Reader AMA Answers
Originally Posted: October 13th, 2020
Reader AMA Answers
I started this website a bit over a year ago, and I'm still amazed that anyone reads it. I'm still figuring things out, but sharing what I know and helping others along the way has been rewarding. I love hearing from readers. Since I posted my request for questions, I've heard from quite a few people. Most are interested in what I have to say about Ubiquiti and UniFi, but I tried to focus on the more general questions.
Table of Contents
- I want to learn more about networking, where should I start? ↩︎
- Should l upgrade to the Wi-Fi 6 Eero if I have an Eero Pro? ↩︎
- How should I test my Wi-Fi speed? ↩︎
- Should I wait for Wi-Fi 6E? ↩︎
- How can I get gigabit speeds from Wi-Fi? ↩︎
- Would you recommend UniFi for a business network? ↩︎
- What do you think about UniFi Protect and UniFi Access? ↩︎
- How do I extend the Wi-Fi range on my UniFi Dream Machine? ↩︎
- Should I still consider buying a USG? ↩︎
- Which UniFi AP should I buy? ↩︎
- How do I specify a DNS server for my UniFi networks? ↩︎
- UniFi seems like a hassle, should I look into a mesh kit instead? ↩︎
- What do you use for web hosting? How can I start my own website? ↩︎
- Do you do consulting? ↩︎
- How can I support your website? ↩︎
I want to learn more about networking, where should I start?
My main advice is to focus on networking fundamentals first. There’s no shortage of resources out there for learning, but I recommend starting with a certification. Following along with the course materials can give you a good structure to work with, and an easy path to learning. You don’t necessarily have to take the test, which are usually expensive. If you do pay to take a certification test, it can be one way to prove your knowledge to a potential employer. Learning is its own reward, though.
The Cisco CCNA is what worked for me. There are some Cisco specific topics in the CCNA material, but 90% of it is basic, fundamental networking knowledge. The best thing about the CCNA is that it is widely known. There are a ton of books, video courses, and blog posts available to help you learn the material.
The CCNA can be a bit challenging to start with, though. It will probably take a few months of dedicated studying to master if you don't have any networking knowledge. A slightly easier path to get started would be the Comptia A+ or Network+ certifications. The A+ covers a lot of basic IT knowledge. The Network+ certification covers a lot of the same general networking knowledge that the CCNA does.
There are a lot of other certifications out there, too. If you're interested in a specific area, there's probably a certification available that can help you. As you learn those IT and networking concepts, it’ll be easier to see how to implement them on your networking gear. Forums, groups, and networking focused communities are great resources if you have specific questions about something.
Once you know the fundamentals, applying them will be easier. Figure out how you learn best, get your hands on some equipment, and get to work!
Should l upgrade to the Wi-Fi 6 Eero if I have an Eero Pro?
I always struggle answering subjective questions like this. Advising people on what to buy is tricky. A lot depends on what you're doing, what your budget is, and what you want out of the equipment.
In general, the current Wi-Fi 5 Eero products impress me. I bought the 3-piece Eero kit for my sister, and she's been happy with it. The Wi-Fi 5 Eero Pro is still a good tri-band mesh kit. Deciding to upgrade from the Eero Pro mostly comes down to your budget and if you want the improvements that come with Wi-Fi 6. You have decide if it's worth the money you'll spend.
No one has been able to test out the Eero 6 products yet, so it's really hard for me to say that you should buy it. I wouldn't recommend anyone buy any tech products via pre-ordering. It's always better to wait for reviews. When it comes out in November I will be testing it, and I'll have a better answer then.
How should I test my Wi-Fi speed?
Tip #1: Don't rely on public speed test servers. They can be handy for quickly getting an idea of your Wi-Fi networks performance, but they have issues:
- Results can be inconsistent from test to test.
- If you get a really slow speed there's no way of knowing where the issue is, or what is causing it.
- You won't know if the limit is on your side, or the speed test servers side. This is most visible on high-bandwidth connections, like homes with gigabit service. Your connection may be capable of higher speeds than the server is able to deliver.
If you're interested in testing your local networks speed, a better way to test throughput is using a program like iPerf. Tools like iPerf allow you to get repeatable results, and not be affected by the limits of a public speed test server. When used properly, it can give you a more accurate measure of how much data your network can handle.
Speed tests tell you how your network performs, but they don't show you why, or help you diagnose issues. For that, you should check some key metrics like RSSI and SNR. The easiest way to find this information is to use a Wi-Fi analyzer application. There are a bunch of free options out there, but I tend to use NetSpot or InSSIDer on Windows and Wi-Fi Explorer Pro on macOS. Wi-Fi analyzers can also help you identify other common issues, like channel conflicts. NetSpot has a good help section to address common questions and help you get started.
RSSI stands for received signal strength indicator, and it shows you how strong your connection is. This is a basic way to figure out if your access point is loud enough for a good connection. RSSI is a negative scale, and the closer to 0 you are, the better your signal is. -70 is usually the cutoff for a decent connection, -60 is good, -50 is better, and -40 or more is probably too much. If your RSSI is below -70, you may want to add another access point, or consider adjusting the network in some way.
If you compare your RSSI with the background noise (interference) you can calculate your signal-to-noise ratio. SNR is a good way of assessing the quality of your connection between your device and your access point. Generally, you need a SNR over 15 or 20 for reliable communication, and over 35 for the highest data rates. The lower the SNR, the worse your connection is. Low SNR is caused by low RSSI, high levels interference, or both.
Bad Wi-Fi is tricky to diagnose, and I'm only scratching the surface here. Speed tests are OK for a spot check, but getting detailed numerical data helps you narrow down issues and troubleshoot bad connections. A public speed test server is one tool, but it isn't always the most reliable.
Should I wait for Wi-Fi 6E?
This is another tough question with a subjective answer, but I don't think so. I'm working on an article talking about Wi-Fi 6E is. For now, my short answer is that I think it's a good time to buy Wi-Fi 6 equipment. There's always going to be something better around the corner. If you're happy with your current home network, waiting might make sense. If you're due for an upgrade at home, I don't think waiting for Wi-Fi 6E equipment makes sense.
How can I get gigabit speeds from Wi-Fi?
You shouldn't expect to see gigabit speeds from your Wi-Fi network. A lot of people get caught up on theoretical maximum speeds, which are impossible to achieve in reality. Your Wi-Fi router or access point might say it is capable of speeds over 1 Gbps, but that doesn't mean you'll ever see those speeds. Even if your equipment supports it, getting high Wi-Fi speeds requires a lot of tradeoffs, the right kind of client devices, and an ideal environment.
Getting more than a few hundred Mbps from a typical Wi-Fi device is asking a lot. Wi-Fi uses a shared medium, meaning that any devices in range can affect your performance. Traditionally, Wi-Fi only allows one device to communicate at one time. The more Wi-Fi devices you have in use, the lower your performance will be. Testing a single device with a single AP will let you approach those theoretical maximums, but that's not usually how Wi-Fi is used. Newer technologies like MU-MIMO and OFDMA are trying to address this limit, but support for them is still rare and the benefits aren't always obvious.
To fully understand why 1 Gbps Wi-Fi is unrealistic, you need to know how Wi-Fi works, and how aspects of Wi-Fi connections interact and affect performance. Wi-Fi is complicated. You need to understand spatial streams, multiplexing, modulation, data rates, free space path loss... the list goes on and on.
If you want to get anything approaching gigabit speed, you'll need multiple spatial streams, a wide channel, a low noise floor, and a loud signal from a nearby access point. You also need to compromise on reliability, redundancy, and resistance to interference. The highest speeds increase your chance of retransmissions, collisions, and other errors. Everything about Wi-Fi is a trade off, and speed is only one factor to consider.
Bottom line, chasing the highest speeds is likely to leave you disappointed. The good news is that browsing the web, streaming video, and other common tasks don't require super high data rates. It’s better to optimize for the network as a whole rather than raw speed to a single client. If you can reliably get 50-100 Mbps with low latency, you should be able to do anything you need your Wi-Fi devices to do. If you need to quickly transfer a lot of data, wired networks are still the better option.
Would you recommend UniFi for a business network?
This is subjective, and it depends on the needs. In general, I can recommend UniFi for Wi-Fi and basic layer 2 switching. UniFi routers and firewalls are harder to recommend. I personally would not consider them in anything besides the most basic business network. There are too many missing features, bugs, and issues with stability.
Instead of a full UniFi stack, I would recommend looking into a mix. Depending on your needs, a firewall from Sophos, Netgate, Untangle, or some other reputable vendor should be your first line of defense. Your UniFi network can live off that firewall. You can also opt for a EdgeRouter or some other vendor for routing, and use UniFi where it's best: cost-effective switches and Wi-Fi access points.
If this seems too complicated or you want an all-in-one solution, you should make sure you're aware of the limitations of a UniFi firewall and router. If you have simple needs and can live within the walls of the UniFi ecosystem, the products work well together. If you have anything besides the most basic of needs, looks at other vendors for a firewall.
What do you think about UniFi Protect and UniFi Access?
I have never used UniFi Protect, so I can't really comment on that. From what I know, it is a lot like other systems from UniFi. Easy to use, but limited. If the limits fit what you're trying to do, it could be an OK solution. I would like to see support for 3rd party hardware before I considered investing in it myself.
In general I stay away from Ubiquiti's non-network products like UniFi Access. Ubiquiti has a habit of coming out with a new product or product line, leaving it full of bugs and moving onto the next thing. They also have a habit of leaving loyal customers in the dust. If you look up the history of UniFi SunMax, or the older UniFi Video platform, you'll see what I'm talking about. Be careful investing in Ubiquiti products outside of networking.
How do I extend the Wi-Fi range on my UniFi Dream Machine?
This one is easy! The simplest way to do that is to get a BeaconHD. I recently reviewed that and you can find my thoughts here. If you have a PoE switch and Ethernet available, you can add any normal UniFi access point.
Should I still consider buying a USG?
This is a tough one, because the USG/UDM lines are different in a few key ways and the USG has limited performance. Generally speaking, if you can't accept the limits of the built-in controller of the UDM and UDM-Pro, the USG might be an OK option. The upcoming UXG-Pro is a more straightforward replacement of the USG, but it's still in early access as of October 2020.
These are the main questions I would ask someone considering a USG:
- Do you need to buy something right now, or can you wait for the UXG/UXG-Pro?
- Do you want an all UniFi network, or are you willing to mix and match different vendors?
- Are you planning on using the UniFi firewall features?
- Do you have an internet connection over 100 Mbps?
With the firewall features turned off, the USG is a perfectly capable gigabit router. With them turned on, throughput drops to 85 Mbps. There's a lot of asterisks, but the USG still has its place as a basic router. It's hard to recommend as a firewall.
If you want more details, read my comparison of UniFi routers.
Which UniFi AP should I buy?
If you've read through my Unifi AP Buyer's guide and can't pick, my default recommendation is one of their omnidirectional APs like the nanoHD or the FlexHD. These both have good 5 GHz performance and are a good value. If you need something that works outdoors, the AC mesh is a good option, and the FlexHD can be used there as well. If you need Wi-Fi 6, sign up for the early access store and sign up for the in-stock alerts.
There's a lot of variables here, so if you want more specific advice you can contact me.
How do I specify a DNS server for my UniFi networks?
If you're using UniFi to provide DHCP, you need to specify the DNS server for the network in the settings of your UniFi controller.
Using Classic Settings:
- Click on Networks
- Click Edit on the network you want to configure
- Change "DHCP Name Server" to manual
- Enter the IP(s) of the DNS servers you want to use
- As your DHCP leases renew, your devices will begin to use those IPs for their DNS requests. If you have clients still using the old setting you can either wait, or manually renew their DHCP lease.
Using New Settings:
- Click on Networks
- Click on Advanced
- Change "DHCP Name Server" to manual
- Enter the IP(s) of the DNS servers you want to use
- As your DHCP leases renew, your devices will begin to use those IPs for their DNS requests. If you have clients still using the old setting you can either wait, or manually renew their DHCP lease.
UniFi seems like a hassle, should I look into a mesh kit instead?
If all you need is basic Wi-Fi and something that is easy to use, a mesh kit is probably what you want. If you want more networking features, or something else that UniFi offers, you might be disappointed in the simplicity of most mesh systems. Most consumer mesh Wi-Fi systems are meant to be plugged in, quickly setup, and never messed with. If that sounds like a good thing to you, you'll probably be happier with a mesh system. If you're not a nerd or an enthusiast, UniFi probably isn't worth the hassle.
What do you use for web hosting? How can I start my own website?
I use Squarespace, and I'm mostly happy with it. It's an easy way to get started, and makes editing and building a website simple. I still plan to move to my own web hosting, but that's going to be a big project that I'm not really ready to do yet.
If I were to start over, I'd take a hard look at building a custom CMS, or using Wordpress on my own web host. Services like Squarespace and Wix make getting started easy, but they can be hard to move away from. For static content websites and simple blogs, it's hard to beat Squarespace's ease of use, though.
One word of warning if you plan on writing in Markdown. I've found Squarespace's Markdown support to be pretty buggy and hard to work with. If you want to include images or other types of content, the Squarespace markdown editor quickly becomes a pain to work with.
Do you do consulting?
No, I do not. I'm just a regular guy with a normal full time day job. I'm willing to answer questions via email, but I don't really have the infrastructure or experience to do paid consulting work. I'm flattered that people have asked, but paid consulting isn't something I'm considering right now.
How can I support your website?
Right now, viewing ads and using my Amazon affiliate links are the only way to support me. This website is just a hobby for me, and asking for support feels strange. I haven't considered a Patreon or any kind of membership program, because I like the freedom to work on this when I can. I don't want the obligation of making regularly scheduled updates, or disappointing people who feel it's not worth the money they pay.
I've considered adding a "tip jar" or something like that. I don't know how I feel about that either, but it's something I'm thinking about. In the mean time reading, commenting, and sharing links to my site are more than enough.
