Yes, with all the bad news around the routers/firewalls it’s easy to forget how good the good bits are.
*** Official Ubiquiti Discussion Thread ***
- Thread starter RoyMi6
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Yes, with all the bad news around the routers/firewalls it’s easy to forget how good the good bits are.
Soldato
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I quite like the unifi console that you get with the AP (u6 pro), if I want to see ethernet traffic etc too would I need a
Ubiquiti UniFi Security Gateway Router (USG)?
Ubiquiti UniFi Security Gateway Router (USG)?
Soldato
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- 24 Sep 2015
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What do you want to 'see'? If you want DPI then yes, you'll need a UniFi router. But save your money, it's not worth splashing out an a new router just for UniFi's unreliable DPI figures.
I can only advise against it. If you want, send me a trust message and I will lend you a USG so you can see what you would get for your investment.
And once you’ve sent it back to me, I would suggest you try Untangle for its dashboard and reporting, even in the free version.
Soldato
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After spending an hour watching a few videos I came to the conclusion a USG would be pointless.
I assume I'd need an old computer with two nic ports for untangle?
I am looking for more of a setup and forget solution.
I assume I'd need an old computer with two nic ports for untangle?
I am looking for more of a setup and forget solution.
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Yeah, my mobo had 2 Gigabit ports already (i7 920), so I didn't even need a NIC.
But I wanted a few more ports than that so went with the I350-T4, I think it was £30ish (used) when I bought it, almost 2yrs ago now.
Running MikroTik CHR personally, but PfSense/Untangle should work nicely aswell.
You can get dual and quad port NICs for quite cheap on eBay. If you plan to use ESXi and run it as a VM then make sure to cross reference the NICs on the HCL.
Untangle doesn’t require a particularly powerful CPU, so you don’t need a crazy spec.
Untangle doesn’t require a particularly powerful CPU, so you don’t need a crazy spec.
I'll be moving into a new build in 3-4 months, and trying to work out my networking situation.
There will be a cupboard at the front door where the FTTP terminates. There will be a CAT6 faceplate here, with cabling to each room (6 bedrooms, office, library, 2 family rooms and a garden room).
I was thinking of getting the following:
UDM Pro
<some kind of non poe switch>
<some kind of small poe switch>
2 or 3 Unifi 6 Lite access points (probably 1 upstairs and 2 downstairs)
Could anyone recommend a switch (both poe and non) - I understand that I'll loose some functionality if I get a non Unifi switch?
Are those Access points pretty decent? I have considered the Unifi Wifi 6 mesh (as they are likely to sit on a table), but not sure if they function as APs or just extend an existing wifi network?
There will be a cupboard at the front door where the FTTP terminates. There will be a CAT6 faceplate here, with cabling to each room (6 bedrooms, office, library, 2 family rooms and a garden room).
I was thinking of getting the following:
UDM Pro
<some kind of non poe switch>
<some kind of small poe switch>
2 or 3 Unifi 6 Lite access points (probably 1 upstairs and 2 downstairs)
Could anyone recommend a switch (both poe and non) - I understand that I'll loose some functionality if I get a non Unifi switch?
Are those Access points pretty decent? I have considered the Unifi Wifi 6 mesh (as they are likely to sit on a table), but not sure if they function as APs or just extend an existing wifi network?
@jamief If you want to keep costs down then I'd recommend just sticking with the ISP router, these days I find they aren't too bad unless you want all the mod cons and to segment networks and play with VLANs etc... I just switch off the WiFi and would use the Ubiquiti APs still though.
How many Cat6 runs do you have in total, 1 per room or more? Do they all come back to the front door cupboard, the loft, or? Can't suggest a switch without knowing how many ports you need
Probably be worth to put them into a patch panel, along with the switch to keep it all neat.
With FTTP being available you want the best and strongest wifi coverage possible, if you like the U6 Mesh form factor then just get 2 of those to start with. I presume you don't have any ceiling Cat6 runs? I'd have said to put the U6 Pro on the landing ceiling if you could, then a U6 Mesh downstairs somewhere suitable. Otherwise I think 2x U6 Mesh would be more than ample to cover the house. You'd be surprised the coverage these things can give you. But if you can get a ceiling cable run, go for a U6 Pro upstairs.
To clarify, yes the U6 Mesh is just a normal AP that is hard wired via PoE. The mesh is just a naming convention as it can 'mesh' wirelessly if necessary, but obviously you should hardwire it.
How many Cat6 runs do you have in total, 1 per room or more? Do they all come back to the front door cupboard, the loft, or? Can't suggest a switch without knowing how many ports you need
Probably be worth to put them into a patch panel, along with the switch to keep it all neat.With FTTP being available you want the best and strongest wifi coverage possible, if you like the U6 Mesh form factor then just get 2 of those to start with. I presume you don't have any ceiling Cat6 runs? I'd have said to put the U6 Pro on the landing ceiling if you could, then a U6 Mesh downstairs somewhere suitable. Otherwise I think 2x U6 Mesh would be more than ample to cover the house. You'd be surprised the coverage these things can give you. But if you can get a ceiling cable run, go for a U6 Pro upstairs.
To clarify, yes the U6 Mesh is just a normal AP that is hard wired via PoE. The mesh is just a naming convention as it can 'mesh' wirelessly if necessary, but obviously you should hardwire it.
Thanks - not overly concerned about cost which is why I was thinking of a UDM Pro. There will be 13 network ports, all terminating at a faceplate beside the FTTP connection.
I will have cause for setting up some VLANs to segregate some servers, and quite like the idea of having all the kit from the same brand.
I will have cause for setting up some VLANs to segregate some servers, and quite like the idea of having all the kit from the same brand.
I'm in a (relatively) new build and a single AP upstairs on the ceiling does the whole house, not sure why you are thinking 2 or 3 APs? Just try 1 first and see what coverage is like.
UniFi switches really are rather decent, especially if you are after a managed switch (which it sounds like you are), and they integrate into the controller software rather well.
UniFi switches really are rather decent, especially if you are after a managed switch (which it sounds like you are), and they integrate into the controller software rather well.
Similar here. Was wondering if I'd need an LR access point to get away with a single one but even the Virgin SH4 gets to all points of the house (not brilliantly), so maybe just the normal Pro one would do me...
Pro and LR aren’t necessarily what you’d expect. The LR has 4x4 on both 2.4GHz and 5GHz so if you have lots of IoT type devices then you are better off with the LR. If you want slightly better AX performance then the Pro has 4x4 on the 5 GHz band and 2x2 on the 2.4GHz band so great with the high performance AX clients but not so good with the older 2.4GHz devices.
While the LR does have a better antenna array it’s fairly marginal in most scenarios. In general we sell about 4 times as many LRs as Pros but in general we sell about 5 times both of them in UAP-HD (4x4 Ac) and U6-Lite (2x2 AX).
Don't have a huge number of devices, just want reasonable coverage through the house, good streaming in the places I can't get ethernet etc. Also good WiFi 6 so I can try and get airlink working on the Quest 2. Thought the lite might be a little 'lite', but it's hard to know really.
Same. In a 3-bed detached and a single U6 Pro on the upstairs landing ceiling covers the whole house easily.
I’m not sure why everyone thinks WiFi6 is the be-all and end-all but if the Quest2 is the only AX device you have then any of the U6 access points will probably do what you need, especially if you mount them properly on the ceiling in the centre of the building. As a rule of thumb you’ll get optimum performance if you don’t pass the signal through more than one wall or floor.
Nice one. Think I cam only get my hands on the LR as it stands anyway. Any recommendations for cameras? See the bullet has good reviews but is it essential to also by a ubiquiti dvr or can it be managed a different way?
Is it the case that 2.4GHz IoT devices would need to support MU-MIMO to benefit from the 4x4 on 2.4GHz by using different streams (if 1x1 clients) rather than all using just the first? If that's the case then do many IoT devices support that in practice?
I've read lots of conflicting info so its hard to be sure!