Extend Your Mesh WiFi Network Outdoors – UBIQUITI UAP-AC-M

So, opening this up, we have the user manual, the access point itself, the install bracket and mount followed by the 2 antennas. There is also a power cord and PoE injector. Lastly a couple install screws and zip ties.

If we pop open the cover on the bottom of the device, we have an Ethernet port. This is where I’ll connect it to my network from my PoE switch. That switch will also provide power to the access point. So, yeah, I won’t be using the power cord and adapter that came with the unit. There is also a reset button in here that, if pressed once will power cycle the device and if held for 5 seconds, will restore it to factory settings.

The mount that I’ll be using has a little level and once it’s on the mounting surface the backet on the back of the device slides right in. Here is a quick time-lapse of me screwing on the antennas. Pretty straight forward.

Ok, so let’s take a step back. I want to show how the included PoE injector works, if you don’t have a PoE switch. It’s plug into electricity on the back. On the front here, the LAN is connected to your network and the red, PoE port gets connected to the access point. Like I mentioned, I’ll be connecting mine to my PoE switch. The other gets plugged into the access point. Oh yeah, there is a very stretchy rubber grommet that can be used to help weather seal this connection.

Here in my gazebo, I do have a few hard-wired network connections to my house. I could install it here.

The other option is right here, just outside the shed door. This is the shorter run and if I don’t get a quality signal at the back of the property, 300ft away, I will move it to the gazebo. The wire should also fit snuggly around this weather sealing. Let’s get the mount screwed on. And now, plug in the AP. This cable is an underground cable so it’s thicker than normal. And, I’ll create a drop loop and wrap the wire around the top of the mount and into the shed. And here is how it looks with the door shut, perfect. Now time for some range tests.

Let’s run to the back corner, 300 feet away. This is Starlink speed test. I am most interested in the speed from my phone here to my network. These numbers here are the speed from my network to the Internet, so will skip that part. I want the speed from my network to my phone. Cool I think I saw 126, that’s pretty impressive at this distance. And the upload hit 137 for a second before stabilizing at about 27. Now, we’ll go down the street and find the edge of the Wi-Fi boundary. Ok here we are and my phone has been switching from Wi-Fi to cellular. The signal is weak, but let’s give it a try. It’s about 600 feet away in my neighbor’s yard. You can barely see the shed through the trees. I keep bouncing off the network and onto the cellular one. Ok, one Wi-Fi bar, let’s start the test.  Cool, so the speed from the router to the internet is still, good, so I’ll fast forward over this. And here is the download speed from the router to my phone. 10 or so is pretty good. Much slower, but still not bad. Oh. No. Looks like I slipped out of range. Kinda expected when you’re pushing the range limits, but overall, I couldn’t be happier.