Wireless Access

Hi All

We have a new building due to open this year and we are at the point where we are looking at AP locations. In a few of the areas they plan to have metal accoustic panels / baffles suspended from the ceiling, level with the lighting, hanging down approximately 1m.

We are looking at how we can suspend the APs down to this level aswell to bring them below the lighting and acoustic panels. Has anyone got any experience with this, I assume this is quite a common issue in warehouses and retail environments. A quick Google didn't show any off the shelf solutions so it will probably have to be something homemade e.g. suspended from cables or suspended from conduit etc.

I would appreciate any input

Thanks

Dave

How about a long piece of conduit with a gang box mounted on the end?  I've done this in a few places.

There's this:

ceiling-mount-adapter-pole

found it googling: "AP ceiling mount extension"

Thanks for that, looks like a projector mount to me so might be a bit over the top for an AP. It's not a bad idea though, I will speak to our AV guys and see what the smallest projector mount they can get is. Thanks for the suggestion.

Dave

I'm sure you'll be able to find a lighter/better option - just though that was a good place to start thinking.

My techs are all after me to lower the APs in our stores, but they want 20' poles.

Not going to happen.

We use a lot of Oberon stuff that might fit your need for drop ceilings: https://www.anixter.com/content/dam/Suppliers/Oberon/Enclosures%20and%20Mounting%20Solutions/Oberon_Product_Catalog_2013_ARUBA.pdf

Also if you have drop ceilings then I believe the included brackets attach right on the drop ceiling runners.  Not the prettiest but it works and is "free".

*I'm not affiliated with Oberon in any way.

It's not so much the areas with suspended ceilings, as you say we can use the standard bracket for that, it's the areas where the ceilings are too high or there are light fittings and pretty architectural decorations hanging from the ceiling. In these areas we ideally need to get the APs below this level.

I think I will have to go with the steel conduit as it's fairly inexpensive and can be made to the correct length.

Thanks all for the suggestions

Dave