Tenda i27 — AX3000 Wi-Fi 6 Ceiling Access Point

Buying it, and when not to

The i27 is an AX3000 Wi-Fi 6 ceiling access point. AX3000 is the step that matters on a busy site: it gives the 5GHz radio the capability to keep a crowded room working rather than merely connected.

Specify it where the people-per-square-metre number is high and complaints are expensive: a co-working floor, a conference room, a restaurant at lunchtime, a lecture room, a busy clinic waiting area, a hotel floor. Fed from a PoE switch - a TEG1120P-16-150W or TEG1120P-16-250W for a multi-unit site - a handful of i27s properly spaced will outperform any number of routers and extenders, and the install stays tidy because every unit is one cable.

For a small shop or a two-room office it is more access point than the room needs; the i26 or even the i24 will satisfy the users for less. For a large open hall where the problem is distance rather than density, the i29 is designed for that and will cover it with fewer units. For outdoor areas, use the OAP1200. And plan the PoE budget before you quote: several AX3000 access points on an undersized switch is a fault that only appears when the site gets busy, which is the worst time to find it.