Best Ceiling Mounted WiFi Access Point

Wireless access point enables different devices to connect to a standard connection. That standard connection can be a Wifi internet connection or Bluetooth. Wireless access point (WAP) or hotspot devices includes antennas that can emit wireless signals to connect available devices.

Users remain confused about the main difference between ceiling mount Wifi extenders and WAPs. WAPs require a cable connected to ethernet ports of each device connected, while Wifi extenders work as air support to make those transmitted signals stronger. Moreover, PoE access points play the role of empowering the connection between the router and WAPs.

Let me explain this with an example. You are staying in a hotel, and the Wifi signals are not so strong. So, the access point will be installed near your room, and it will be connected to the network via an ethernet cable. That access point will enhance the wireless signals coming to your room.

Ubiquiti UniFi AP AC PRO – 450 Megabits Per Second

TP-Link EAP620 – Mesh Gigabit Port with PoE

Ubiquiti Unifi 802.11ac – 802.3af PoE/802.3at PoE+ compatibility

Ubiquiti UAP-AC-LITE 802.11ac – 1000 Megabits Per Second

Best Ceiling Mounted Wifi Access Point 2022

After a lot of research and investment, we have crafted these products for you. Read on to find out.

Ubiquiti Networks Unifi 802

You can guess the quality performance of this router when you see this at the top of our list. Ubiquity has always been a reliable brand and source of rock and steady performance. It offers maximum throughput by adopting an 802.11A networking standard with 48 GB connectivity and POE access points. I am sure that these are enough features within this price range.

The configuration system is very powerful and requires a separate system (PC or laptop) to run. The management software allows you to tickle with its default settings, like changing radio strength or channels, and alerts you whenever some suspicious happens within the network. Besides its efficiency, I was a bit disappointed with this constraint. Moreover, it uses Java, and I am not sure if any Windows browser still supports it. The company provides built-in VPN and firewall security options to enhance network protection.

Ubiquiti Networks UniFi AP AC Lite

This router is the lite version of the previous product. Still, it works as efficiently as its pro version. The best factor about this is also something very discouraging. It comes with PoE injectors that enable the users to connect PoE devices with non-PoE ones. But it does not offer PoE cables. So, if you don’t have something in your inventory, you have to buy one separately.

Its configuration software gets 5/10 because it is not easy to handle. It can be a bit hard if you are not familiar with such configurations. Or, if you use a Mac book, then the difficulty will fly away. But things get tense when you are configuring things on a windows device.

After the configuration, the system can easily find available devices, update the firewall automatically, and take 5 – 10 minutes to finish.

NETGEAR Wireless Access Point

For the last three months, I have tried dozens of WAPs from different famous brands such as Netgear, Linksys, Cisco, and Unifi. My main objective was to find the best router with Wifi 6 access points. Fortunately, I bought this device, and I’ve ended my search.

I bought three packs of this, and I am successfully getting about 7000 square feet of coverage. Unlike our previous product, it does not require a separate system for configuration. You can go through their built-in web user interface and complete the whole process in 5 – 10 minutes. Their system works differently and efficiently. If you are fed up with VLANs, IoT, or guest networks, you can easily assign them to a different VLAN.

TP-Link EAP620

I’ve seen users complaining about the prices of WAPs. As for my opinion, I don’t think that small businesses or families have to buy a premium device that can break their bank account, to connect 2 or 4 devices. That is why TP-Link lived up to my expectations.

Installing this device was a piece of cake for me. No separate controller was needed; easy setting, available cables, and PoE configuration work exceptionally well. I received some washers with this device that could help me in mounting it on the ceiling.

I could spend time going through its Omada configuration control and access points. But as far as I’ve gone through, I didn’t see any flaws. At least, its configuration process is easy and user-friendly.

Cisco Business 140AC

I have to say, I had severe problems mounting this on the ceiling or a wall. It requires a spacer box, and the company does not offer such helping accessories. This inconvenience is because the uplink port is on the back, and it was facing the ceiling and walls. That was the only problem that I had to face.

Talking about its performance, I was 100% satisfied. I ordered a three-pack, and it easily covers about 6000 square feet. At first, I was using a TP-link product, and I had a hard time during my work-from-home routine. Sometimes, it would turn off whenever I was on my zoom call. I had to return that, and I ordered this device. Since then, I have been satisfied with its coverage, speed, and security concerns.

KuWFi Ceiling Mounted WAPs

It is very suitable for areas where power outlets are not easily available, and not challenging to install, and its cheap cost makes it an attractive choice. It can be easily installed on the ceiling with the help of its mountable case that comes along with the device. Because of this, it can easily blend into the house decoration while offering enough wireless signals.

I’ve worked with its WLAN controllers and could easily configure it because of its centralized management system. It offers impressive Wifi coverage and impressive 750MBps speed. Its dual-band features play an essential role in improving its overall performance.

Ubiquiti Unifi Ap-AC Long Range WAP

I moved to a new house, and I had to buy this router because I couldn’t afford another $300 device for stability. I was facing some coverage issues because I was getting about 2000 square feet of overall coverage. I had to go through its configuration, and I was missing some prominent points, and now I am getting 1080p streaming all over my house.

Moreover, the configuration process is a bit hard, and if you are not familiar with such methods, you should not buy this product. Most users avoid site surveys when they have placed the access point on a temporary spot, which is their first mistake.

If you understand the configuration process, then you will know the efficiency of their management system. Even the free controller has tons of essential features. For example, you can connect the access points to a port associated with multiple VLANs and assign each VLAN to a separate SSID to enhance your security.

EnGenius EAP1250

Within this price range, I think this is a pretty good product. However, its web user interface is a bit “over-loaded with chunks” that I thought it is defective. To make things easier, the NTP text field does not support any numeric IPv6 address; you can add the hostname for configuration.

Moreover, you won’t have to tackle different configuration settings because its default options are suitable for most users. For example, most users prefer only three guest networks with their VLANs, and this option is saved in default settings.

EnGenius EAP1300

Along with its overall performance, its area coverage impressed me the most. I placed its single unit on the ground floor of a three-story building and got strong signals on the top floor. Moreover, I found this product as the most accessible router that I have to configure. If you are not familiar with such procedures, then you should go for it.

You can select the signal transmission power from 5Ghz to 2.4Ghz manually. This offers flexibility in adjusting the strength for different areas of access points and routers connected to your network. Moreover, the auto-selection of channels can specify a suitable channel for you.

Still, some users and office managers have no idea how they can use these APs correctly. That is why we have prepared this buying guide.

How to Install a Ceiling Mount Wireless Access Point?

There are following steps that one should follow.

If you have a new outlet, verify whether it can be installed within the surrounding area of the access point.

• Identify and mark its location.

• Attach access point of the ceiling

• Install required outlets for communication.

• Connect the patch cords with the access point ports.

• If the antennas of the access point are detachable, install them properly.

• Connect the jacks and access point ports with the help of the Cat6A cable.

How to Mount The Ubiquiti Access Point?

Follow the following steps carefully:

How to download a controller software:

• Download the newest controller from ubnt.com’s download page for Windows, Mac, or Linux.

• Start with the controller and hit “Launch a Browser to Manage a Network” or go to https://localhost:8443 in your browser after installing the program.

• Continue by selecting your location and time zone.

• Choose the instruments you’d want to set up. If your Access Point is operational and the LED is blazing white, but there are no detected devices, something is wrong.

• Open and deactivate any internet protection software you have installed on your computers.

• From Chrome App Store, get the Ubiquiti Device Discovery Tool. You may use this tool to search your network for Ubiquiti devices. Check to see whether they are connected to the same network as you.

• Press and hold the reset button for 5 seconds to restore factory settings to the Access Point.

• Configure your Wifi network by giving it a name and creating a strong password.

• The controller’s admin credentials are next, followed by the device’s credentials. The latter is used to control an Access Point that does not have a controller.

• Click Finish and log in to the Controller for the first time.

Optimization of Access Point:

• We need to upgrade the firmware. This is where you’ll find the most recent bug fixes for improvements for your Access Point.

• Go to Devices, and on the right side, click Upgrade.

• If the controller isn’t online all the time, switch off the Uplink Connectivity Monitor in Site Settings. When the controller is unavailable, this will improve the performance of the Access Points.

• Turn your old router’s Wifi off.

• The next step is to switch off the wifi on your primary router because the UAP is powerful enough to cover the entire house. You need your router to connect to the internet; you can’t just disconnect it. Go to the router’s admin panel, choose Wireless settings, and turn it off to turn off the router’s wifi.

FAQs

Final Verdict

We crafted the best ceiling mounted WAPs so that you don’t have to go through intense struggles. We hope that you will ultimately choose one of our products. But it can be pretty challenging in selecting the best performance WAP for your usage. Follow the factors we have described, and you will eventually find a product that can solve your problems.

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