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[Chris Doyle]

Does anyone know of a consumer-grade rack mountable router?  I use a Netgear router for my XR18 due to the spotty reputation of the built-in one.  It works fine, but I just got a 6 space rack and I currently have the XR18, a power conditioner and a 2 space drawer mounted in it.  I put the router in the drawer, but I foresee problems with it banging around in there as the rack is transported.  All the rack mounted routers I see seem to be made for IT installations and are way more than I need for my purposes. 
 

[Steve Litcher]

I used to use Apple's Airport Express, and have also dabbled with a few other wireless routers from Netgear, Linksys, and so on.

I liked to use heavy duty Velcro to hold the router in place while in transit. I put the "soft" side of the Velcro on the bottom of the router, and the "hook" side on a flat surface inside of the rack (like maybe the top of your power conditioner). When we got to the gig, I'd move the router from inside the rack to the top of the rack and all was good. Never had issues with it moving around whilst in transit and (who knows) maybe got slightly better coverage with the router outside of the rack during the gig.

[Bob Stone]

Do you mean router or wifi access point?

Either way, check out ubiquiti...they have professional grade gear at high end consumer prices. There's a few single gang wall mount access points they sell that you could probably adapt to rack mount fairly easily.

[Steve Litcher]

Was going to edit to say what Bob did... :-)

I now use a Ubiquiti wireless access point (UniFi AC Mesh AP) with their EdgeRouter. Superior in every regard and a lot smaller. Set-up was a pain, but survivable. Total investment was around $150.

[Debbie Dunkley]

Was going to edit to say what Bob did... :-)

I now use a Ubiquiti wireless access point (UniFi AC Mesh AP) with their EdgeRouter. Superior in every regard and a lot smaller. Set-up was a pain, but survivable. Total investment was around $150.

If my Airport Express ever stops being as reliable as it has been these last few years, I will look for something 'non router' but my 3 Airport Expresses are going strong - NEVER an issue. Small to medium shows mainly...

I also use velcro to hold mine tight in the rack. I have a shelf with slots in there and I have my AE and art net dongle attached to it using the velcro. I check on it every few months to make sure it is holding but no issues after about 3 years of doing it that way.
However, these days I usually use my 2nd unit placed way up high on a boom stand to make sure I can get good line of sight so if I only had the one, keeping it permanently in the rack wouldn't work for me.
I carry my 2nd unit separately in a small camera bag in my kit bag. I made a little mount to fit it that attaches to the boom arm.
OP - consider finding a way to get the router up high instead of installing in rack. You might have been OK till now but there will come time when you'll be thankful the router is NOT in a rack.
Of course if you do go the WAP route you could then just raise up the antenna instead of the whole router like I have to  (thank goodness the AE is so small).....

[Bob Charest]

Was going to edit to say what Bob did... :-)

I now use a Ubiquiti wireless access point (UniFi AC Mesh AP) with their EdgeRouter. Superior in every regard and a lot smaller. Set-up was a pain, but survivable. Total investment was around $150.

+1

That's what I'm using now for a single-case solution for duos & trios. The Edgerouter X is tiny (4.33 x 2.95 x 0.87") and if you need more ports, the Edgerouter 10X is still a nice form factor: (10.55 x 5.37 x 1.22".)

BTW, the Edgerouter X doesn't have any RF capability, so that's what we've got the Ubiquiti WAP for.

[Tim McCulloch]

Chris, this has come up before and the short answer is "no."

It's NO because you need the RF part above the heads of the audience and if the all-in-one box is in a rack.... that's some serious lifting.  Using antenna extension cables is possible but the coax needed to to connect them all together without significant cable losses is big, fat, doesn't coil well and costs a whole bunch of $$.

You're better off with a small WAP that can be mounted to a light stand or on top of the PA, that gets its power over the Ethernet connection.  You only have to run a CAT5e (or whatever number) to the WAP, and you can run up to about 300' of cable.

BTW, you dont need a "router".  A router interfaces multiple networks (like your home LAN to the Internet).  The AIO box that you call a router is actually multiple devices - a router, a Wireless Access Point, a DHCP server, a MAC address filter, firewall, and a data switch (it may do a couple other things, too).  You need a WAP and a switch.

[Chris Doyle]

I thought of the velcro thing as well.  After I put everything in the rack I tested it with the router in the drawer and the drawer closed.  I was able to connect from the laptop to the XR18 without any issues.  I know that's not necessarily a real-world scenario, but if worse comes to worse I could always take the router out of the drawer and put it on top of the rack.  Up until now I've had the XR18 sitting directly on the stage with the router next to it.  The laptop controlling the XR18 sits next to me behind the drum kit

[Debbie Dunkley]

I thought of the velcro thing as well.  After I put everything in the rack I tested it with the router in the drawer and the drawer closed.  I was able to connect from the laptop to the XR18 without any issues.  I know that's not necessarily a real-world scenario, but if worse comes to worse I could always take the router out of the drawer and put it on top of the rack.  Up until now I've had the XR18 sitting directly on the stage with the router next to it.  The laptop controlling the XR18 sits next to me behind the drum kit

Aaah- you are on stage with the router - makes a difference. You may not encounter the wi-fi issues we do at FOH.

[Chris Kantner]

Does anyone know of a consumer-grade rack mountable router?  I use a Netgear router for my XR18 due to the spotty reputation of the built-in one.  It works fine, but I just got a 6 space rack and I currently have the XR18, a power conditioner and a 2 space drawer mounted in it.  I put the router in the drawer, but I foresee problems with it banging around in there as the rack is transported.  All the rack mounted routers I see seem to be made for IT installations and are way more than I need for my purposes.

Someone posted a pic of this Swissonic Dual band rackable router on the XR18 facebook group that Thoman sells:



Here is a link to the seller site...I like it but don't want to deal with international shipping so just use a TP Link with the "Velcro and gaff tape" hold-down method:

https://www.thomann.de/gb/swissonic_professional_router_2.htm

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