Hi Guys,
Are your AP mounting brackets having this extra plastic tab?
I’m wondering if that was a manufacture mistake or accident or perhaps i’m totally sliding the AP incorrectly as i have to cut this small “bridge” in order to make it easy to slide the AP into the bracket.
Once i cut the tab, it was easier to slide the AP on but there were a couple of APs i need to remove which was a challenge to press the tabs together to slide the AP which is a challenge on a tall shaky ladder =)
Hi @SonNgo, I’m happy to answer this. This is, in fact, done by design. While it does take a little more angling to slide onto the mount, the design allows you to only have to press one side in to release. This side will be on the same side as the Alta Labs logo, printed on the AP itself. The design also allows for a more secure hold. I’ve found it best to slightly angle one side down at a time when installing.
The AP’s speed, range and ease of setup are great, but I agree attaching the AP to the bracket is challenging at best. After about 15 minutes of frustration with a ceiling mounted electrical box installation I went back and looked closely at the bracket’s photo online to verify it was molded correctly … it was. After another ten minutes on the ladder I finally felt the second click.
I agree with @Digitalguy on this one. Easy mounting really does make a huge difference, and these mounts are not easy to use. They look nice and they are low profile, but for the general user, they are not friendly. I put a lot more time into getting the mounts to click in correctly than I did on importing them into my controller.
I can also add, I heard an audible click and felt a click but when I let go to gently tap around to be sure the AP is attached, the AP fell off… Keep in mind i’m pretty high up on a ladder in a high traffic area. If that fell on a person, the heavy metal AP could damage an object below or worse, injure a person.
Sounds like it requires a bit of finesse which I can learn but I’m not confident i would trust anyone else to mount these correctly and since the APs are not easy to snap on and off, I would have to check every single AP mounted. Luckily, i only mounted a few but still requires time knocking it around to be sure the AP is securely mounted.
Other vendors, i feel like they are dummy proof and are either on or off but also, do allow easy removal when needed. Examples, Ubiquitis have a twist lock, merakis and cisco APs you slide in and can lock with a zip tie or screw which ive never had a doubt if i placed them on correctly or not.
Just my experience but seems like others have the same experience.
My thoughts are, if my 5 yr old can slide the AP on and off a bracket, it’s something to revisit to make it easy for your customers. Aside from that, i’m loving the design of the AP and configuration ability so not a knock on the AP itself, just the way the bracket is designed.
Had the same, thought is was a production issue, I cut mine off. Still really hard to mount.
@SonNgo @zid @rutman286 @Digitalguy Thank you for the the feedback on the mount! We are seeing what we can do long term to help first time users with the mounting bracket installation. Now that you have had a chance to install your first APs, would you mind looking at this video, starting at 2:24, and letting us know if this helps at all? We are working on a second video with the AP on plexiglass to help show what is going on with the mount. If connected securely, it should not fall of the mount. Our goal with the mount was to make it easy to install and easy to uninstall (for those that know how to - and not require a special key 
).
-Chase
Hi @Alta-Chase That would probably helped. Hope mine are secure even if I did some modifications of them. Will follow this video for my next ones for sure. thanks!
I watched this video before and again while installing the AP. The video was helpful, but standing on a ladder mounting the AP on the ceiling is just not an easy task. I also took the time to “practice“ installing the bracket before mounting. I understood what needed to happen it just wasn’t all that easy. Pretty sure snapping one into place vertically on a wall would be much easier. On a positive note I really appreciate that your bracket attaches to a standard electrical box.
Hi @Alta-Chase. I actually did watch that video before mounting. I agree with @Digitalguy on all counts. The video does help. It is just not a particularly user friendly or easy mount to work with. I am sure it will become second nature after putting 50 of them up, but for the one off home users, I can imagine this will be a commonly seen complaint. That being said, I do also appreciate that it fits in the footprint of a standard single gang U.S. electrical box. I
Hi Alta-Chase,
Thanks for the video.
I tried with one on a mock wall and with a lot of force can remove and take off since my legs are firmly planted on the ground and i get get some twist to it. Bracket is sorta worn out now so probably easier to do.
When i placed it on a mock ceiling but my legs are firmly on the ground, it still requires more effort than i would expect. I’ve had my family all try it out (ages 10 to 72) and the verdict was it was hard and the AP fell off the mount. They did watch the video before hand. This also includes some of the guys that are DIY’ers and still same verdict of “dam, what if that fell on someone’s head?”
Perhaps others may have different experienced being “trained” and watching a video. Maybe i need to install 100 to get the feel of the swing but I cant imagine many ppl lucky enough to have such a contract or opportunity.
I appreciate the video as youtube and examples is such a learning tool and the “A” opening for the cable is nice.
Let me know if there is anything else to try to help improve on things.
Thanks!
Due to issues with the 1.1a update, (resolved that same day with 1.1b … thanks Alta), I took the AP6 down to temporarily install my old AP. Not one to be defeated by things mechanical I decided to investigate the issue. In my case, the bracket is used on a less than perfectly mounted standard electrical box and a textured ceiling allowing the bracket to flex somewhat while snapping the AP into place. At least I convinced my self that was why I struggled with it. I made an electrical box cover out of 1/8" plywood larger than the bracket, but smaller than the AP. Bracket is now rigid and I can snap it into place pretty easily. I took the AP down this morning to paint the edges of the plywood. You couldn’t actually see the plywood, but I knew it was there. I feel redeemed.
If the mounting bracket isn’t on an absolutely flat service I am seeing issues. My house has paneling on the ceiling and, as a result, the bracket flexes slightly. @Digitalguy has the right idea with the plywood.
