I am in a bind as I normally could use a 2.4GHz USB Modem with the Pi 4, but in this case I need to get a 5GHz USB Wi-Fi adapter with antenna on it for access to the Public AP (only 5GHz Wi-Fi service). I have gone through the posts here and do not see one that is highly recommended and if sounds like most will not work. The USB Wi-Fi adapter will be on a 3 foot USB extension cable affixed to a window on my RV. This USB Wi-Fi adapter will connect to the Public AP (Internet access) and a second USB Wi-Fi adapter will be setup as an AP for the not so smart devices in the RV. I am hoping to program the Pi to automatically connect to my UDM-Pro's VPN. The Public AP is good for 110mbps during the week.
Any suggestions
Thanks
(most of that, apart from the wired speed, applies verbatim)
tl;dr: you don't want USB wireless - and even less rf extension cables, as their signal attenuation is pretty bad, even at short distances.
I'd use a Nanostation AC loco running OpenWrt as the 5 GHz connection and possibly also use its 2.4 radio. It could replace the Pi entirely if you don't need a lot of CPU for the VPN.
@mk24
Unfortunately, these types of Wi-Fi routers do not work very good inside my RV, as the walls are solid metal and these units have a problem with the incoming Wi-Fi signal. The types with the best results in my RV and acquiring the Wi-Fi signal from the AP has been the USB Wi-Fi dongle with the attached antenna. In the past, I have purchased and sent back numerous units like the ones that you mentioned. Thanks for the info.
@slh, After a lot of trial and error, the best 5.8GHz Wi-Fi signal that I get inside my RV is with a USB dongle Wi-Fi adapter and it has an adjustable attached antenna. The Wi-Fi signal is really good when the dongle is plugged directly in my laptop and is GREAT when I plug the USB Wi-Fi dongle into a 3' USB extension cable and tape it to the RV's window. I am looking to affix a Wi-Fi dongle to a window near the Pi and use the 3' USB extension cable. I tried wiring an external Wi-Fi antenna to a boxed Wi-Fi modem with no improved results, so they are not an option. Now to locate a 5.8GHz USB Wi-Fi adapter with adjustable antenna that is compatible with OpenWrt. I gave up on the OpenWrt compatible equipment list as it does not indicate if they are USB types or not. I also looked at USB types on Amazon and cross referenced them to the list, with no luck. I am still searching....
Thanks
The Nanostation is an exterior grade device. ie mount it outside.
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this one works great with my Pi4 and even works great on Pi4-Proxmox setup.
For the most part OpenWrt wifi drivers are taken from the mainstream Linux kernel, so if a device is natively supported by Linux it should have potential on OpenWrt. There are some write-ups like this one to select Linux compatible USB wifi:
Before buying make sure that the driver mentioned actually exists as an OpenWrt kmod package. And hope that the manufacturer didn't change chipsets but keep the model number the same, which happens a lot with these.
I still recommend the CPE instead, but realize they are directional-- the AP needs to be directly in front of the unit within 30 degrees or so. Mounting it outside with a provision to rotate is usually necessary.
A Tp-link EAP25-Outdoor looks like a good omnidirectional choice.....
I was just reading yesterday in a some reviews on GitHub regarding TP Link
"Note: I will not list any products made by TP-Link and D-Link. Both companies regularly change chipsets while keeping the same model number on their products. This makes it very difficult for Linux users to buy a product with a specific chipset with any degree of certainty."
I have a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi adapter that works fine but need 5.8GHZ. I am looking at the Panda, Alpha (out of stock at the present time), and a few others that are Linux kernel supported.
As far as I am aware, that only applies to low cost usb wireless adaptors for domestic use. The EAP25 is a business grade access point.