We have our 'tiks scripted in such a way that even after a reset, the router will connect with a limited pppoe connection, making it easy for our support techs to finish setting it up, saving the customer a potential trip to the office, or a truck roll for us. We also have them set up with a limited username that hides 90% of all the advanced features of the router, so it's more difficult for the customer to shoot themselves in the foot. One other nifty feature is the ability to integrate the router with the billing system. As long as the mac address of the router is tied to the account, the router pretty much configures itself as soon as it's deployed. username, password, ssid, and WPA key can all be pushed at the same time.
config scripts are designed in such a way that they will work with most of the CPE-type mikrotik routers, so if a hap lite is too small, we could set up a 951 in a similar fashion.
Vlad On 10/7/2015 9:22 PM, Work wrote:
A mikrotik or AirRouter are the only 2 good options now days in the low price range heard good things about netgear NightHawk but too pricey if you want something cheap easy to config good range and it have to ability to do anything your SM's can and be able to monitor them just like a SM go with AirRouter if you want something bit more pricey harder for end user to config but be able to debug anything without driving out there go with mikrotik... If you want to just tell them buy something from the store tell them get a netgear NightHawk— Sent from Mailbox <https://www.dropbox.com/mailbox>On Wed, Oct 7, 2015 at 7:43 PM, Bill Prince <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote:I (for one) think you're wrong. But I pretty much loath most things apple, so there's that. I spent almost an hour with an experienced apple user (and an uber geek) trying to find a log file on an AirPort, but they keep removing features from the AirPort. The AirPort is probably running a stripped-down version of IOS, but it's pretty opaque from my perspective. Why it can't be a simple web GUI like everyone else on the planet is beyond me. Plus the look & feel changes with almost every new release. Makes it pretty much impossible to talk someone through it over the phone. PITA POS if you ask me. bp <part15sbs{at}gmail{dot}com> On 10/7/2015 2:48 PM, Brett A Mansfield wrote:I think the app isn't very good, but the tool on a PC or Mac is really good, intuitive, and works well. I see the app as a web GUI on steroids. It just works. I think the more you play with it the more features you realize it has. I think a lot of my counterparts here on this list just don't like it because it's Apple, but I could be wrong. Thank you, Brett A Mansfield On Oct 7, 2015, at 3:38 PM, Bill Prince <[email protected]> wrote:Totally true. Apple makes an AirPort tool of sorts for Windows, but it sucks major bronto. What's even worse is trying to admin an AirPort from an ipad. bp <part15sbs{at}gmail{dot}com> On 10/7/2015 11:21 AM, Ken Hohhof wrote:My guys hate the Apple routers because they can’t be configured from a web GUI, you need the AirPort software on your computer. At least that’s what they tell me. *From:* Brett A Mansfield <mailto:[email protected]> *Sent:* Wednesday, October 07, 2015 1:08 PM *To:* [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> *Subject:* Re: [AFMUG] Consumer routers? For my customers that want me to sell them or manage their solution I charge an extra $25 install fee and $5/mo. I use edgerouters as the router and an airport express in bridge mode for the wireless. I can throw on as many of the airports as needed to get the job done for an extra fee. It works really well. I haven't had any customer complaint with it. They don't have to power cycle anything ever either. I buy the airport express in bulk refurbished direct from Apple. If they don't have them refurbished I just buy new, but that hasn't happened yet. Thank you, Brett A Mansfield On Oct 7, 2015, at 11:49 AM, Sterling Jacobson <[email protected]> wrote:This is my biggest gripe right now. The more internet you provide to them, the worse this problem is. I think my contractors are selling mid-range $100 linksys routers. I’m not sure that’s the best thing. I too need to find a handful of routers that really get the job done right. I’ve noticed the Apple routers tend to be pretty good, especially if they have Apple Ecosystem/devices. And apple extenders seem to work better with their apple environment and are way easy for the customer to set up. Other than Apple, I usually recommend a router with external antennas. And TRY to get our people to NOT install the routers in the basement under all the metal ducting, lol! Ideally they are installed on the main floor in a somewhat central location. What I am considering is selling a NON-wireless router for our end point inside the house near the clustered wiring. Then programming any router they get in BRIDGE mode. I still don’t like doing that because the router features are something most of these people want anyways. But with my speeds I would almost just rather make sure they have a wired Gigabit Ethernet router that I can manage and I know is capable, then let them buy however many wireless routers they need to fill in gaps all over their house (or, preferably, ONE powerful wireless router). I just don’t want to be stuck changing port forwarding crap etc. What I really wish was that a separate company would do this for a one time, or monthly charge and handle all their router woes. *From:*Af [mailto:[email protected]] *On Behalf Of *Glen Waldrop *Sent:* Wednesday, October 7, 2015 11:39 AM *To:* [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> *Subject:* Re: [AFMUG] Consumer routers? Thanks for the input guys. I was mostly looking at what to recommend. I'd rather help on occasion, but my responsibility ends at the CAT5 coming out of the POE. I've been bouncing around the idea of a $5 a month managed RB951 2HnD or something. ----- Original Message ----- *From:*Justin Wilson - MTIN <mailto:[email protected]> *To:*<mailto:[email protected]>[email protected] *Sent:*Wednesday, October 07, 2015 11:51 AM *Subject:*Re: [AFMUG] Consumer routers? My take on this is you have to look at what supporting a customer router costs you in support and service calls. We have several clients who are doing one of a couple things.Some are selling a managed router service for $X a month. This is typically a Mikrotik the ISP has access to. TheISP sets up the wireless, manages the router, and other such functions. This allows for a reference point on the customer side for testing, etc. The other way to approach this is if you don’t want mess with router configuration some folks are including a “modem” that is essentially a hAP or 750. This is just in bridge mode or is the PPPOE client. The customer then is free to plug in their own router if they so desire, butyou still have a reference point from the customer side. If you need a customer to bypass their router you simplyask them to plug into port5 or whatever on your “modem”. That port can be setup to do DHCP or whatever. You have to look at how much support consumer routers is costing you. Many folks look at the cost of the routers and the cost to install them or replace them. But if it cuts your support calls by 30% that might mean the difference between hiring another person, or other “soft” costs. Justin Wilson [email protected] --- http://www.mtin.netOwner/CEO xISP Solutions- Consulting – Data Centers - Bandwidth http://www.midwest-ix.comCOO/Chairman Internet Exchange - Peering - Distributed Fabric On Oct 7, 2015, at 11:58 AM, Glen Waldrop <[email protected]> wrote: Are there any consumer routers that don't suck these days? I used to recommend Linksys/Cisco, but since the Belkin buyout quality seems to be going down. They jink with teh firewall and I can't block specific outgoing traffic, can't remote admin anymore, etc...
