Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by hot_gril 1160 days ago
The wifi APs too. And not "will" stop working but "might, and if so I won't be around to reboot it." Also regularly tests that stuff will return to health after a real power outage, and that nothing is depending on ephemeral state like DHCP leases. Basically, I want to experience the same circumstances during the week I'm visiting that they're going to experience for months after.

Ubiquiti APs failed this test. The moment one started an OTA update, my mom temp unplugged it to make room for a blender. It soft-bricked itself. Parents couldn't figure out how to reconfigure it after a hard reset.

2 comments

Tbf, I'm fairly certain that if you unplug an AIO in the middle of an update, it will also brick.
I usually SOIC clip/backup the firmware on Ubiquity and other devices we own, before doing anything like this (more recently). Its usually so much faster and reliable than an RMA in most cases for a simple firmware update fail, especially with the post pandemic supply chain the way its been.

Took awhile to get the approval but when you have a large pile of RMAs sitting for 6mo to a year due to a bad firmware update, for only a standard 1-2 year limited warranty, and they stop responding, and replacements were back-ordered for ages. Well, you do what you have to.

That's the trick, the dumb wifi APs don't update.
Why was the AP plugged in the kitchen anyway? =)
For wifi in the kitchen. The walls have wire mesh that happens to block RF really badly, so wifi will only work in the same room. If internet went down, house was also a cell dead zone so nobody could talk to me while looking at the router or something.