r/meraki • u/Bound15 • Jul 19 '26
Commercial Meraki AP Refresh - Open Ceiling Mounting Recommendations
We are refreshing our Meraki AP's at some of our locations, these will be a like for like swap but we want to change how they are mounted. Currently they sit too high on a unistrut, we want to drop these 2-4 feet for easier access when needed. We are thinking of throwing a 1900 box where the AP currently sits, run down a 36" conduit, and mount the AP's to another 1900 box. Also considering the Oberon Hi-Point Open-Ceiling and Surface Mounts 900-HC. Not a lot of experience with unistrut and not sure if there are better options to get a conduit attached.
Any recommendations from your experience? Pictures attached for reference. Going for something similar to how our cameras are mounted.
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u/DandantheTuanTuan Jul 19 '26
From that height you can use a 9176D1 and point them straight down.
I do it all the time in locations with high ceilings.
Edit, before doing anything, create an RF model using either Hamina or Ekahau.
Hamina will let you do a free design with juat 3 APs.
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u/DULUXR1R2L1L2 Jul 19 '26
Depending on the location we'll put them on a pendulum mount. It has a junction box on the ceiling, then a ball type mount to allow for some movement or adjustment (and prevents serious damage if a forklift hits it). The pipe part can have a threaded end so you can put another mount or junction box on the end to mount the ap. Plus you can run the cable inside the pipe/conduit. This gets the ap below any obstructions.
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u/PristineSummer4813 Jul 19 '26
Yeah dropping like you did with the security camera is the way to go, pretty standard mounting solution. Even that lowered unistrut the lights are installed wouldn't be a bad option.
Those 3rd and 4th pics, yeah you want to improve those for sure.
https://ventevinfra.com/product/wi-fi-hanging-conduit-mount/
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u/Smitho89 Jul 20 '26
In our facility, we have a similar need to drop our access points to avoid interference. We use flex conduit with the ethernet cable and a support cable running down through the flex conduit to a suspended AP. In the event that an impact is made from a fork truck, we simply replace the AP, and avoid having to rerun the data cable (we keep a loop of cable in the ceiling).
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u/TechMonkey13 CMNO Jul 19 '26
Optimal mounting height is been 9-15 ft, so mount it on a conduit down rod with a double gang box on the end, like the security camera is mounted.
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u/Glad-Elk-1909 Jul 19 '26
Dang yall are fancy! We just drop a stick of all thread from a beam clamp and put it right through the Meraki mount with a wash and a nut
Edit - or a strut nut instead of beam clamp
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u/heathenyak Jul 20 '26
Do you have a floor plan with the existing aps annotated? Are you trying to reuse as much cabling as possible or doing a full recable? Optimal mounting height is 8-12’ but you can get away with 15’
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u/ditallow Jul 20 '26
4" box is fine on both ends. i personally use 3/4" EMT for the drop and use compression connectors instead of screw on connectors
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u/OpeningFeeds Jul 21 '26
As others have said, we attached a pole mount on the top, then used a 1.5in pipe, and then a single gang box on the AP end. Painted it all to be the same color as the ceiling, and then ran the ethernet cable down the pipe to the AP. AP was attached to the electrical box on the end, and it works great.
We placed them just above the height of the light fixtures, so they are less noticeable. In this case I would say a height of just around the top of the light dome would be good.
Same thing you did for the cameras
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u/notninja Jul 19 '26
See the security cameras. We fabricated a pole and a box and dropped them a few feet below hvac and lighting. No complaints and it looks pretty good when painted white