[166977] in North American Network Operators' Group
RE: Meraki
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Eric C. Miller)
Sat Nov 23 21:47:29 2013
From: "Eric C. Miller" <eric@ericheather.com>
To: Ray Soucy <rps@maine.edu>
Date: Sun, 24 Nov 2013 02:47:00 +0000
In-Reply-To: <CALFTrnNt9y3Gc8Lti_Ti8qqcFeQD7drhgqEUYqe4HuR2TTJY3g@mail.gmail.com>
Cc: NANOG <nanog@nanog.org>
Errors-To: nanog-bounces+nanog.discuss=bloom-picayune.mit.edu@nanog.org
I'm using an EdgeRouter lite in a deployment for a WISP, and it's holding u=
p very nice. It's only passing 40-50Mbps of basic OSPF routing, but no comp=
laints thus far for the performance. I've heard that once you start adding =
in the services and rules, you really start to see the PPS drop, but I have=
n't RFC 2544 or EtherSam tested it yet.
Right now, I'm waiting for the GUI to get more development before we move f=
urther with them. Being Vyatta under the hood, you can do just about anythi=
ng, but the helpdesk techs don't understand CLI. Kudos on the IPv6 GUI supp=
ort out of the box.
Eric Miller, CCNP
Network Engineering Consultant
(407) 257-5115
-----Original Message-----
From: Ray Soucy [mailto:rps@maine.edu]=20
Sent: Friday, November 22, 2013 7:35 AM
To: Seth Mos
Cc: NANOG
Subject: Re: Meraki
FWIW, I picked up a UniFi 3-pack of APs and built up a controller VM using =
Ubuntu Server LTS and the beta multi-site controller code over the past wee=
k.
I'm very impressed so far, it doesn't have all the bells and whistles of Ci=
sco setup, sure, but I'm pretty shocked at the level of functionality here =
and the ease of having APs use an off-site controller (they all phone home =
over TCP so no VPN or port forwarding is required).
I'm interested in UniFi mainly for remote Libraries that don't have any IT =
staff but need a little more than a router from Best Buy.
Also of interest is the EdgeMAX line. I also got the EdgeRouter LITE for t=
esting this past week after finding out it runs a fork of Vyatta (EdgeOS) a=
nd is developed by former Vyatta employees. For a sub- $100 device ...
very impressive.
Pricing just popped up for the new EdgeRouter PRO last night and I was pret=
ty blown away:
$360
For a device with 2 SFP ports, and 2M PPS. That is music to my ears since =
we do a lot of dark fiber around the state even for smaller locations. I'm=
pretty excited to get one of these and see how they perform.
I wish I would have bothered looking at Ubiquiti sooner, really. I'm a lit=
tle embarrassed to admit I initially wrote them off because the prices were=
so low, but the more I look into these guys the more I like them.
I feel like I'm at the risk for becoming a UBNT fanboy. Does anyone have a=
ny qualified horror stories about EdgeMAX or UniFi? Everything I've been a=
ble to find has been for nonsense configurations like complaining about try=
ing to to OSPF over WiFi ... Who does that?
On Fri, Nov 22, 2013 at 1:34 AM, Seth Mos <seth.mos@dds.nl> wrote:
>
> Op 22 nov 2013, om 06:37 heeft Jay Ashworth het volgende geschreven:
>
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > Anecdote:
> >
> > My local IHOP finally managed to get Wifi internet access in the
> restaurant.
> >
> > For reasons unknown to me, it's a Meraki box, backhauled *over T-mobile=
*.
> >
> > That's just as unpleasant as you'd think it would be, And More!
> >
> > Both the wifi and 3G (yes, 3G) boxes lock up on a fairly regular=20
> > basis, requiring a power cycle, which, generally, they'll only do=20
> > because I've been eating there for 20 years, and they trust me when I a=
sk them to.
> >
> > I can't say whether this provides any illumination on the rest of=20
> > their product line, but...
>
> To compound matters, i'd go as far as to say that any wireless=20
> solution on 2.4Ghz isn't really a wireless solution. It's just not=20
> feasible anymore in 2013, there is just *so much* interference from=20
> everything using the unlicensed 2.4Ghz band that it's own success is it's=
greatest downfall.
>
> Reliable wireless isn't (to use the famous war quote "friendly fire=20
> isn't")
>
> For whatever reasons, whomever I talk to they all tell me that <ISP=20
> here> sucks, and if I ask further if they are using the wireless=20
> thingamabob that the ISP shipped them, they says yes. So, that's about ri=
ght then.
>
> I've been using a PCengines.ch Alix router for years now (AMD Geode,=20
> x86, 256MB ram, CF) with a cable modem in bridge mode with seperate=20
> dual band access points in the places where I need them (living room,=20
> attic office) and I can't say that my experiences with the <ISP here> mes=
h with theirs.
>
> Anyhow, if you are going to deploy wireless, make sure to use dual=20
> band, and name the 2.4Ghz SSID "internet" and the 5Ghz SSID "faster-inter=
net".
> You'll see people having a heck of a better time. Social engineering=20
> works
> :)
>
> When we chose the Ubiquity wireless kit we could deploy twice as many=20
> APs for the same price of one of the other APs. This effectively means=20
> we have a very dense wireless network that covers the entire building,=20
> and lot's of kit that can actually see and use the 5Ghz band.
>
> Setup was super easy, I added a unifi DNS name that points to my unifi=20
> controller host and I get a email that a new AP is ready to be put=20
> into service. Having a local management host instead of some cloud was=20
> a hard requirement. I also like that I can just "apt-get update; apt-get =
upgrade"
> the software. By using DNS remote deployment was super easy too, send=20
> the unit off and let them plug it in, it then comes onto the network=20
> and registers itself.
>
> I believe every current Apple iDevice currently supports the 5Ghz=20
> band, and all the Dell gear we purchase also comes ordered with it.=20
> Heck, even my
> 2011 Sony Xperia T has 5Ghz wireless now, as do the current Samsung=20
> Galaxy S3, S4
>
> Best regards,
>
> Seth
>
--
Ray Patrick Soucy
Network Engineer
University of Maine System
T: 207-561-3526
F: 207-561-3531
MaineREN, Maine's Research and Education Network www.maineren.net
