Best location for wireless WIFI at stage?

[GordonParticipant]

WIFI experts advise that your Wireless Router or WAP be placed as high in the room as possible because the signal pattern tends to resemble the shape of an umbrella. However, the QU-24 manual advises against placing it on any speakers.

Page 84…”Place it high up to avoid obstacles such as people and equipment. Avoid locating it behind pillars or walls, near metal beams or on top of loudspeakers.”

My 2.4 GHz tablet constantly loses connection when the room fills up with people. (Maybe due to their phones.) So, I am seeking out a better place than on my mixer table at stageside. If not on top of the speakers, then where? Hang it from a light tree?

Just curious as to where do you guys place yours? What works well and what doesn’t for you?

[Lee7Participant]

I always place mine next to my QU-16 which is always located behind me and no more than 5 or 6ft away. For the most part, I can go out front with my iPad for sound checks without any drop outs, and not all are small rooms. On the very few occasions, I have experienced drop outs usually when the room fills and when my iPad is attached to my mic stand. I just reconnect and keep my fingers crossed.

I use the Apple Express v2 router set to both 2.4 and 5ghz.

[debzdoodleParticipant]

In my experience, other than getting the WAP up high, it depends very much on router (or WAP) itself and the use of 5ghz.

I used to use Lynksis 2500 and got drop out 20% of the time – I switched to an Airport Express and use mainly 5ghz – I get dropout maybe < 5% of the time. I mix wirelessly almost exclusively so this is a big deal to me and the AE has made a huge difference to my confidence in using my iPad. It sits in a molded rack on stage and I never bother to raise it up.
I mix from FOH.

[GigaParticipant]

To be (as) safe ( as possible) I slide a micstand ex the tripod feet into the flightcase my Qu-SB sits in to raise my airport express roughly 1m above the case. Works flawless until now with one exception where my Ipad lost connexion while it was maybe 2m away from the router. That same night my foh soundguy had problems keeping connected with his Samsung tab running the android mixing app. Strange….

Giga

[debzdoodleParticipant]

One more thing … I did go through a short phase of raising up the router on an extended mic stand using a small platform I made to attach to the stand. I didn’t notice any difference so I stopped bothering to do it and went back to leaving the router in the rack…. However, if I am working a large venue or there is a lot of wifi traffic, I might still use the stand just
to be sure whether it makes a difference or not.

[Flo84Participant]

In my case, I use ipad air, he can use the 5 GHz band. Lot of devices use 2.4 GHz and sometimes the aera is satured by wifi signals.
2.4 or 5 GHz are subdivided in channels and you can to set the channel used by your router.
You can view the used wifi channels arround you with free applications on smartphone for example and set your router on a free or the less used channel. That improve wifi performance and reduce trouble.
Need to try in situations…😀

[ShmoeParticipant]

Hi Lee,
I’m having a heck of a time setting up an Express v.2 (802.11n) to talk with my Qu-16. Any hints on how you did it?
Thanks so much,
Kevin

[Dick ReesParticipant]

https://community.allen-heath.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Airport-Setup-For-IOS-Remote.pdf

[Lee7Participant]

Very informative PDF that Dick has shared, I didn’t do any of that when I first set up my Apple Express to pair with my QU and iPad. But I think I will dig it out and go through it and make some amendments were possible. Or it could just be a case of “Don’t fix what isn’t broken”. 🙂

[HoodyParticipant]

Hi,
Something which is worth noting in my opinion is the difference in 2.4ghz and 5ghz. 2.4ghz generally works better in an environment where you have obstructions such as posts, walls etc.

However in a crowded environment with lots of devices around 5ghz may be better.

This article helps explain the technical side. https://pocketnow.com/2014/01/23/5ghz-wifi

[Dick ReesParticipant]

Something which is worth noting in my opinion is the difference in 2.4ghz and 5ghz. 2.4ghz generally works better in an environment where you have obstructions such as posts, walls etc.

I have not found this to be true. Neither does the linked article make this statement.
I use 5ghz exclusively and have no problems whatsoever since moving from 2.4.

[ArtParticipant]

Page 84…”Place it high up to avoid obstacles such as people and equipment. Avoid locating it behind pillars or walls, near metal beams or on top of loudspeakers.”

My 2.4 GHz tablet constantly loses connection when the room fills up with people. (Maybe due to their phones.) So, I am seeking out a better place than on my mixer table at stageside. If not on top of the speakers, then where? Hang it from a light tree?

I assume that the reason it says not to place it on top of a loudspeaker is to eliminate the possibility of it being vibrated off. At “large” venues, I routinely will attach my router to a line array with industrial velcro. If it’s a truly large venue, then I will add an access point since I’m probably already running wires to FOH anyway.

[Dick ReesParticipant]

I made a small shelf using a “side-car” mic mount which can be attached to a mic stand boom. I use a tripod mic stand next to the console and run a piggyback ethernet/mini-stereo cable from my Airport Express. Stereo cable for AirPlay. If I’m set up side-stage, the stand can sit up on the stage and I get anywhere from 6′ to 12′ depending.

I can’t offer a comparison to rack-mount as I’ve always placed it AHAP. It’s been very workable. Outdoors I’m often 75′ out and I’ve gone as far as 125′, but at that distance I probably should have something more directional.

[Author]

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