Some time ago a new ISP arrived to my area and offered me 1Gbps/1Gbps symmetric gpon\epon link. So I decided that time for upgrading my whole home network has come.

What I have?
2 desktops
NAS
bunch of PoE surveillance cameras and NVR for them, all that stuff connected to already existing PoE switch
apple phones, tablets, macbooks
couple of IoT devices working on 2.4Ghz (I think it's important, you will read my concerns below)

Where all that I have?
Flat apartment divided by half with ~80cm thick main load-bearing wall (I think it's also important to know), cat6 ethernet mounted in both two parts

What I want?
Utilise all 1Gbps potential wired and wirelessly in both two parts of my apartment in silence

What I think about?
I'm a total newbie in Mikrotik, but I have 15 years experience in software development and all this network stuff interests me a lot and a really want to learn RoS and I believe that my technical background will help with my learning path and won't bring me a lot of butthurt.

So i'm thinking about rb5009 connected to ISP through SFP and two APs (questions - below) which will be located in two parts of apartment, wired by cat6 ethernet to rb5009.

And now questions:
1. rb5009 is ok or overkill? maybe should I save some cash and take l009? or maybe something else fanless with passive cooling?

2. I want to have a roaming between two access points. if I'm going from bedroom to living room through my thick wall I want my MacBook (m1) to switch to higher signal as soon as possible and not fallback to 5ghz N and even to 2.4ghz G which I experience now with my one AP located near entry door.

question 2.1 - if I understood correctly roaming and fast transition is supported only in wifiwave2 - right?
https://help.mikrotik.com/docs/pages/vi ... d=46759946

if so - question 2.2 - which wifiwave2 AP to choose? cAP AX?

ok then, my next struggle, to enable roaming and fast transition I need to configure my APs through capsman
https://help.mikrotik.com/docs/pages/vi ... Properties

Properties related to 802.11r fast BSS transition only apply to interfaces in AP mode. Wifiwave2 interfaces in station mode do not support 802.11r.
For a client device to successfully roam between 2 APs, the APs need to be managed by the same instance of RouterOS. For information on how to centrally manage multiple APs, see CAPsMAN

so, question 2.3 - if I need to configure it through capsman and I'm allowed to install only one version of capsman on my router and this one version will be wifiwave2 to obtain roaming support - will I lost 2.4ghz wireless? it's a no way for me because I have IoT working on 2.4ghz
https://help.mikrotik.com/docs/pages/vi ... patibility

* The 2.4GHz wireless interface on the RB4011iGS+5HacQ2HnD is not compatible with the wifiwave2 package. It will not be usable with the package installed.

question 3 - if all my concerns will be true....I mean it will be impossible to do what I want with mikrotik wireless, I've read a lot messages like "MikroTik for routing, unifi for wireless" - maybe I need to grab two U6 and connect them to rb5009? I understand that MikroTik forum is not a correct place to ask about unifi products, but still - will they meet my requirements?

Thanks a lot!

1- if choice is RB5009 or L009 and budget allows it, do pick RB5009. A LOT more powerful and future proof.
Even AX3 could be an option (and then you can combine router and AP in one device for that location).

2.1 Yes
2.2 Depends. If you have need for some extra ethernet ports on those locations where the APs will be placed, you can also choose AX2 or AX3 (or even AX Lite but that's only 2.4 GHz wifi).
2.3 No problem. 2.4GHz wifi is not bound to legacy or wave2 wifi, it can be used by both.

3. My (biased) view: RB5009 and a couple of MT APs and you're good to go. I have it home. I have it installed quite a lot with my customer (standalone and capsman setups).
Some will comment on usage of MT Wifi in real high density environments but I've seen reports pro and contra. For home and normal office, no problems whatsoever for me.
If you want to use Un_k, also possible, obviously.

question 3 - if all my concerns will be true....I mean it will be impossible to do what I want with mikrotik wireless, I've read a lot messages like "MikroTik for routing, unifi for wireless" - maybe I need to grab two U6 and connect them to rb5009? I understand that MikroTik forum is not a correct place to ask about unifi products, but still - will they meet my requirements?

Your choice of RB5009 is excellent ... I do NOT recommend MikroTik Wireless unless you want a great deal of frustration ... Unifi U6 Pro or TP-Link EAP690E HD for wireless is my suggestion ...

Zero frustration here, FWIW.
But to each his/her own, I guess ...

No fustrations or issues with wireless on my network. It works fine.

The TP-Link EAP690E HD seems a bit pricey, like 4 or 5 times the Unifi U6 Pro, though.

The difference in cost between the L009 and the RB5009 is nothing in comparison. (the consensus on the board seems that the money spent on the RB5009 instead of the L009 is well spent).

2.3 No problem. 2.4GHz wifi is not bound to legacy or wave2 wifi, it can be used by both.

so in this case no blockers to choose cap ax, my IoTs will be connected?

Some will comment on usage of MT Wifi in real high density

no high density at all, 5ghz air is clear at all, 2.4ghz - 1 AP with -70dBm, 3 with -85dBm,

I do NOT recommend MikroTik Wireless unless you want a great deal of frustration ... Unifi U6 Pro or TP-Link EAP690E HD for wireless is my suggestion ...

why? I've heard about wifi issues on MT wireless, but only at the level of rumors, everything is ok with bunch of cAP ac in two company offices where I work

I have (had?) only two reasons to choose u6 pro:
- impossible to meet my requirements on MT wifi (holvoetn claims that everything should work)
- my wife probably won't allow me to mount that big and ugly smoke sensor or ventilation cap (name cAP ax as you want but it's really horrible) in line of sight but that's also solvable

all other pros of u6 pro like 4x4 or 160Hz doesn't make sense to me because my current laptop (mbp 14" with m1 max) is not supporting them (2x2 80Hz in m1, 2x2 160Hz was introduced in 2023 m2 only) and I'm not going to upgrade it in nearest years.

eap690e is very pricy, no way

The difference in cost between the L009 and the RB5009 is nothing in comparison.

same thoughts, thx!

Cap ax should be ok. But I am not going to hang that on my ceiling either
In a warehouse or meeting room, that's something else.

High density: I mean hundredths of wifi clients on a small area.
But that shouldn't concern you, I guess.

- my wife probably won't allow me to mount that big and ugly smoke sensor or ventilation cap (name cAP ax as you want but it's really horrible) in line of sight but that's also solvable

The wife factor won't allow an Ax2 or Ax3 in view, so those can also be removed from list of possible hardware.

The cap AX is not that much uglier than the Unifi 6 as I see it, but wives tend to have different sensibilities, you could (it depends on how/where you need to install them) see if Audience is acceptable, in order to remain "all Mikrotik" but no idea how well they work.

... see if Audience is acceptable ... but no idea how well they work.

My audience, running 7.13.2 and wifi-qcom-ac, runs excellently. Just tested with recent smart phone: it connects with 866Mbps rate (both Tx and Rx) and running speedtest gives around 570Mbps in download (and caps at ISP line rate during upload). Distance between audience and phone was around 6m with tester obscuring LOS (no other obstacles between both link partners).

I have an cAP ax that provides full coverage in my 3100 sq ft townhome. MT wifi works amazing IMHO and there's no stupid controller to have to host or purchase. I have IoT devices that only speak 2.4GHz and they have no issues at all. I agree the APs are a little big but they are not ugly by any means. I haven't even mounted mine however. Just have it placed at the back of my desk on the main floor of the house and get great coverage in lower and upper levels. Also highly recommend the RB5009. If you want to really go big, get the PC (passively cooled, silent) version of the CCR2004.

Much as I like that particular TPLINK wifi model, I would recommend sticking with wifi6 reasonable priced units ( of most vendors ) and then splurge later on for WIFI7. The segment for 6E will be small, not quite betamax, but I envision a time that they will be thrown away at dirt cheap prices as folks gallop to WIFI7 tech.
Thats why I support the 5009 vs AX3 approach and it gives one max flex on position of smart APs and the ability to change APs down the line, when the timing and form factor are right!
My experience, the other half makes noise for a day, and then they forget.................... its part of the background

For form factor what appeals:
rectangular - Aruba makes the smallest ones I think.
circular - TP link 620HD is not pricey and 160mm across.

thx folks for answers! I think I'm ready to go with information you provided