We're embarking on a significant home remodel, and I'd like to update my infrastructure, especially WiFi. I'll be hard-wiring two offices and the entertainment center. Beyond that, we mostly operate wirelessly and I don't want to pull cable everywhere.

I currently have a couple very old Netgear WAG102 APs (not routers) that are simultaneously 802.11a and 802.11g. Having the 5 GHz is very nice when we're microwaving or using the cordless phone: my computer never misses a beat while my g-only phone gets stuck frequently.

A scan via inSSIDer shows 15-20 other APs nearby, with only three on a 5 GHz channel (all three on ch 149; go figure). My WAG102s are the only wifi devices on the channels 36-64 range. (Fortunately, almost all the rest are on 1,6, or 11. I have one neighbor to chase down and convince to move off 7. That's a different issue.)

I'm wiring two locations (one upstairs and one downstairs closet on opposite ends of the house) for wired wireless access points, using PoE. (I spend a lot of time on my back deck half the year so I'm also toying with wiring one outside AP, but I haven't decided if I'll bother. Anyone have any experience there?)

Has anyone had good (or bad) experiences with any particular simultaneous-dual-band, PoE WAPs? I've seen a Netgear WNDAP360, and Cisco has a 1602 (a bit pricy, but I may do it anyway, and they have an outdoor one).

Or, if anyone has any other brilliant suggestions I haven't considered, please toss them out!

thanks,

-jk