,
      "tx_bytes": 15909536881258,
      "tx_dropped": 0,
      "tx_errors": 0,
      "tx_multicast": 9586223,
      "tx_packets": 14491558414,
      "up": true
    },
    {
      "autoneg": true,
      "dot1x_mode": "n/a",
      "dot1x_status": "n/a",
      "enable": true,
      "flowctrl_rx": false,
      "flowctrl_tx": false,
      "full_duplex": false,
      "is_uplink": false,
      "jumbo": true,
      "mac_table": [],
      "media": "GE",
      "poe_caps": 7,
      "poe_class": "Unknown",
      "poe_current": "0.00",
      "poe_enable": false,
      "poe_good": false,
      "poe_mode": "auto",
      "poe_power": "0.00",
      "poe_voltage": "0.00",
      "port_idx": 2,
      "port_poe": true,
      "rx_broadcast": 0,
      "rx_bytes": 0,
      "rx_dropped": 0,
      "rx_errors": 0,
      "rx_multicast": 0,
      "rx_packets": 0,
      "speed": 0,
      "stp_pathcost": 0,
      "stp_state": "disabled",
      "tx_broadcast": 0,
      "tx_bytes": 0,
      "tx_dropped": 0,
      "tx_errors": 0,
      "tx_multicast": 0,
      "tx_packets": 0,
      "up": false
    },
    {
      "autoneg": true,
      "dot1x_mode": "auto",
      "dot1x_status": "authorized",
      "enable": true,
      "flowctrl_rx": false,
      "flowctrl_tx": false,
      "full_duplex": true,
      "is_uplink": false,
      "jumbo": true,
      "mac_table": [
        {
          "age": 10,
          "ip": "192.168.1.9",
          "mac": "44:d9:e7:9f:f9:97",
          "static": false,
          "uptime": 8401767,
          "vlan": 1
        }
      ],
      "media": "GE",
      "poe_caps": 7,
      "poe_class": "Class 0",
      "poe_current": "50.29",
      "poe_enable": true,
      "poe_good": true,
      "poe_mode": "auto",
      "poe_power": "2.69",
      "poe_voltage": "53.46",
      "port_idx": 3,
      "port_poe": true,
      "rx_broadcast": 352,
      "rx_bytes": 4500966491,
      "rx_dropped": 92466,
      "rx_errors": 0,
      "rx_multicast": 672052,
      "rx_packets": 27185644,
      "speed": 1000,
      "stp_pathcost": 20000,
      "stp_state": "forwarding",
      "tx_broadcast": 98595712,
      "tx_bytes": 26735448093,
      "tx_dropped": 0,
      "tx_errors": 0,
      "tx_multicast": 11169656,
      "tx_packets": 140842708,
      "up": true
    },
    {
      "autoneg": true,
      "dot1x_mode": "n/a",
      "dot1x_status": "n/a",
      "enable": true,
      "flowctrl_rx": false,
      "flowctrl_tx": false,
      "full_duplex": false,
      "is_uplink": false,
      "jumbo": true,
      "mac_table": [],
      "media": "GE",
      "poe_caps": 7,
      "poe_class": "Unknown",
      "poe_current": "0.00",
      "poe_enable": false,
      "poe_good": false,
      "poe_mode": "auto",
      "poe_power": "0.00",
      "poe_voltage": "0.00",
      "port_idx": 4,
      "port_poe": true,
      "rx_broadcast": 0,
      "rx_bytes": 0,
      "rx_dropped": 0,
      "rx_errors": 0,
      "rx_multicast": 0,
      "rx_packets": 0,
      "speed": 0,
      "stp_pathcost": 0,
      "stp_state": "disabled",
      "tx_broadcast": 0,
      "tx_bytes": 0,
      "tx_dropped": 0,
      "tx_errors": 0,
      "tx_multicast": 0,
      "tx_packets": 0,
      "up": false
    },
    {
      "autoneg": true,
      "dot1x_mode": "n/a",
      "dot1x_status": "n/a",
      "enable": true,
      "flowctrl_rx": false,
      "flowctrl_tx": false,
      "full_duplex": false,
      "is_uplink": false,
      "jumbo": true,
      "mac_table": [],
      "media": "GE",
      "poe_caps": 7,
      "poe_class": "Unknown",
      "poe_current": "0.00",
      "poe_enable": false,
      "poe_good": false,
      "poe_mode": "auto",
      "poe_power": "0.00",
      "poe_voltage": "0.00",
      "port_idx": 5,
      "port_poe": true,
      "rx_broadcast": 0,
      "rx_bytes": 0,
      "rx_dropped": 0,
      "rx_errors": 0,
      "rx_multicast": 0,
      "rx_packets": 0,
      "speed": 0,
      "stp_pathcost": 0,
      "stp_state": "disabled",
      "tx_broadcast": 0,
      "tx_bytes": 0,
      "tx_dropped": 0,
      "tx_errors": 0,
      "tx_multicast": 0,
      "tx_packets": 0,
      "up": false
    },
    {
      "autoneg": true,
      "dot1x_mode": "auto",
      "dot1x_status": "authorized",
      "enable": true,
      "flowctrl_rx": false,
      "flowctrl_tx": false,
      "full_duplex": true,
      "is_uplink": false,
      "jumbo": true,
      "mac_table": [
        {
          "age": 8700,
          "hostname": "xx",
          "ip": "xx",
          "mac": "b8:27:eb:0b:0a:4e",
          "static": false,
          "uptime": 51706,
          "vlan": 1
        }
      ],
      "media": "GE",
      "poe_caps": 7,
      "poe_class": "Unknown",
      "poe_current": "0.00",
      "poe_enable": false,
      "poe_good": false,
      "poe_mode": "auto",
      "poe_power": "0.00",
      "poe_voltage": "0.00",
      "port_idx": 6,
      "port_poe": true,
      "rx_broadcast": 147026,
      "rx_bytes": 1632149068,
      "rx_dropped": 7075,
      "rx_errors": 0,
      "rx_multicast": 12850,
      "rx_packets": 11307274,
      "speed": 100,
      "stp_pathcost": 200000,
      "stp_state": "forwarding",
      "tx_broadcast": 98437408,
      "tx_bytes": 11238498389,
      "tx_dropped": 7441,
      "tx_errors": 0,
      "tx_multicast": 9819796,
      "tx_packets": 122656078,
      "up": true
    },
    {
      "autoneg": true,
      "dot1x_mode": "n/a",
      "dot1x_status": "n/a",
      "enable": true,
      "flowctrl_rx": false,
      "flowctrl_tx": false,
      "full_duplex": false,
      "is_uplink": false,
      "jumbo": true,
      "mac_table": [],
      "media": "GE",
      "poe_caps": 7,
      "poe_class": "Unknown",
      "poe_current": "0.00",
      "poe_enable": false,
      "poe_good": false,
      "poe_mode": "auto",
      "poe_power": "0.00",
      "poe_voltage": "0.00",
      "port_idx": 7,
      "port_poe": true,
      "rx_broadcast": 0,
      "rx_bytes": 0,
      "rx_dropped": 0,
      "rx_errors": 0,
      "rx_multicast": 0,
      "rx_packets": 0,
      "speed": 0,
      "stp_pathcost": 0,
      "stp_state": "disabled",
      "tx_broadcast": 0,
      "tx_bytes": 0,
      "tx_dropped": 0,
      "tx_errors": 0,
      "tx_multicast": 0,
      "tx_packets": 0,
      "up": false
    },
  ....
ets": 0,
      "up": false
    }
  ],
  "required_version": "3.3.1",
  "root_switch": "xx",
  "selfrun_beacon": true,
  "serial": "802AA81DA93D",
  "service_mac": "xx,
  "ssh_session_table": [],
  "state": 2,
  "stp_priority": 32768,
  "stream_token": "",
  "sys_stats": {
    "loadavg_1": "1.58",
    "loadavg_15": "1.62",
    "loadavg_5": "1.61",
    "mem_buffer": 0,
    "mem_total": 262762496,
    "mem_used": 106893312
  },
  "system-stats": {
    "cpu": "59.2",
    "mem": "7.0",
    "uptime": "11340066"
  },
  "time": 11340065,
  "uplink": "eth0",
  "uptime": 11340066,
  "version": "3.7.51.6230"
}


and the device page in the plugin:
Attachments
Screen Shot 2017-09-14 at 16.54.28.png
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Posted on
Fri Sep 15, 2017 3:54 am
CliveS offline
Posts: 761
Joined: Jan 10, 2016
Location: Medomsley, County Durham, UK

Re: Got the AP. Should I go for the switch too?

kw123 wrote:
The switch knows every device on the network as ALL traffic goes through it.
You could make it the dhcp server - I have not done that-
It has info of last package for each device and number of bytes.
Mine has been running since the beginning wo any hickup what so ever.
Only down is its noise.

I am using the Poe for the ap and the UniFi stick

If the room is cool the fan does not run all the time. Since I moved it into small closet at ~78F it is on all the time


I also have the UniFi 24 Port POE 250W switch and I replaced the two 40mm fans in the switch for 4 xNoctua NF-A4x20 http://noctua.at/en/products/fan/nf-a4x20-flx which are silent.
I also have a desk fan running over the switch, 8 port UniFi switch, UniFi USG, CloudKey and Mac Mini that comes on when the temp rises in the cupboard on (the rare) hot days in County Durham!

CliveS

CliveS

Indigo 2023.2.0 : macOS Ventura 13.6.3 : Mac Mini M2 : 8‑core CPU and 10‑core GPU : 8 GB : 256GB SSD
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The best way to get the right answer on the Internet is not to ask a question, it's to post the wrong answer

Posted on
Fri Sep 15, 2017 4:27 am
autolog offline
Posts: 3988
Joined: Sep 10, 2013
Location: West Sussex, UK [GMT aka UTC]

Re: Got the AP. Should I go for the switch too?

CliveS wrote:
... I also have the UniFi 24 Port POE 250W switch and I replaced the two 40mm fans in the switch for 4 xNoctua NF-A4x20 http://noctua.at/en/products/fan/nf-a4x20-flx which are silent. ...


That's interesting info. :)

The fan noise is the one thing that has stopped me from getting one of these.

You say that you replaced two fans with four fans - was that easy or did you have to mod the switch in any way to accommodate the new fans?

Posted on
Fri Sep 15, 2017 5:03 am
CliveS offline
Posts: 761
Joined: Jan 10, 2016
Location: Medomsley, County Durham, UK

Re: Got the AP. Should I go for the switch too?

autolog wrote:
CliveS wrote:
... I also have the UniFi 24 Port POE 250W switch and I replaced the two 40mm fans in the switch for 4 xNoctua NF-A4x20 http://noctua.at/en/products/fan/nf-a4x20-flx which are silent. ...


That's interesting info. :)

The fan noise is the one thing that has stopped me from getting one of these.

You say that you replaced two fans with four fans - was that easy or did you have to mod the switch in any way to accommodate the new fans?


Took 30 minutes, fixed the new fans with double sided 3M stickies on the bottom and the power just plugged in to existing 5v power sockets mounted on the PCB.
Some people have cut/dremeled out the fan holes as these also cause wind noise from the original fans but the 4 fans I got have a slower RPM but shift more air.
Original setup is 2 fans at the side pulling out the air, I have now 2 fans pulling out the air at one side and 2 pushing in air at the other side to cause a cross draft.

CliveS

CliveS

Indigo 2023.2.0 : macOS Ventura 13.6.3 : Mac Mini M2 : 8‑core CPU and 10‑core GPU : 8 GB : 256GB SSD
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The best way to get the right answer on the Internet is not to ask a question, it's to post the wrong answer

Posted on
Fri Sep 15, 2017 5:14 am
autolog offline
Posts: 3988
Joined: Sep 10, 2013
Location: West Sussex, UK [GMT aka UTC]

Re: Got the AP. Should I go for the switch too?

That layout sounds more effective.

Thanks for the info. :)

Posted on
Fri Sep 15, 2017 6:47 am
Korey offline
User avatar
Posts: 811
Joined: Jun 04, 2008
Location: Henderson, NV

Re: Got the AP. Should I go for the switch too?

Different Computers wrote:

(If Unifi made a DSL modem/router, I would definitely be buying that.)


They don't make that, but they do have a very nice "Consumer line" setup with everything (minus the dsl) baked into a nice package.

https://amplifi.com

I have been recommending these to all my non techie friends and they all have been very impressed.

:D

--
Korey

Posted on
Fri Sep 15, 2017 8:24 am
norcoscia offline
User avatar
Posts: 1206
Joined: Sep 09, 2015

Re: Got the AP. Should I go for the switch too?

Hi, Korey - that system looks really cool - I have been thinking about upgrading my current system to one of the many mesh systems on the market but I can't seem to find one answer on any of the manufacturer's web site.

I have a limited background in networking but it is my understanding that in a conventional system with a normal wiFi router people usually add range extenders to their system to increase the reach, usually to cover a large home / area.

I have always tried to stay away from those because (from my understanding) the packets must be encoded for the wireless path (at the main router), then transmitted and received at a range extender. The wireless packet must then be partially decoded, examined and then re-encoded for the next WiFi hop. That process negatively impacts max throughput and latency of the wireless network - and the impacts are multiplied by additional hops, if multiple hops are used.

Do the mesh systems eliminate this extra decoding and recoding by engineering a different approach on the wireless side of the network? Also, there are about twenty plus items that affect performance of a Xmitter/Reciever beyond emitter power, antenna size/quantity and height. The collection of things are used in a link budget calculations but I never see any good info about those specifications on any of the manufacturer's web sites - most of the time I can't even find transmitter power output values.

Wondering if you, or maybe Karl, has some insight on any of this and would be willing to help me understand the value of a mesh wireless system.

_______
Norm

Posted on
Sun Oct 29, 2017 11:18 pm
mundmc offline
User avatar
Posts: 1060
Joined: Sep 14, 2012

Re: Got the AP. Should I go for the switch too?

A month and 1/2 isn't necrothreading, right? :)

In my new HA build (a new home), I am using the Unifi Security Gateway (USG), 24-port-(non-PoE) switch, and 2 Ap's (soon to be 3 AP's).
Plugins running include fingscan, unifi, and pibeacon (thanks Karl).

The non-PoE 24 port switch runs very quiet in a relatively hot enclosed rack for me. I THINK i heard the fan turn on once, while booting, but I may have been hallucinating. So far, I am very happy with the ecosystem. The extra $50 for the switch is worth it for no other reason than it shows up in the Unifi controller web-ap/iphone app, and the apps provide me valuable but simple information (like what devices are on what port). I don't believe I have any need for VLANs, though I like the option.

For devices that need PoE (4 IP cams and the Unifi Cloud Key), I connect the cams to cheapo PoE switches off Amazon that connect to the Unifi switch. The Cloud Key goes directly to the switch and gets it's own power supply. I know, I know, not good network topology practice, but the cams go to a switch on which their DVR is located, and the cams are not accessed by any mean other than the DVR (cutting down on high-bandwith video going upstream to the main switch or USG. The AP's just use their incuded charger.

I'm strongly considering adding an rPi to the outgoing ethernet on the AP's to use pibeacon and temp/humidity/pressure sensors, but I don't think the voltage gets passed through.

Sorry for rambling. Hope I addressed your question somewhere in there.

Posted on
Mon Oct 30, 2017 4:08 pm
kw123 offline
User avatar
Posts: 8333
Joined: May 12, 2013
Location: Dallas, TX

Re: Got the AP. Should I go for the switch too?

Here my take.
-Range extender cut throughout in half
-I have not used any of the the new mesh systems
The UniFi system I have are 3 AP 2 and 5 ghz. All connected through cable. UniFi manages the handover for phones pretty well. I can walk through the house and can roam between APs while on the WiFi phone.
There is about 0.5 sec break you can notice. But not bad.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Posted on
Mon Oct 30, 2017 4:29 pm
Seeker offline
Posts: 440
Joined: Aug 05, 2013

Re: Got the AP. Should I go for the switch too?

i have not tried this plugin yet, but over the past month i've gone all Ubiquiti/Unifi. USG, switch-8 POE, AP-Lite. It all works so well and i love it. Amazing gear.

Posted on
Mon Oct 30, 2017 9:53 pm
kw123 offline
User avatar
Posts: 8333
Joined: May 12, 2013
Location: Dallas, TX

Re: Got the AP. Should I go for the switch too?

.. upcoming.. new UniFi plugin version.
- much faster
- nice reporting
- can set all kinds of things on the UniFi devices
- optimized up/ down algorithm
Karl


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Posted on
Mon Oct 30, 2017 11:43 pm
Korey offline
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Posts: 811
Joined: Jun 04, 2008
Location: Henderson, NV

Re: Got the AP. Should I go for the switch too?

8) 8) 8)

Thanks Karl!!

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Korey

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