Can 6 ubiquiti AP's (UAP-HD-PRO's) Cover 10,000 Sqft of warehouse?

[thecomputerguy]

Been telling client they need to modernize their Wifi for a couple years now, they call me and the Wifi is dead. AP's are unknown, they are mounted about 200FT up in the warehouse ceiling. The AP's appear solid green, after rebooting, but don't broadcast. I don't know the brand. They run off a Cisco controller that looks like it was built in the 70's. I do all of the IT for this shipping company of 5 computers EXCEPT the network...Why? I have no idea why they decided to cut me out of the network but they hired another vendor who is now out of business. I told her that I don't know what equipment she has and if I come out were looking at a full replace on all AP's and I was intending on using HD-PRO's and using the existing cabling. They currently have 6 of whatever AP's all POE are mounted in the ceiling of the warehouse and I will need to re-use that cabling but cannot add more, I don't run cable it's too much work.

The warehouse need's wifi for their mobile scanners for inventory and I have no access to anything WiFi related from an admin standpoint.

I'm probably going to tell her she needs to supply me with a lift bucket and it's gunna be like $5k to replace 6 AP's and add in a Ubiquiti POE Switch and Cloud controller because she has annoyed the **** out of me by not listening to direction.

 

[Markverhyden]

How many and what use? Are you sure about the dimensions? Especially the height? 200' is like a 12-14 story building, no bucket lift for that. They have some booms that'll get close, maybe 120-150'. 10k square feet is just 100' x 100' which one AP can handle with a light load. Don't forget you'll need to test the cabling as well. I know what assume spells and I never assume existing cabling is good when devices are down.

 

[Mercenary Roadie]

Did you mean 20 feet instead of 200 feet and there is no such device as a UAP-HD-PRO, there is the UAP-AC-PRO or the UAP-AC-HD. The UAP-AC PRO has been around for several years and is a good AP, but it's old technology. The UAP-AC-HD is much newer but it's designed for high density and high users counts.

A better choice is the UAP-nanoHD which gives all of the newer technology at a much better price point.

I'd go with the New UDM-Pro, Unifi Switch 8 - 150W, and 6 Unifi nanoHD AP. This will give you 8- POE+ ports and 8 - 1G Switch ports in two devices.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Hard to tell without at least seeing it, and better yet....doing a site survey. But for just 10k sq ft...for a theoretically open "warehouse"...6x APs sounds a bit much.

200' ceilings...that's not good. The way the signal comes from the APs...goes out a bit more from the sides like the rings of saturn...and down a bit of course...but it doesn't beam straight down. When we do high ceilings ....(not 200' high though)...we use AP ceiling mount extensions/pendant mounts. Basically PVC or pipe conduit...with a gang box on the end. I get them from friends who have an alarm/security camera installation business. Ethernet cable nice 'n hidden in the conduit..coming out the bottom. Warehouse ceilings mostly metal, with framing up there..you at least want the AP handing well down from it. Although I've never done like a...100' pendant mount hang.

What's in there for walls, dividers/partitions, shelfing, what kind of stuff on shelving, what other kind of interference in the spectrums.
10,000 sq ft isn't very large...just 100x100 if it's squarish in footprint, or 50x200 if it's rectangular in footprint. Heck for a wide open area, for minimal bandwidth could get by with 1, likely fine with 2. BUT..we don't know what else is in the building, what kind of bandwidth is needed, what else may be cutting into the spectrum, how many devices will be connected at once...and importantly...what kind of usable realistic range those percon devices have while in use...theoretically in between rows of possibly tall and stocked shelving.

Much more info needed....

 

[thecomputerguy]

Hard to tell without at least seeing it, and better yet....doing a site survey. But for just 10k sq ft...for a theoretically open "warehouse"...6x APs sounds a bit much.

200' ceilings...that's not good. The way the signal comes from the APs...goes out a bit more from the sides like the rings of saturn...and down a bit of course...but it doesn't beam straight down. When we do high ceilings ....(not 200' high though)...we use AP ceiling mount extensions/pendant mounts. Basically PVC or pipe conduit...with a gang box on the end. I get them from friends who have an alarm/security camera installation business. Ethernet cable nice 'n hidden in the conduit..coming out the bottom. Warehouse ceilings mostly metal, with framing up there..you at least want the AP handing well down from it. Although I've never done like a...100' pendant mount hang.

What's in there for walls, dividers/partitions, shelfing, what kind of stuff on shelving, what other kind of interference in the spectrums.
10,000 sq ft isn't very large...just 100x100 if it's squarish in footprint, or 50x200 if it's rectangular in footprint. Heck for a wide open area, for minimal bandwidth could get by with 1, likely fine with 2. BUT..we don't know what else is in the building, what kind of bandwidth is needed, what else may be cutting into the spectrum, how many devices will be connected at once...and importantly...what kind of usable realistic range those percon devices have while in use...theoretically in between rows of possibly tall and stocked shelving.

Much more info needed....

SORRY GUYS ... I'M AN IDIOT ... I MEANT 104,000 ... ONE HUNDRED AND FOUR THOUSAND SQUARE FEET ... LOL

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Was gonna say, nice "silo".....lol

 

[SAFCasper]

Well, for the original question... we have an office not much over 10,000 sqft with two floors and probably way more internal walls than a warehouse would have. We cover that thing fairly well with 4x AP's.

As for 104,000 sqft ... I have to mentally convert that. Roughly 2 football pitches side by side (that's soccer pitches for any heathens on here).

My usual rule of thumb if you have no interruptions, no walls, line of sight etc is 50m in either direction of the AP. Beyond 50m you begin relying more and more on the strength of antenna in the receiving device which is out of your control and unpredictable. Would it work at 65m? probably yes. But I can't guarantee it so I'm not going to spec a system based on that.

My usual first step for a wifi design is to get a site diagram or at least an outline of the building. I then get some circles drawn with a 50m radius to scale and dot them around the diagram to get an idea of what the coverage might look like with 4x 6x 8x AP's etc. You then have to consider any internal walls etc that might hinder the signal and adjust appropriately.

Something else to consider in a warehouse is racking. If they have rows and rows of metal racking 25ft high that could wreak havoc on the wifi signal. Might want to grab a U‑Installer and temporarily place a few AP's before running any cable to see what the signal would look like.

 

[Markverhyden]

Was gonna say, nice "silo".....lol

Back when they came on the market you could get one for pretty cheap. Problem is they were usually in the middle of nowhere.

 

[thecomputerguy]

Alrighty, Update Thyme ... I had no choice but to go out and swap out those Cisco AP's.

Total tally was:

6x UAC-AC-PRO
1x 8P POE 150W
1x 8P POE 60W
1x Cloud Controller

I guess it's smart that I stock all of this stuff for immediate sale. Parts and install my sale was about 200% margin on the total cost of the parts so, pretty good money for 5 hours of work, IF I DIDNT LIVE IN CALIFORNIA .... GOODBYE 50%

Result is ... perfect. Full coverage ... some slower spots than others but all I could use was existing cabling. Well see in the next few days, I think the person who installed the original network cable seriously lacked on drops. Walking the warehouse all day I'd say for perfect coverage I'd probably like to have at least another 4AP's to keep the signal strength above one bar in some spots.

If only I did wiring ... but I really don't want to.

 

[mikeroq]

So what is the actual height?

 

[thecomputerguy]

So what is the actual height?

Whatever height a regular forklift maxes out at, they had one of their drivers with me in a platform surrounded by a single bar of steel around for corners about the size of a small elevator all day. Wasn't the safest thing I've done considering they had no safety equipment and the front door didn't close but I made it out alive.

Actually probably the dumbest thing I've ever done.

I think it was probably like 3-4 stories and the thing wobbled like I was on a boat in the ocean.

Customer confirmed ceiling height was 25 feet ... felt a little higher than that.

 

[thecomputerguy]

Did you mean 20 feet instead of 200 feet and there is no such device as a UAP-HD-PRO, there is the UAP-AC-PRO or the UAP-AC-HD. The UAP-AC PRO has been around for several years and is a good AP, but it's old technology. The UAP-AC-HD is much newer but it's designed for high density and high users counts.

A better choice is the UAP-nanoHD which gives all of the newer technology at a much better price point.

I'd go with the New UDM-Pro, Unifi Switch 8 - 150W, and 6 Unifi nanoHD AP. This will give you 8- POE+ ports and 8 - 1G Switch ports in two devices.

Their gateway was a Meraki something that cost them $1000 and I can't touch that, i was supplied by their ISP/VOIP provider.

 

[thecomputerguy]

Here's their wiring rack for all of your viewing pleasure

 

[SAFCasper]

Here's their wiring rack for all of your viewing pleasure

View attachment 12055

Pleasure is certainly not the first word that comes to mind when I see that rack.

The CRT monitor is just the cherry on top!

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Eeeks....bring a big pair of scissors!
With 6x UAPs....depending on distance apart and what's between each of their coverage areas...may want to disable the 2.4 radio on every other AP (or every 3rd depending on grid pattern). If not at least dial the TX way down on the 2.4. If you leave on default the 2.4's may step well over each others footprint. Max signal is good...too much signal from several different APs can make things messy for full time use (things you don't see if you just walk around looking for strong signal).

 

[mikeroq]

Whatever height a regular forklift maxes out at, they had one of their drivers with me in a platform surrounded by a single bar of steel around for corners about the size of a small elevator all day. Wasn't the safest thing I've done considering they had no safety equipment and the front door didn't close but I made it out alive.

Actually probably the dumbest thing I've ever done.

Yea might not be the best. I've been in a man basket on a forklift a couple times. Way better than a ladder. You can have all your tools and stuff in the basket and just go to town.