U7 v U6
Wi-Fi 7 (U7 series) access points generally have a shorter effective mesh range compared to Wi-Fi 6 (U6 series) devices. This is primarily due to the characteristics of the 6 GHz frequency band utilised by Wi-Fi 7.
📶 U6 vs. U7 Mesh Range Comparison
| Wi-Fi Standard |
Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) |
Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) |
| Primary Mesh Band |
5 GHz |
6 GHz (with 5 GHz fallback) |
| Max Outdoor Mesh Distance |
~60–120 meters (line-of-sight) |
~30–50 meters (line-of-sight) |
| Wall Penetration |
Moderate (better at 5 GHz) |
Poorer (6 GHz attenuates more through walls) |
| Ideal Use Case |
Long-range outdoor or mixed indoor/outdoor mesh |
High-speed indoor mesh with minimal obstructions |
🧠 Why U7 Mesh Range Is Shorter • Higher Frequency: The 6 GHz band used by Wi-Fi 7 offers higher data rates but has a shorter range and less ability to penetrate obstacles compared to the 5 GHz band. • Attenuation: Signals at 6 GHz are more susceptible to attenuation from walls and other obstructions, leading to reduced coverage in non-line-of-sight scenarios. • Regulatory Constraints: In some regions, the 6 GHz band may have stricter power limits, further impacting range.
✅ Recommendations • For Extended Range: If you require longer mesh links, especially in outdoor or large indoor environments with obstacles, U6 Mesh or U6 Long-Range (U6-LR) access points are more suitable - DOWN THE YARD? • For High-Speed, Short-Range: If your priority is achieving the highest possible speeds over shorter distances with minimal obstructions, U7 Pro or U7 Outdoor access points are ideal. THE HOUSE? THE OFFICE? • Hybrid Approach: Consider using a combination of U6 and U7 devices to balance range and performance, deploying U6 APs for broader coverage and U7 APs in areas where ultra-high-speed connectivity is essential. 
We could try: 1 U7 in the office - wired (as in may as well) 1 U7 in the house - wired (may as well) 1 wired U6 half way up the yard 1 wired U6 up top the yard though I suppose if wired the the yard could have U7s as well. Then it’s a case of how to get the benefits of U7 in all the wireless devices - or simply leave as is and wait for newer devices to catch up. And Avoid 2.4ghz - switch it off unless you find a specific device needs it.
August 25, 2025
Deployment Playbook
Sage 50 Multi-User Deployment Playbook
Target: Windows Server 2019 Standard VM on Proxmox VE
Users: Up to 5 concurrent Sage 50 users + admin access
Support: Fully Microsoft-supported + legally licensed
1. Hardware Setup
Core Components
| CPU |
AMD Ryzen 5/7 or Intel i5/i7 (6–8 cores) |
| RAM |
32 GB DDR4 |
| Storage |
1 TB NVMe SSD (for VM) |
| Host Boot Disk |
128 GB SATA SSD (for Proxmox OS) |
| Network |
Intel Gigabit Ethernet NIC |
| Case/Power |
Quiet Mini PC or micro-ATX case + 80+ Bronze PSU |
| UPS |
APC Back-UPS 700VA or similar |
| Backup Drive |
1 TB external USB SSD for VM backups |
Optional
| ZFS Filesystem |
Built-in redundancy and snapshotting |
| Quiet Cooling |
Ideal for shared or office environments |
Cost around £500 or so
2. Hypervisor: Proxmox VE
- Install latest Proxmox VE on boot SSD
- Create a VM:
- 16–24 GB RAM
- 4+ vCPUs
- 150–250 GB NVMe virtual disk
- Enable UEFI and QEMU guest agent
- Enable snapshot & backup options
3. Windows Server 2019 VM Setup
Licensing
| Server 2019 Std |
Currys Business |
£425.53 |
16-core OEM |
| 5 User CALs |
Ebuyer |
£139.99 |
For shared file/app access |
| 5 RDS User CALs |
Trusted Tech Team UK |
£510.99 |
For concurrent RDP sessions |
**Cost around £1,000 or so
**Total costs around £1,500 and under £2,000
Installation Steps
- Install Windows Server 2019
- Join workgroup or domain if applicable
- Activate all licences
- Configure static IP and hostname
- Install Sage 50 software centrally
4. User Access Configuration
RDS Setup
- Install Remote Desktop Services role
- Configure 5 RDS User CALs
- Create 5 user accounts with strong passwords
- Use Group Policy to lock down environment if needed
Admin Access
- Use
mstsc /admin for console session (Session ID 0)
- Alternatively use Proxmox web console for out-of-band access
5. Backup & Restore
- Set up scheduled Proxmox VM backups (ZFS or directory)
- Export regular Sage backups to external USB SSD
- Test snapshot and restore procedures monthly
6. Maintenance & Best Practices
- Use Windows Update and enable reboots during low-use periods
- Apply Proxmox updates via web UI monthly
- Use
Console access to avoid burning RDS CALs for admin
- Keep one local admin user reserved for recovery
7. Optional: Secure Remote Access
- Use Cloudflare Tunnel or VPN to avoid open ports
- Allow only RDP via secure tunnel
- Disable direct internet exposure to RDP port
Appendix: Console Access
What Is It?
- The local screen/session of the server (Session 0)
How to Use It
```bash mstsc /admin
August 25, 2025
U6 APs
Detailed comparison of the UniFi U6 Mesh, U6 Pro, and U6 Long-Range (U6-LR) access points, including their current UK prices from the official Ubiquiti Store:
📊 UniFi U6 Series Comparison (UK Pricing)
| Price (ex. VAT) |
£117.00 |
£105.00 |
£117.00 |
| Wi-Fi Standard |
Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) |
Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) |
Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) |
| Bands |
Dual-band (2.4 & 5 GHz) |
Dual-band (2.4 & 5 GHz) |
Dual-band (2.4 & 5 GHz) |
| Spatial Streams |
6 |
6 |
8 |
| Antenna Gain |
4 dBi |
4 dBi |
4 dBi |
| Max Throughput |
Up to 2.4 Gbps |
Up to 5.3 Gbps |
Up to 3.0 Gbps |
| Mounting Options |
Wall/Pole (indoor/outdoor) |
Ceiling (indoor) |
Ceiling (indoor) |
| PoE Support |
802.3af |
802.3at |
802.3af |
| Weather Resistance |
Yes (when mounted LED side up) |
No |
No |
| Ideal Use Case |
Flexible indoor/outdoor coverage |
High-performance indoor coverage |
Extended indoor range |
🔍 Model Highlights • U6 Mesh £117: Designed for flexible deployments, suitable for both indoor and outdoor environments. Its weather-resistant design makes it ideal for extending coverage to areas like gardens or outbuildings.
• U6 Pro £105: Offers higher throughput, making it suitable for high-density environments like offices or conference rooms where multiple devices are connected simultaneously.
• U6 Long-Range (U6-LR) £117: Provides extended range, making it ideal for large indoor spaces where fewer access points are desired without compromising coverage.
🛒 Purchase Links EX VAT • U6 Mesh: £117 • U6 Pro: £105.00 • U6 Long-Range (U6-LR): £117.00
Spatial streams are a key part of how modern Wi-Fi achieves higher speeds and better reliability, especially in Wi-Fi 5, 6, and 6E.
📡 What Are Spatial Streams?
Spatial streams are individual data streams transmitted or received simultaneously between a Wi-Fi device and an access point using multiple antennas. Each stream carries a separate part of the data, effectively increasing speed without needing more frequency spectrum.
Think of them like multiple lanes on a motorway: more lanes = more cars can travel at once = higher total throughput.
🔧 How It Works • Based on MIMO (Multiple Input, Multiple Output) technology. • Each spatial stream uses a separate antenna. •** A client device (like a laptop or phone) must also support multiple streams to benefit fully.**
🧮 Example Comparison
| UniFi U6 Lite |
2×2 MIMO (2 streams) |
~1.5 Gbps |
| UniFi U6 Mesh |
2×2 MIMO |
~2.4 Gbps |
| UniFi U6 Pro |
4×4 MIMO (4 streams) |
~5.3 Gbps |
| UniFi U6 LR |
4×4 MIMO |
~3.0 Gbps |
| Smartphone (typical) |
2×2 or 1×1 |
~0.5–1.2 Gbps |
| Laptop (good model) |
2×2 or 3×3 |
~1.5–2.4 Gbps |
🧠 Key Takeaways • More spatial streams = more potential bandwidth, assuming the client device supports it. • 4×4 MIMO means up to 4 data streams at once. • Client limitations matter — many phones and tablets only support 1×1 or 2×2, so they won’t use the full potential of a 4×4 AP. • More streams can also help multiple devices share bandwidth more efficiently.
Mesh?
| UniFi U6 Lite |
⚠️ Not ideal |
Designed for wired use; limited or no mesh support in current firmware |
| UniFi U6 Mesh |
✅ Yes (Designed for mesh) |
Fully supports wireless uplink; best suited for mesh setups |
| UniFi U6 Pro |
⚠️ Not ideal |
Designed primarily for wired Ethernet backhaul |
| UniFi U6 LR |
⚠️ Not ideal |
Long-range but expects wired uplink; mesh is possible but discouraged |
| Smartphones/Laptops |
❌ No |
Can only connect as clients, not as mesh nodes |
SPEEDS
| Unit |
Megabytes per second |
Gigabits per second |
| Conversion |
240 × 8 = 1920 Mbps |
2.4 × 1000 = 2400 Mbps |
| Comparison (in Mbps) |
1920 Mbps |
2400 Mbps |
| Relative Speed |
~80% of 2.4 Gbps |
100% |
| Real-world Usage Context |
SSD transfers, LAN copy |
Max theoretical WiFi 6 speed |
Yes — you can mesh the UniFi U6 LR, but with important caveats:
⸻
✅ UniFi U6 LR Mesh Capability
| Mesh support |
✅ Yes |
Supports UniFi “Wireless Uplink” mesh mode |
| Designed for mesh |
⚠️ Not primarily |
Optimised for wired long-range coverage |
| Performance in mesh |
⚠️ Moderate |
Mesh mode uses half the bandwidth for backhaul |
| Ideal use |
🚫 Not recommended for backhaul to other APs unless wiring is impossible |
|
🔧 When You Can Use U6 LR in Mesh Mode • As a last-mile repeater in areas where Ethernet is not available • For outdoor line-of-sight scenarios if signal strength is still high • Only a few clients (low density), otherwise bandwidth gets saturated
🧠 Better Practice • Use wired backhaul for U6 LR whenever possible — that’s its strength. • If you must use mesh, try to: • Limit the number of devices connecting via this AP • Avoid chaining more than one hop (AP-to-AP-to-AP)
⸻
🧪 Summary
| Can U6 LR operate as a mesh AP? |
✅ Yes |
| Is it designed for mesh use? |
⚠️ Not ideally |
| Better for wired backhaul? |
✅ Absolutely |
| Suitable for high-speed uplink? |
⚠️ With reduced performance |
First Draft House x 2 U6 Mesh wired Office and Shop x 1 U6 Mesh wired
Yard midway x 1 U6 Mesh wired Yard midway Ethernet repeater x 1 Workshops x 1 U6 LR (inside) wired or U6 Mesh Sales office x 1 U6 Mesh wired
2 house, 4 shop etc
6 x £117 = £702
🌐 U6 Mesh-to-Mesh Distance Estimates with wired links
| 📭 Clear line of sight (outdoors) |
60–120 metres |
Stable connection; ideal conditions |
| 🏠 Indoors, few thin walls |
10–25 metres |
Brick/plaster walls reduce range |
| 🧱 Indoors, multiple thick walls |
5–15 metres |
Signal and performance can degrade significantly |
📡 U6 Mesh with Wireless links — Key Details
| 🔄 Wired Speed |
Shared with client traffic — expect up to 50% bandwidth loss |
| 📶 Distance Limit |
Ideally < 30–40 metres indoors, < 60 metres outdoors |
| 📉 Throughput |
Degraded with each hop — don’t exceed 1 hop if possible |
| 📡 Signal Strength Needed |
Maintain at least –65 dBm for stable mesh uplink |
| ⚙️ Setup Simplicity |
Easy — automatically meshes with controller guidance |
| 📦 Traffic Load |
Light/medium use is fine — heavy loads will struggle |
If there’s no wired links, UniFi U6 Mesh access points will rely on wireless uplink, forming what’s known as a true mesh.
Here’s what that means for performance, reliability, and placement:
📡 U6 Mesh with Wireless links — Key Details
| 🔄 Link Speed |
Shared with client traffic — expect up to 50% bandwidth loss |
| 📶 Distance Limit |
Ideally < 30–40 metres indoors, < 60 metres outdoors |
| 📉 Throughput |
Degraded with each hop — don’t exceed 1 hop if possible |
| 📡 Signal Strength Needed |
Maintain at least –65 dBm for stable mesh uplink |
| ⚙️ Setup Simplicity |
Easy — automatically meshes with controller guidance |
| 📦 Traffic Load |
Light/medium use is fine — heavy loads will struggle |
🔍 What You Lose Without Wired links
| Reduced Speed |
Wireless uplink halves the AP’s bandwidth — it must “talk” in both directions over the same radio. |
| Latency Increases |
Each hop adds 5–10+ ms — affects video calls, VoIP, RDP responsiveness. |
| Interference Risk |
Shared spectrum = more collisions, retries, especially in dense areas. |
| Limited Scalability |
Mesh doesn’t scale well — ideal for ≤ 2–3 APs total, not whole buildings. |
✅ When Wireless Mesh Can Work Well • You’re covering a small number of users or light-load tasks (e.g. basic internet, Sage access, web apps). • APs have good line-of-sight or limited obstructions. • The client devices are close to the mesh APs (not sitting at the outer fringe of the signal).
🧠 Realistic Use Case Summary
| Office ↔︎ Yard (30m LoS) |
✅ Yes |
Strong signal, especially with elevated APs |
| Yard ↔︎ Warehouse (30–50m) |
⚠️ Maybe |
Only if not heavily used simultaneously |
| House ↔︎ Shop (walls, 20m) |
⚠️ Maybe |
Acceptable, but wired preferred |
| Yard ↔︎ Yard AP ↔︎ Warehouse |
❌ Avoid double-hop |
Second hop cuts performance sharply |
🔧 If No Wiring Is Possible • Use U6 Mesh (not Pro or LR) — it’s designed for wireless uplink. • Keep APs as high and visible as possible. • Consider adding one AP mid-point if direct link isn’t reliable — but not more than 1 hop. • Optionally, use the UniFi Building-to-Building Bridge for a stable wireless link with dedicated bandwidth (range up to 15km!!) but https://uk.store.ui.com/uk/en/category/all-wifi/products/uap-ac-mesh
August 25, 2025
Encrypted Networking
✅ ZeroTier on GMKtec K8 Plus with Proxmox VE
The GMKtec K8 Plus, running Proxmox VE (based on Debian Linux), fully supports ZeroTier — both on the host and within guest VMs.
🧩 ZeroTier on Proxmox — Overview
| ZeroTier on Host (Proxmox) |
✅ Yes |
Install via CLI on the Proxmox host (Debian-based) |
| ZeroTier in Guest VMs |
✅ Yes |
Install separately inside each Windows/Linux VM if needed |
| Bridging to VM network |
✅ Yes |
You can bridge ZeroTier to the VM virtual bridge (vmbr0) if desired |
| Remote RDP / Web UI access |
✅ Yes |
Access the Proxmox web UI (:8006) or RDP into VMs securely via ZeroTier |
🛠️ Installing ZeroTier on the Proxmox Host
```bash
Run this directly on the Proxmox host via SSH or console
curl -s https://install.zerotier.com | bash sudo zerotier-cli join
August 25, 2025
System access
New Remote Access System: Secure Connectivity Anywhere
We are introducing a new secure remote access system to reflect the modern, global nature of our operations. This system allows access to our internal server from almost any device, from anywhere in the world, with encryption and advanced security.
To access our systems, please follow these steps:
⸻
Install the Tailscale App • Download it from https://tailscale.com/download or app store: get auth code from us. • It provides secure, encrypted access to our network with no need to open firewall ports.
Install a Remote Desktop (RDP) App • Use the official Microsoft Remote Desktop app (available for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android). Get username and pw from us, and server address.
Connect to the Server • Use the server’s internal IP address (accessible once Tailscale is connected) • Log in using your assigned username and password
Benefits • Access from anywhere • End-to-end encrypted traffic • No need for VPN or firewall changes • Full compatibility with all major devices
For assistance, contact your IT support team i.e us.
You will need from us:
- Tailscale authentication code(one time)
- Server address. (One time)
- Login username. (One time if saved)
- Login password. (One time if saved) After that, connection s/be one click. Connections will timeout, but remain as they were until you next connect, like when you walk away and later return to an always on pc,
August 25, 2025
Sys Compares
Below are two matched proposals written in Markdown: one from the peer-to-peer system supplier, and the other from the dedicated server + Proxmox solution provider. Each reflects realistic justifications, acknowledges trade-offs, and is suitable for sharing with stakeholders.
⸻
- Peer-to-Peer Supplier Proposal (Markdown)
Proposal: Peer-to-Peer Setup for Sage 50 & Inventory Software (5 Users)
Dear Client,
We propose a cost-effective, easy-to-maintain solution to support your Sage 50 Pro and Inventory Management requirements across 5–6 user workstations — all using Windows 11 Professional.
This design avoids the complexity and cost of a dedicated server while fully supporting Sage’s multi-user features in a small-office setup.
🧾 What’s Included
- Installation of Sage 50 Accounts Pro (5-user licence)
- Installation of Inventory & Sales software (5-user licence)
- Configuration of one PC as a central shared data host
- Setup of file sharing and multi-user data access
- Local backup scheduling (to USB/OneDrive/SharePoint)
- Ongoing support and patch guidance for each workstation
✅ Benefits of Peer-to-Peer for Small Teams
| Simple architecture |
No server required — all PCs are equal peers |
| Familiar environment |
Each user works within Windows 11 |
| Low upfront cost |
No server licensing or RDS CALs needed |
| Easy to scale to 3–5 users |
Efficient for small teams working on-site |
| Flexible data storage options |
Shared folder hosted on central PC, accessible via local network |
⚠️ Considerations
| No central snapshot system |
Manual file backups on schedule |
| No remote desktop access |
Only local usage supported |
| Less ransomware protection |
Use endpoint antivirus + cloud sync for resilience |
| Harder recovery in outage |
Each PC must be restored individually if affected |
| Requires local discipline |
Users must not modify or move shared Sage data folders |
💡 Summary
Peer-to-peer is an ideal solution for:
- Small offices with 5 or fewer users
- No need for concurrent remote access
- Teams seeking simple maintenance
- Cost-conscious deployments
If in the future you grow or wish to support remote working, we can migrate this setup into a full server environment without starting over.
Sincerely,
[Your Company Name]
Simple IT. Efficient Delivery.
⸻
- Server + Proxmox Supplier Proposal (Markdown)
Proposal: Dedicated Server System (Proxmox + Windows Server 2025)
Dear Client,
We propose a robust, secure, and future-proof centralised server environment to support Sage 50 Pro, Inventory Management Software, and up to 6 concurrent users — fully scalable and backed by modern snapshot-based disaster recovery.
This is the professional approach used by accountants, service businesses, and SMEs seeking reliability, speed, and protection from data loss or ransomware.
🧾 What’s Included
- Provision and setup of a mini-server running Proxmox VE
- Installation of Windows Server 2025 Standard (with Desktop Experience)
- Configuration of Remote Desktop Services (RDS) for 5 concurrent users
- Installation of Sage 50 Pro and Inventory software in the server VM
- Creation of 5 user accounts with secure login over RDP
- Setup of ZFS with snapshots for fast rollback and protection
- Optional S3/offsite backup + ransomware shielding
- Local admin training and full support documentation
✅ Benefits of Central Server Approach
| Centralised data & control |
One place to manage Sage, backups, updates, and user access |
| Multi-user RDP access |
All users log in securely with isolated sessions |
| Hardware redundancy & ZFS |
Self-healing filesystem + snapshots = fast disaster recovery |
| Simplified backups |
Daily snapshots + optional external sync |
| Remote access |
Works perfectly with Jump Desktop or ZeroTier |
| Expandable |
Add more VMs, services, or storage in future |
⚠️ Considerations
| Server licence and CALs |
Windows Server + 5 RDS CALs required (one-off cost) |
| Slightly higher initial cost |
Hardware and setup are an investment — mitigated by lower downtime |
| Some IT knowledge helpful |
Fully managed or partly self-managed options available |
🛡️ Resilience and Security
| Snapshots (ZFS) |
✅ Yes |
| Immutable backup options |
✅ Yes |
| Proxmox VM isolation |
✅ Yes |
| Centralised access logs |
✅ Yes |
| Ransomware rollback |
✅ Yes |
💡 Summary
This solution is ideal for:
- Teams of 5 or more using Sage 50 daily
- Businesses that want real-time multi-user access
- Those requiring backup, security, and future expandability
- Clients seeking reduced support overhead across devices
Sincerely,
[Your Company Name]
Resilient IT. Business Ready.
⸻
August 25, 2025