Setting up multiple EAP225-outdoor without connecting into the internet

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Setting up multiple EAP225-outdoor without connecting into the internet

This thread has been locked for further replies. You can start a new thread to share your ideas or ask questions.
Setting up multiple EAP225-outdoor without connecting into the internet
Setting up multiple EAP225-outdoor without connecting into the internet
2020-11-30 10:21:04 - last edited 2020-11-30 11:17:36
Model: EAP225-Outdoor  
Hardware Version: V1
Firmware Version: 1.20.0 Build 20200422 Rel. 70543

I have a few units of EAP225-outdoor that I plan to use it as the access point and repeater in my factory to communicate between the machine and my computer. The distance is about 500m away from each other. The network will not be connected to the internet, and it just work as a internal network and communicate between the machine and the computer in the control room. 

 

The network will be something like this:

 

Machine connected to 1 of the EAP225-outdoor via LAN, 1 unit of EAP225-outdoor connect to the router with the computer connected to it. In between, there will be 2 units EAP225-outdoor which I plan to use it as a repeater. 

 

Difficulties that I faced:

  1. Omada Controller software unable to start most of the time, prompt out message "Fail to start mongo DB server". I need to uninstall and re-install again to get it working, 
  2. In the Omada Controller, unable to detect the EAP225 even all of the EAP225 connected to the same router without connecting to the internet. But on the mobile Omada app I can detect both of them

 

Do anyone have any solutions on it? Or this application is not suitable for the EAP225?

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#1
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4 Reply
Re:Setting up multiple EAP225-outdoor without connecting into the internet
2020-11-30 17:30:03

Hi @tnpang,

 

500 meters?  It's unlikely the two will be able to connect -- too far with stock antennas.  And inside of a factory with equipment. shelving, reflections, RF/EMI interference I would suspect the range would be more like 100-200 meters at best.

 

An internet connection should not be required.  But, one of the EAP's will need to be Ethernet connected to the Omada/SDN controller PC or OC-200 (through a switch).  The Omada/SDN controller ideally would remain running 24x7 -- but at a minimum is required for initial MESH setup

 

The simplest thing to do is hook both up via Ethernet at first.  Adopt and provision them, make sure both are up to date firmware wise, and make sure "MESH" is enabled in Omada/SDN.

 

Then disconnect one from Ethernet.  Give it a minute or two (while Omada is running) and it should transition to wireless MESH uplink.  You can then try it in different locations, further and further away and check the signal levels.

 

There are a few other possible solutions:

 

1) TP-Link CPE (510, 710, etc.) Product line -- these are designed for point to point wireless application and support a wider variety of connection options.

2) Fiber optical cable

3) Ethernet cable with an Ethernet switch every ~90 meters or so. 

 

Option 1 is probably the easiest, least expensive choice.  Option 2 would be the most performant.  Pre-made fiber cables are a lot less expensive these days than they used to be.  But you'd have to string it up along the roof trusses.

 

-Jonathan

 

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#2
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Re:Setting up multiple EAP225-outdoor without connecting into the internet
2020-12-01 04:32:14

@JSchnee21 

 

Thanks for the info.

 

I know that 500m is way too far for 2 units of EAP225 to communicate, that's why I plan to install another 2 units which is 150m away from each other in between to work as a repeater. Since I've already bought 4 units of it.

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#3
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Re:Setting up multiple EAP225-outdoor without connecting into the internet
2020-12-01 08:18:28

Dear @tnpang,

 

  1. Omada Controller software unable to start most of the time, prompt out message "Fail to start mongo DB server". I need to uninstall and re-install again to get it working, 

 

It is most likely due to insufficient spare disk space under the installation directory of the Omada Controller. To figure out why you get the error message, you may open the file location of the Omada Controller, locate to Logs folder and check the mongod.log info.

 

2. In the Omada Controller, unable to detect the EAP225 even all of the EAP225 connected to the same router without connecting to the internet. But on the mobile Omada app I can detect both of them

 

It seems that the Controller host is unable to communicate with the EAPs. Please check the points below.

 

  • Ensure the EAP and the Controller host (the PC installed with the Omada Controller) are hardwired to the Router and have obtained IP addresses from the router, it's okay that they don't have Internet access BUT they need to have IP addresses in the same LAN.

 

  • If the Omada Controller is installed on a Windows PC, please check the Windows firewall settings which may block the communication, you may disable the firewall settings to have a try.
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#4
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Re:Setting up multiple EAP225-outdoor without connecting into the internet
2020-12-01 14:23:14

Hi @tnpang,

 

"I know that 500m is way too far for 2 units of EAP225 to communicate, that's why I plan to install another 2 units which is 150m away from each other in between to work as a repeater. Since I've already bought 4 units of it."

 

There are two potential issues to your plan:

 

1) I believe that the most EAP's you can have in a chain is 3.  The first one must be ethernet connected to the controller.  From there, the 2nd is MESH'ed to the first.  I believe a 3rd can be MESH'ed to the 2nd.  But I believe that's the end of the chain (you can have client STA's) associated to all three of these.

 

2) The speed of STA's and ethernet connected clients connected to EAP #3 will be rather poor.  Roughly speaking, you lose approx 50% of the speed for every hop.

 

If we assume only Ethernet-connected clients for each EAP, speeds will be roughly:

A) ~400-500 Mbit/sec on EAP #2

B) ~200-250 Mbit/sec on EAP #3

 

For the wireless STA's on each cut the speeds in half again:
A) aka ~150-200 Mbit/sec for wireless STA associated with EAP#2)

B) aka ~75-100 Mbit/sec for wireless STA associated with EAP#3)

 

My Outdoor EAP is MESH'ed like EAP#2 described above.  When my iPhone connects to this EAP (when I'm outside).  I get ~120-170 Mbit/sec typically.

 

You would do better to run a single fiber line to a centralized point in the warehouse uplinked to a POE Ethernet switch.  Then run twisted pair Ethernet out to a few EAP's in key locations.  Each of these Ethernet connected EAPs would then become a MESH master nodes.  You could then dasiy chain a couple wirelessly connected EAP's off of these as needed,

 

-Jonathan

 

 

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#5
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