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  • 1.  Extend network over the air

    Posted 04-05-2026 12:06 PM

    Hi all,

    I have an active network with a switch and an outdoor AP, and want to extend my network now over the air the connect a security camera on a location where a cable is not an option...

    So I installed a second outdoor AP and connected it succesfully to the existing wireless network over the air... All ok.

    However this is when I use a PoE injector giving power to the AP and nut using the data port... When I connect the AP then to a 1930 switch and use that PoE port, I get an organge light on the AP, and I don't get a wireless bridge connection... So without a switch connected to the AP it works, as soon as I connect a switch on the ethernet port the over the air connection stops working

    What do I need to do to connect camera to the AP, so use 2 AP's to extend my network? Is this possible?



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  • 2.  RE: Extend network over the air

    Posted 04-05-2026 02:35 PM

    The whole idea is not needing a switch. Do not connect the switch to the AP that is a meshed bridge. The back haul is making your connection. I don't know how your camera is setup. But normally on non instant on products you would add a wired camera to the port in the AP. If your camera is wireless then just connect it wirelessly 

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  • 3.  RE: Extend network over the air

    Posted 04-05-2026 11:26 PM
      |   view attached

    Thanks for your response, attaching the NW diagram that would give you an idea of the approach taken as I have used low power mesh nodes with Ethernet back-haul across the floor and all TVs are on Ethernet. The CCTVs are PoE.

    All devices collapse on the Aruba 24 port 1930 series switch



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    Ruchira Chandra
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    Attachment(s)

    pdf
    Networking Layout.pdf   192 KB 1 version
    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Extend network over the air

    Posted 04-06-2026 03:00 PM

    I tried as well without a switch, so connecting the camera directly to yhe AP, but I get the same behaviour there...

    The Instant On AP17 without a network connection works great in a mesh mode and making the Wifi area larger, as soon as I connect a switch or the camera directly it gets an orange light and the wireless connection with the other AP drops and does not reconnect... Really strange.

    So question is with Instant On AP's can you make a wireless bridge or not or do I need to switch to another brand?

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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Extend network over the air

    Posted 04-06-2026 03:09 PM
    How are you connecting the camera?  This is not clear. If the AP extends the wifi network and you plugin the camera wired to the AP. I am not sure instant on will work that way.  Also are you maxing out PoE budget?? 




    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Extend network over the air

    Posted 04-06-2026 03:33 PM

    I am using a PoE injector for the AP, and using another PoE injector for the camera... The 2 data connectors on the PoE injectors I connect with each other...

    I tried the same by connecting the camera and the AP on an Instant On 1930 switch with PoE ports but same behaviour... The AP does not go into Mesh over the aire mode connection and expects LAN access on the LAN port...

    See diagram of what I try to do: question: is this possible with Instant On

    image
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    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Extend network over the air

    Posted 04-06-2026 03:43 PM

    I would think without checking the product specs that it the AP sees a wired connection it does not allow/ do/go into the mesh mode. That would be a product limitation.

    try this with a real enterprise AP and see that you get and swap out the Instant on switch. Since you do not have confirmation on the products. This would work with a real Aruba AP, Ruckus, Cisco I don't dabble in Unifi so I cannot say. 

    1. Check the products limitations with Aruba
    2. Swap out other products. No other real solution 

    Try adding a wifi camera to the extended wifi WITHOUT THE SECOND SWITCH CONNECTED. If that camera works you know your answer

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    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Extend network over the air

    Posted 04-07-2026 10:30 PM
    Edited by adam_h 04-07-2026 10:32 PM

    I would be shocked if this worked.

    The APs are for connecting wireless clients to the network, not for also bridging networks. @mrmadgig wrote that this works with "real" (enterprise) APs like Aruba, Ruckus, Cisco but referenced UniFi in the same sentence. I don't have recent experience with enterprise APs such as real Aruba, Ruckus and Cisco, but this mode would need to be supported in their firmware and should be stated somewhere that it supports bridging networks. Bridging and AP mesh mode are not the same thing.

    As for UniFi, which I am familiar with, they have specific wireless bridges for this use case. Several different models, in fact. I would not expect that their APs are designed for connecting wireless clients to networks and bridging, although I have never tried.

    @mrmadgig also commented that he would expect that if the AP sees a wired connection (which would mean backhaul) then it likely wouldn't go into wireless mesh mode. This would be my assumption as well.

    I hope this helps.

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  • 9.  RE: Extend network over the air

    Posted 04-07-2026 11:45 PM

    You are correct. Bridging and mesh are not the same. Yes those AP 's I mentioned have those capabilities. I stated I don't know enough about the unifi. I also mentioned that I do not know about The capabilities of the instant in AP. 

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    Original Message


  • 10.  RE: Extend network over the air

    Posted 04-08-2026 01:48 AM

    Thanks for the clarification

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    Original Message


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