As other answers have confirmed, separating router and wifi AP into discrete devices can provide advantages due to:
However, it also requires a much more intentional network setup and design compared with an integrated unit in order to avoid common pitfalls.
Anyone wanting to take advantage of these advantages needs to put their ego aside and understand that they are signing up for a higher knowledge and skill commitment vs either an integrated unit, or routermodem + big box home wifi router.
In short, the advantage is you can do all the things your friend hasn’t (reportedly) done to diagnose and resolve issues such as the one your friend is having!
“Tech guys” in my experience more commonly run into the pitfalls inherent to ANY discrete router+AP setup when using Ubiquiti devices vs Mikrotik or Cisco (two other most common brands I see used both internally by large businesses and by enthusiasts) because Ubiquiti documentation and support is nowhere near so accessible, universally applicable, and detailed as the other brands.
With Ubiquiti (or for that matter Google router or Orbi or similar “mesh” kits) the cost and knowledge barrier to entry is lower so you can make a half-working kludge and get away with it for a while. You must remember both the Ubiquiti AP and the Google device he replaced it with may not be a true AP!
Devices of this class tend to have built in router functions too, but with the Ubiquiti EdgeRouter filling that role the “AP” must have its routing functions disabled to act as a layer 2 switch with a layer 3 management interface.
When you separate router and AP, you must also inform the devices that they are to play separate roles.
My day job is to support this setup (on a WISP scale not an in-home scale) and I can tell you that unless it’s a model that doesn’t know how to be a DHCP server and DNS proxy, or unless he has disabled these features in the “UniFi”* the odds are that it is competing with the EdgeRouter for this role and the network may actually be double-NATed or worse experiencing rogue DHCP. The Google router may be similarly confused.
Your friend has apparently ignored the other massive advantage to discrete devices: separating variables while troubleshooting
What he (and anyone who is similarly tempted to throw new expensive equipment at a problem and expect it to automatically fix it) should do is attempt to replicate the problem one device at a time. This means starting with eliminating the wifi leg of the connection and testing from a wired device.
The EdgeRouter (and any discrete business router) also allows things a big-box router usually can’t such as looking for Ethernet negotiation speed and checking MAC and ARP tables. This is essential as well. Most likely if the routing vs switching configurations are correct he is having a layer 1 problem such as poor wifi modulation/interference/fade, or CRCs on the cabling (especially if the cable runs outdoors or if he custom terminated it).
The discrete AP unlike most integrated units is generally capable of spectrum analysis so instead of guessing at the best channel, you can scan and see. This is excellent when planning multi-AP buildings like your friend has seen using these.
The discrete devices are also capable of pinging and tracerouting from within themselves. Therefore he could investigate the DNS issue from within the devices while it is occurring.
With more and more wireless Internet users, wireless Internet access has become a trend. A wireless access point (AP) is ubiquitous no matter in a family or a large department store. However, everything is imperfect, since advantages are always followed by disadvantages. This post will interpret the advantages & advantages of wireless access points respectively.
Advantages:
1. More users access
An ordinary wireless router can only support 10-20 users access, while AP is able to allow over 50 or even hundreds of users access, and what’s more, it has stronger ability to send and receive signals. Especially in a large area needing wireless coverage, an AP has more advantages than a wireless router.
2. Broader range of transmission
Generally, the range of signal transmission that a wireless router can cover is just dozens of meters, and if beyond this range, signal will be lost. Nevertheless, an AP can cover further distances, up to 100-300 meters, and the increase of wireless access point will extend signal coverage proportionally, which enables users to roam freely in the network. Especially for enterprises, their office space is usually larger, and even some need to communicate across the buildings, and the number of users accessing the network is so large that they need a larger wireless network coverage, thus avoiding management of cabling.
3. Flexible networking
It is known that except home networking, wireless networking in commercial locations often involves the use of many wireless devices, and different networking patterns should be adopted based on the environment and requirements. The networking mode of the wireless router is relatively single with low flexibility. On the contrary, an AP has a variety of modes for you to choose, which meant to be very flexible, such as Simplex AP, Wireless Client, Wireless Bridge, Multi-point Bridge, etc. and it can be managed in a centralized way with the cooperation of wireless AP controller.
4. Multi-AP interconnection
The enterprise can design the wireless program flexibly according to its actual situation. Multi-AP interconnection can give full play to its advantages. Multi-AP applications are typically found in businesses but rarely exposed at home. In the business, the coverage of single AP is limited, so in order to extend the coverage of wireless networks and allow clients to roam seamlessly in the network, multi-AP interconnection will be a favorite for an enterprise.
Disadvantages:
1. High cost
Some people think that wireless AP is a little bit expensive, because for enterprises, when the scale of enterprise wireless network is larger, the more wireless APs are needed, thus the higher cost that enterprises will undertake. So the priority for an enterprise is to control cost, which leads many people to be reluctant to use wireless AP, instead, they prefer using home wireless routers with lower performance.
2. Inability to be used alone
Now, many people would firstly think of wireless routers instead of wireless AP at the mention of building wireless networks, unless it’s a large hotel, or public places. The main reason is that a wireless AP can’t be used alone, can’t be directly connected to ADSL (Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Loop) modem and it needs to be used in conjunction with other equipment like switches, controllers, ethernet hubs, etc. Therefore, many people would find it very troublesome and less convenient as a wireless router.
3. Poor stability
Poor stability is aiming at cable networks. Wireless networks take air as transmission medium while cable networks take cables as transmission medium. It’s not difficult to know that the cable network is faster and more stable than wireless network. Wireless AP only functions well when failing to build a cable network.
Conclusion
Wireless AP and wireless router are facing different targeted groups, a wireless router is aimed mainly at home users and students with low cost and good performance, and it’s able to meet the basic needs of the general family users. Wireless AP is mainly for business users, and its transmission range is wider and broader, it supports more users access, and has stronger signal sending and receiving capability. At the same time, it also has better safety performance, of course, the price will be far more expensive accordingly.
Related Article:Key Components to Form a Structured Cabling System
Power over Ethernet Technology & PoE Switch Explained