krtechsolutions
Member
- Reaction score
- 5
- Location
- Maryland
With finding unifi headache at times with no real cloud controller (until now) and no local webgui on APs, I decided to give a product called IgniteNet a try, I have been watching them for their 60GHz PTP gear (not out yet) however they have 2.4GHz and 5GHz gear out now, outdoor and indoor.
Devices
Most of their devices have dual radios in 1 device (2.4Ghz and 5Ghz), they sell 2 units that are AC1200 devices (2x2 on both 2.4GHz and 5GHz) Skyfire (outdoor $139, $109 5GHz only) and Sunspot (indoor $139, $99 2.4GHz only) and 1 unit that is an AC750 (2x2 2.4Ghz and 1x1 5GHz) device Sunspot ($59 2.4GHz ony, $69, $99 AF Poe) . All devices can be powered by PoE and come with a PoE power brick. The also have PoE AF support as well on some devices
Cloud Controller - not needed, but great added feature
2 Devices free, $99 per year for unlimited devices and sites
Their cloud controller is great and is very easy to use, you can add users to access their own site with either full control or read only access. The cloud controller can send alerts out as well, to different users based on a site. You can upgrade firmware, packet trace, reboot, etc.. from the cloud controller.
Configuration
Something I really like about IgniteNet gear is that it can be configured by their cloud controller or can be configured completely locally as well, the local configuration will over ride the cloud configure if the device is attached to a cloud controller. Also you don't need a cloud controller at all to use, just no ease of remote managament. The devices can be configured as a router or simple access point, also each radio can be configured as a AP or Client (will be explain this later and why it is great). You can have 1 site configuration or each radio can be configured individual as well. 1 Kick a$$ feature is that I can ship a device to someone across the country with a out of the box configuration, have the end user plug the device into an internet connection and register the device with my cloud controller and I can configure away, if I swear up the configuration it will revert back to the last configuration that connected to the cloud as a fail safe.
Test Project
My test project was setting up my parents house to have wifi through out all their building, pool area and out around their year about 3 acres. Created 2 sites 1 for APs Only and 1 for APs for remote buildings
This project was to extend wifi coverage at a county fair, created 2 sites 1 for APs Only and 1 for APs for remote buildings
I believe I will continue using this gear for project just like this, don't get me wrong I still love my ubiquiti gear and will continue to use it if I need a low cost ptp bridge and for my WISP that I own. With that said I will be testing a Skyfire 5GHz only for a PTP link that I have coming up in the next month or so.
***SIDE NOTE*** I have no direct connection with IgniteNet, I have my own IT company and WISP and use wireless gear all the time. I have used Motorola, Ubiquiti, Mikrotik, Cisco, OpenMesh, Aruba, IgniteNet, SonicPoints and a few others over the years.
Devices
Most of their devices have dual radios in 1 device (2.4Ghz and 5Ghz), they sell 2 units that are AC1200 devices (2x2 on both 2.4GHz and 5GHz) Skyfire (outdoor $139, $109 5GHz only) and Sunspot (indoor $139, $99 2.4GHz only) and 1 unit that is an AC750 (2x2 2.4Ghz and 1x1 5GHz) device Sunspot ($59 2.4GHz ony, $69, $99 AF Poe) . All devices can be powered by PoE and come with a PoE power brick. The also have PoE AF support as well on some devices
Cloud Controller - not needed, but great added feature
2 Devices free, $99 per year for unlimited devices and sites
Their cloud controller is great and is very easy to use, you can add users to access their own site with either full control or read only access. The cloud controller can send alerts out as well, to different users based on a site. You can upgrade firmware, packet trace, reboot, etc.. from the cloud controller.
Configuration
Something I really like about IgniteNet gear is that it can be configured by their cloud controller or can be configured completely locally as well, the local configuration will over ride the cloud configure if the device is attached to a cloud controller. Also you don't need a cloud controller at all to use, just no ease of remote managament. The devices can be configured as a router or simple access point, also each radio can be configured as a AP or Client (will be explain this later and why it is great). You can have 1 site configuration or each radio can be configured individual as well. 1 Kick a$$ feature is that I can ship a device to someone across the country with a out of the box configuration, have the end user plug the device into an internet connection and register the device with my cloud controller and I can configure away, if I swear up the configuration it will revert back to the last configuration that connected to the cloud as a fail safe.
Test Project
My test project was setting up my parents house to have wifi through out all their building, pool area and out around their year about 3 acres. Created 2 sites 1 for APs Only and 1 for APs for remote buildings
Devices
3 x Skyfire SF-AC1200-2-US (60 degree 18dbi 5GHz internal antenna, 7dbi 2.4GHz internal antenna)
3 x Spark SP-AC750-US (Internal antenna for both 5GHz & 2.4GHz)
Setup
House - 1 Skyfire as an AP for both 5GHz and 2.4GHz for outside access and 1 Spark as AP for inside access
External Garage - 1 Skyfire used the 5GHz as a backhaul from the Skyfire on the house and 2.4GHz for client outdoor access and 1 Spark inside for client access
Pole Barn Building - 1 Skyfire used the 5GHz as a backhaul from the Skyfire on the house and 2.4GHz for client outdoor access and 1 Spark inside for client access
All APs are using the same SSID, the client will move from radio to radio with 1 drop ping but it works fine for this setup.
Total Cost - $624 for wireless hardware.
Production Project3 x Skyfire SF-AC1200-2-US (60 degree 18dbi 5GHz internal antenna, 7dbi 2.4GHz internal antenna)
3 x Spark SP-AC750-US (Internal antenna for both 5GHz & 2.4GHz)
Setup
House - 1 Skyfire as an AP for both 5GHz and 2.4GHz for outside access and 1 Spark as AP for inside access
External Garage - 1 Skyfire used the 5GHz as a backhaul from the Skyfire on the house and 2.4GHz for client outdoor access and 1 Spark inside for client access
Pole Barn Building - 1 Skyfire used the 5GHz as a backhaul from the Skyfire on the house and 2.4GHz for client outdoor access and 1 Spark inside for client access
All APs are using the same SSID, the client will move from radio to radio with 1 drop ping but it works fine for this setup.
Total Cost - $624 for wireless hardware.
This project was to extend wifi coverage at a county fair, created 2 sites 1 for APs Only and 1 for APs for remote buildings
Devices
4 x Skyfire SF-AC1200-2-US (60 degree 18dbi 5GHz internal antenna, 7dbi 2.4GHz internal antenna)
2 x Spark SP-AC750-US (Internal antenna for both 5GHz & 2.4GHz)
Setup
Main Building- 2 Skyfires as APs for both 5GHz and 2.4GHz for outside access and 1 Spark as AP for inside access. The Skyfires were pointed in each direction for better coverage (really could have gotten away with 1 Skyfire here, but better safe then sorry)
Animal Barns - 1 Skyfire used the 5GHz as a backhaul from the Skyfire on the house and 2.4GHz for client outdoor access
Conference Hall - 1 Skyfire used the 5GHz as a backhaul from the Skyfire on the house and 2.4GHz for client outdoor access and 1 Spark inside for client access
All APs are using the same SSID, the client will move from radio to radio with 1 drop ping but it works fine for this setup. Using 1 SSID for guest Access and 1 SSID for internal access.
Total Cost - $694 for wireless hardware.
Just for giggles I looked at the cost if I went with unifi on this project and this is what I came up with to try to keep it as close as possible radio wise and funtion
4 x Unifi AP-Outdoor+ (2.4GHz, could get away with 3) - $159ea / $636 (outdoor client access)
2 x Unifi 802.11ac Lite Indoor (2.4GHz/5GHz, inside access) $84ea / $168
2 x Ubiquiti airMAX NanoBeam 5GHz AC (for back hauls to buildings) - $90ea / $180
Total Cost - $984, roughly $300 more, plus 1 extra radio attached to the remote buildings.
4 x Skyfire SF-AC1200-2-US (60 degree 18dbi 5GHz internal antenna, 7dbi 2.4GHz internal antenna)
2 x Spark SP-AC750-US (Internal antenna for both 5GHz & 2.4GHz)
Setup
Main Building- 2 Skyfires as APs for both 5GHz and 2.4GHz for outside access and 1 Spark as AP for inside access. The Skyfires were pointed in each direction for better coverage (really could have gotten away with 1 Skyfire here, but better safe then sorry)
Animal Barns - 1 Skyfire used the 5GHz as a backhaul from the Skyfire on the house and 2.4GHz for client outdoor access
Conference Hall - 1 Skyfire used the 5GHz as a backhaul from the Skyfire on the house and 2.4GHz for client outdoor access and 1 Spark inside for client access
All APs are using the same SSID, the client will move from radio to radio with 1 drop ping but it works fine for this setup. Using 1 SSID for guest Access and 1 SSID for internal access.
Total Cost - $694 for wireless hardware.
Just for giggles I looked at the cost if I went with unifi on this project and this is what I came up with to try to keep it as close as possible radio wise and funtion
4 x Unifi AP-Outdoor+ (2.4GHz, could get away with 3) - $159ea / $636 (outdoor client access)
2 x Unifi 802.11ac Lite Indoor (2.4GHz/5GHz, inside access) $84ea / $168
2 x Ubiquiti airMAX NanoBeam 5GHz AC (for back hauls to buildings) - $90ea / $180
Total Cost - $984, roughly $300 more, plus 1 extra radio attached to the remote buildings.
I believe I will continue using this gear for project just like this, don't get me wrong I still love my ubiquiti gear and will continue to use it if I need a low cost ptp bridge and for my WISP that I own. With that said I will be testing a Skyfire 5GHz only for a PTP link that I have coming up in the next month or so.
***SIDE NOTE*** I have no direct connection with IgniteNet, I have my own IT company and WISP and use wireless gear all the time. I have used Motorola, Ubiquiti, Mikrotik, Cisco, OpenMesh, Aruba, IgniteNet, SonicPoints and a few others over the years.
