wall mounting of WAC120?

[jk0411]

Hi.  I'm trying to wall-mount a WAC 104 Wireless access point.  The specs claim that it is wall-mountable, and there are what appear to be the usual keyhole slots on the back.   However, at least on mine, I can't find a size and head-shape of screw that will go through the wide part of the keyhole opening and then slide into/under the narrower part.  There just isn't enough clearance space.   Some sort of screw with a very thin pan or cheese head might work, but I can't seem to find those in a small enough size.

I can't be the first person with this problem.  Suggestions?

[DaneA · Accepted solution]

@jk0411,

I just want to follow-up on this.  Any updates? 

We’d greatly appreciate hearing your feedback letting us know if the information I’ve provided has helped resolve your concern or if you need further assistance.  If ever your concern has been addressed or resolved, I encourage you to mark the appropriate reply as the “Accepted Solution” so others can be confident in benefiting from the solution. The NETGEAR Community looks forward to hearing from you and being a helpful resource in the future!

Regards,

DaneA
NETGEAR Community Team

[DaneA]

Hi jk0411,

Welcome to the community! 🙂 

I just want to verify.  Is your wall-mount concern about the WAC120 or WAC104?  

Based on the looks of the WAC104, I believe its not meant to be wall-mounted.  It should be placed on top of a shelf as high as 5-6 feet from the floor.  

The WAC120 can be mounted on the wall.  If ever you have not yet came across with this guide, let me share it below:

WAC120 Installation Guide - kindly read pages 8-10.  

It would be best if you post the actual image(s) of your concern.  Other community members who also owns a WAC120 (or WAC104) might chime in to this forum thread and post their suggestions. 

Regards,

DaneA
NETGEAR Community Team

[jk0411]

First, WAC104, not WAC120.  The web site won't allow me to enter that model number; the 120 seems to match the product description, but is something else.

I don't know what you are looking at in terms of the "looks of the WAC104", but it definitely has what look like keyhole slots on the bottom and hinged antennas, something I'm used to indicating wall mounting.capability.  However, the Quick Start guide and User's Manual say nothing about either walls or shelves.  The closest either get is "Place the access point in an elevated location, minimizing the number walls and ceilings between the access point and your other devices" in the latter.   Should I imterpret that absence of comment about wall mounting as an indication that it is not possible or not recommended, despite the presence of those slots?    If so, dare I ask what the slots are for?  Certainly I can create an approximation of a shelf if neeed, but the best location, based on testing, is one in which there is a wall but no shelf (and one it which the access point, it temporarily held vertically (bootom against the wall)) works fine.

thanks.

[DaneA]

@jk0411,

What I am referring about the "looks of the WAC104" is its appearance wherein it seems to be placed on top of a shelf.  Also, unlike the WAC120, there is no wall mount procedure indicated on the WAC104 Installation Guide here as well as on the WAC104 User Manual here.  

Kindly post image(s) of the WAC104 that shows the "keyhole slots" you refer for wall mount.  

Regards,

DaneA

NETGEAR Community Team

[jk0411]

The device is in a remote location.   Will post a picture as soon as I can get to it, but that may not be until the weekend.  Sorry for the delay.

[jk0411]

Photo of the back of the WAC104 - note two prominent keyhole mounting slots, one on each side of the label and positioned, AFAICT, for wall mounting with the antennae up.

If these are actually not slots for wall mounting, I'm curious about what they are for.

thanks.

[DaneA]

@jk0411,

I inquired you concern to the higher tier of NETGEAR Support and just got a feedback today.

As per the higher tier of NETGEAR Support, the keyhole slots at the back of the WAC104 could be used for wall mounting.  However, there is no mounting kit that comes with the WAC104 in its packaging as well as there is no wall mounting accessories dedicated only for the WAC104 unlike other ProSAFE Access Points such as the WAC120.  

With regard to this, you may still utilize the keyhole slots at the back of the WAC104 and improvise a wall mount kit for it.  

Regards,

DaneA

NETGEAR Community Team

[jk0411]

DanA,

Thanks very much for asking, but you've basically gotten me back to where I started.  With most things that come with keyhole slots that appear to be positioned for wall mounting but that don't come with specific wall mount kits (including other NETGEAR products), I just just find some appropriately-sized screws, make a template or otherwise figure out the spacing between the slots, and attach the screws either to a wall or, e.g., a piece of wood that attaches to the wall, leave the screw heads sticking up an appropriate amount, and then sliide the keyhole slots over the screws and be done with it.   

I don't know if there is any standardized terminology for keyhole slot or fittings, but, so we are talking about the same thing, they basically have three elements.  If one is looking at them the way they appear in the picture, there is a wide, usually round, opening (at one end or, in this case, the middle) and one or two narrower slots.  There is also an area under the narrower slot(s), usually the diameter of the circular opening,, in which the mounting fitting (often a screw head) can slide (I think it is known as a "T-slot" in woodworking and will juse that term below).

Now, I've got a large enough selection of screws that can be pressed into service that finding the screws that will match the slots (heads of small enough diameter to go through the large openings in the keyholes but large enough to be retained by the narrower part of the openings, and thin enough to slide in the "T-slot" area below the keyholes) is rarely a problem.  I have not been able to find a match with the WAC104 keyhole slots, at least the ones on the WAC104 that I have.  Specifically I cannot find anything with the right minimum or maximum head dialmeter that can slide in the T-slot (that I presume is there).   So, the question, put somewhat more exactly, comes down to three possible relevant questions:

(1) Assuming there is a screw size and configuration that will work, what is it?

(2) Is my problem not with the screw size but, e.g., some plastic flashing that is obscuring the T-slot such that I just need to use a little more force with the screws or some wort of pick or scraper than can reach in there to clear it out?

(3) Or is there actually no T-slot under the keyhole slot on the WAC104, meaning that the apparent keyhole slots are somewhat misleading and that I should give up on my quest to wall-mount the WAC104 using those slots?

Your most recent answer implies that the third possibility is not the case and that the keyhole slots on the WAC104 can be used in wall mounting if I can find the correct screws.

Is that a correct understanding?

thanks,

    john

[DaneA]

@jk0411,

I am not really that familiar with the variety of screws.  I believe the options to improvise a wall mount for the WAC104 are not just limited to using screws.  You may want to try using nails or you could try to bend/shape a copper wire that would fit into the keyhole slots at the back of the WAC104.  🙂 

Regards,

DaneA
NETGEAR Community Team

[DaneA · Accepted solution]

@jk0411,

I just want to follow-up on this.  Any updates? 

We’d greatly appreciate hearing your feedback letting us know if the information I’ve provided has helped resolve your concern or if you need further assistance.  If ever your concern has been addressed or resolved, I encourage you to mark the appropriate reply as the “Accepted Solution” so others can be confident in benefiting from the solution. The NETGEAR Community looks forward to hearing from you and being a helpful resource in the future!

Regards,

DaneA
NETGEAR Community Team

[jk0411]

Dane,

Sorry, it took me until yesterday to get back to the device location.    It looks as if a flathead #4 screw will work if it is _very_ exactly positioned or that a 6d nail (2 inch) will work.  The latter seems to be more or less the right size as far as the device is concerned, but is rather large for driving into most wall surfaces and, since it would need to be driven straight in rather than at an anglr, unsuitable for mounting the device on drywall (or most cubicle walls)  Consequently, wall mounting with either of those arrangements essentially involves building a bracket --perhaps just a strip of wood into which screws can be driven or nails driven through and then cut off or bent over at he bottom -- putting the access point on the bracket, and then fastening the bracket to the wall.    Not a really good solution from my perspective, but workable.

Thanks very much for your help.

[DaneA]

@jk0411,

Thanks for the update.  I'm glad that it seemed you were able to work it out and improvised a wall mount for the WAC104. 🙂  

Feel free to post your future concerns here in the community.

Cheers,

DaneA
NETGEAR Community Team