[xahrepap]

I had nothing but problems with typical consumer hardware. Having to restart routers all the time. Dead spots. When family would visit (both my wife and I have large families) they would connect at least 2 devices each to my wifi (tablet, phone, laptop, etc). My wireless would just tank. They would always ask me why my internet was so terrible.

Last year I bought an Edge router and a higher end Netgear hotspot. Works wonders separating things out and letting me easily add separate "Guest" wireless networks on different channels or whatever using my older devices.

If I were to have done that change now I would've definitely used a device like Google's. But to do something like that would've been outside my budget. I wish I could easily add new hotspots that just seamlessly worked so that I could eliminate the dead spots on the edges of my house and in my yard over time.

Maybe there's something I don't know already and I don't need Google's new Wifi System. But it definitely seems to fix my usecase.

[robocat]

Ubiquiti Unifi Access Points just work.

I too have bought a variety of high end consumer devices (for a small business), and they all crash or randomly drop out.

Disable wifi radio on router, plug in Unifi AP, solid connection.

They are annoying to configure, but have been so worth it.

Apple AirPort has also been rock solid.

[saidajigumi]

Motion seconded on Unifi. I've just deployed these and they're so far a delight. The PoE (power-over-ethernet) support is great -- if you can get the ethernet cable to the AP's location, you're good. Allows for zero visible cable installations if you have the opportunity to do in-wall cabling.

I did spring for a "Unifi Cloud Key", which is just a small (pack of cards sized), dedicated host for running the Unifi Controller. Makes administration and updates a fair bit easier.

As someone else mentioned, they do require a wired ethernet connection, but the point of that is these are intended as (entry-level) enterprise hardware. Unifi vs. Amplifi is for contexts where 1) the administration overhead isn't a burden and 2) it's preferable to run cable and leave wifi bandwidth available for clients and/or the rich multiple network support (vs. mesh networking). Obviously, #1 means it's not intended for the general consumer market.

[ebrewste]

I wish they didn't do 24V PoE. I know they are coming from a WISP background, but a AP seems like something that should support 802.11af. It's not like it's something exotic.

[saidajigumi]

Note that the Unifi AP AC Pro (which I'm using) are 802.3af/at (PoE/PoE+). The AC LR and AC Lite are indeed passive 24v. So there's that option within the line at least.

[cwisecarver]

I have a Ubuquiti ERL3 with 2 AirPorts and a TimeCapsule. One I got them placed around the house in good spots I had no problems. I'm halfway hoping the Apple stuff will die or be outmoded soon so I can replace them with Ubiquiti Unifi Access Points. I have a Ubiquiti EdgeSwitch too and one of their cameras. Everything I've gotten from them has been rock-solid. The configuration isn't on an iOS app but the forums/community are great.

My office just upgraded to an ERL3 and Ubiquiti Unifi on my recommendation and there hasn't been a peep about internet problems since.

[hossbeast]

Ubiquiti Unifi APs each require an Ethernet connection. They do not form a mesh network. That's the whole point of amplifi, and this new Google wifi product

[ricardobeat]

Latest AC APs can't, but previous models all supported mesh networking.

[unprepare]

> I wish I could easily add new hotspots that just seamlessly worked so that I could eliminate the dead spots on the edges of my house and in my yard over time.

Ubiquiti has wifi APs and you can add them whenever youd like. They automatically detect the existing APs and download their config.

[calinet6]

I could be lighting a fire by saying this, but I've been using AirPorts for 5 years and haven't had a single issue.

Is the issue just that the non-Apple-customer market didn't have a good analogue?

[bsder]

> I've been using AirPorts for 5 years and haven't had a single issue.

And I've had Airports that just dropped things--all the time, randomly.

The Airports were a very mixed bag and would go from being excellent to piles of dogsh*t and back again with software upgrades let alone hardware cycles.

[threeseed]

I use a Belkin with no issues. If WiFi drop outs were such a major issue all of the major vendors would have released products years ago.

This very much has the feeling of a "marketing" product designed to trick people into thinking it will solve internet speeds. When really the issue is the ADSL connection.

[honkhonkpants]

If you are using a Belkin and you aren't constantly monitoring it for security updates then it is behind on the security updates. That is the problem with mass market wifi gear. Before I got my OnHub I was either upgrading the firmware on my Asus, or power cycling it because it had crashed again, at least monthly. I've had my OnHub for about a year and I haven't even seen it once since I installed it.