Best APs for schools on a Budget

wingnut

Trying to source decent APs for the local primary school on a budget. I have been out of the loop for a while and there are so many to choose from.

I am looking for APs that can handle around 20 concurrent users. Don't have the budget for full on managed solution but maybe looking to source APs that be standalone for now and integrated to a controller down the line (Ruckus Zoneflex and Cisco Aireonet can do this AFAIK).

Want to hear real word experience with the various brands, any stand out performers. Looking at 5-10 access points.

djmarkus

TP-Link are good, and cheap!

columf

For centrally managed AP's have a look at Ubiquiti UNIFI an AP will cost about €70 shipped from interprojekt. They are controlled by UNIFI controller a software you can download from the Ubiquiti for mac or windows and they are decent even if you compare them to their more expensive counterparts. Also worth a mention is the cisco WPA 321 these can be controlled centrally from a AP you make master these are just over the €100 mark I think also great kit. I have used Ruckus gear and it is very very good there was a controller installed so I don't have experience of them standalone.

Hope this helps

same ol sh1te

djmarkus wrote: »

TP-Link are good, and cheap!

Not for this situation. It needs at least Ubiquiti Unifi. You do not even need the software, but it's handy

duckndive

I have used Engenius APs to great effect in a few small schools. Take a look at their EAP300 models for a standalone solution, they also have a managed type solution which is also very cost effective.

Are you looking at single band or dual band/dual radio APs?