*** Official Ubiquiti Discussion Thread ***
- Thread starter RoyMi6
- Start date
ERL is beefier than the ERX, but then the newer ER4 and ER6 are better than the ERL.
At home now I have a USG with AP-AC-Pro and 2x Unifi switches.
For my 75Mbps connection, the USG is perfect.
How big is your network? (wired devices)
What speed is your internet? (is it likely to increase?)
The cheapest way to get almost all Ubiquiti kit..
Edgerouter
Random non Unifi 5/8/16/24 port switch (non PoE)
AP AC Lite with poe injector
At home now I have a USG with AP-AC-Pro and 2x Unifi switches.
For my 75Mbps connection, the USG is perfect.
How big is your network? (wired devices)
What speed is your internet? (is it likely to increase?)
The cheapest way to get almost all Ubiquiti kit..
Edgerouter
Random non Unifi 5/8/16/24 port switch (non PoE)
AP AC Lite with poe injector
Bledd, most helpful - really appreciate this. Currently my network is relatively tiny, consists of:
VM - 200mbit, v. unlikely to increase. Unless at renewal I take TV with them and they offer a package to encompass the 350mbit package, 200mbit is more than sufficient for me.
Wired devices currently two (my mac mini and my HP microserver), wireless is only really phones (x2 usually), iPad or laptop if working from home. Apple TV, Sky and Sonos. So nothing is taxing my network.
My previous network (before I moved) Openreach modem > ER Lite & Unifi AC AP
Now it's simply VM Hub > Unifi AC AP & 5 port Gigabit switch
Naturally I'd put my Hub into modem mode and it go VM Hub > ER Lite & Unifi AC AP, again wired devices can go into the 5 port gigabit switch (with 1 port naturally going to the ER Lite).
VM - 200mbit, v. unlikely to increase. Unless at renewal I take TV with them and they offer a package to encompass the 350mbit package, 200mbit is more than sufficient for me.
Wired devices currently two (my mac mini and my HP microserver), wireless is only really phones (x2 usually), iPad or laptop if working from home. Apple TV, Sky and Sonos. So nothing is taxing my network.
My previous network (before I moved) Openreach modem > ER Lite & Unifi AC AP
Now it's simply VM Hub > Unifi AC AP & 5 port Gigabit switch
Naturally I'd put my Hub into modem mode and it go VM Hub > ER Lite & Unifi AC AP, again wired devices can go into the 5 port gigabit switch (with 1 port naturally going to the ER Lite).
So the ER Lite wouldn't be able to do it? I only want the wireless devices to have two vlans. I believe the AC AP can tag right based on SSID connected?
edit - just realised I never mentioned that. Basically, it's only only my phone and my Apple TV which I want to be able to route differently. Not my wired devices (as I'll just use a VPN client on those).
Hopefully that's clearer, I should have put everything in my original post.
edit - just realised I never mentioned that. Basically, it's only only my phone and my Apple TV which I want to be able to route differently. Not my wired devices (as I'll just use a VPN client on those).
Hopefully that's clearer, I should have put everything in my original post.
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Is it possibly to mix/match the Unifi/Amplifi ranges?
I like the look of the Amplifi HD router but wondered if i could then extend that using the AC Lite/Pro AP's? That would save me having to buy the
Also am i right in thinking that i don't actually need the Lite/Pro's to be connected via ethernet to a centralised switch/router and i can get away with them just being plugged into a power socket (using the POE adaptor thingy)
Is i was to go for the non Amplifi range (USG + AP's), would that create a mesh or would each AP need to be in reach of the centralised router?
I like the look of the Amplifi HD router but wondered if i could then extend that using the AC Lite/Pro AP's? That would save me having to buy the
Also am i right in thinking that i don't actually need the Lite/Pro's to be connected via ethernet to a centralised switch/router and i can get away with them just being plugged into a power socket (using the POE adaptor thingy)
Is i was to go for the non Amplifi range (USG + AP's), would that create a mesh or would each AP need to be in reach of the centralised router?
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Christ, re-reading the above post it's horrendously written!
Been doing some reading and it seems i'm right about the AP's, in that they're either powered by Ethernet or the inverter thingy.
Think i've answered all my questions but Would still like to know if i can mix the Amplifi HD router with the Lite/Pro access points. It would mean only spending £150 on the Amplifi HD instead of USG/Switch/Wireless AP which will cost around £300
This has left me with a couple questions left/new ones
If i don't buy the Cloud Key device. Whats the way to monitor things. Can i just install the software on my laptop or does whatever is running the software need to be running 24/7. - Looks like theres a Unifi IOS app, can i not just use that?
What is the "Console" port for on the back of the USG? I initially saw 4 ports and assumed 1 would be WAN and the other 3 would be LAN, that wouldn't meant no need for a switch for me but seems only 1 is a LAN port.
Still trying to decide between the moderately more friendly Amplifi range or the Unifi range!
Been doing some reading and it seems i'm right about the AP's, in that they're either powered by Ethernet or the inverter thingy.
Think i've answered all my questions but Would still like to know if i can mix the Amplifi HD router with the Lite/Pro access points. It would mean only spending £150 on the Amplifi HD instead of USG/Switch/Wireless AP which will cost around £300
This has left me with a couple questions left/new ones
If i don't buy the Cloud Key device. Whats the way to monitor things. Can i just install the software on my laptop or does whatever is running the software need to be running 24/7. - Looks like theres a Unifi IOS app, can i not just use that?
What is the "Console" port for on the back of the USG? I initially saw 4 ports and assumed 1 would be WAN and the other 3 would be LAN, that wouldn't meant no need for a switch for me but seems only 1 is a LAN port.
Still trying to decide between the moderately more friendly Amplifi range or the Unifi range!
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I can't answer your other questions @Marvt74 but the controller does not need to be active 24/7, it's used for provisioning/setting up and then adjusting. I just run the software on my mac, I generally leave it running most of the time so I can log in from another machine to make adjustments but generally it's set and forget.
Cheers, I thought with the Amplifi having the IOS app for setup/configuration then it would be the same with the Unifi stuff.
I think i'm pushing myself closer to the Unifi system, just need to justify the cost more than anything and work out whether my powerline adaptors do POE. They're Devolo 500 ones if anyone knows!
I think i'm pushing myself closer to the Unifi system, just need to justify the cost more than anything and work out whether my powerline adaptors do POE. They're Devolo 500 ones if anyone knows!
Also, with the AC Pro access points. If my powerline adaptors don't support POE, can i use the powerline adaptors for the Ethernet and then use the inverter to power them? From what i can see they only have 1 port.
Alse (2), what are peoples opinions of having the same SSID for both 2.4ghz and 5ghz? Do clients just auto connect to the best option or should i always assign separately?
Alse (2), what are peoples opinions of having the same SSID for both 2.4ghz and 5ghz? Do clients just auto connect to the best option or should i always assign separately?
Soldato
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It's an injector, not an inverter but yes you can. You'd have an ethernet cable from the homeplug to the injector then a cable from the injector to the AP so the injectors sits inline between the homeplug and AP. The injector will take mains power.
I tend to find most devices steer themselves correctly so I have the same SSID running 2.4GHz and 5GHz.
Excellent thank you. I could've sworn i'd read Inverter on one website but maybe my eyes fooled me!
Now to explain to the wife that the £200 Asus router she thought was expensive is being replaced by almost £500 of stuff!
Now to explain to the wife that the £200 Asus router she thought was expensive is being replaced by almost £500 of stuff!
Right i think i've got it narrowed down to what i'm buying. Just one last question.
One of the resellers includes a 3 year cloud controlled option where they configure the network for you and then you just get it to your home and connect it all up. Working out everything i need from them it comes to around £415 (USG, 2 x AC Pro and a switch which supports POE).
If i was to buy elsewhere then i worked out i can get the price down to £380 so a saving of about £35, i'm more than happy to set everything up on my own so that's not a concern but i would like to use the IOS app and that needs to connect to either a cloud based controller, or a local controller. I can have the local controller installed on my laptop but it wouldn't be on 24/7.
So if you guys were in this position which of the following would you do?
1 - Buy from supplier A and accept that support could be useful (On-costs after the 3yr period is £5 per device so i presume thats £15 a year because the switch wouldn't be managed)
2 - Buy as cheap as possible from multiple retailers. Then run the controller on my laptop, accept that there shouldn't really be any issues once it's setup so the novelty of the IOS app will wear out eventually
3 - Buy as cheap as possible from multiple retailers, use part of the money saved to buy the cloud key - I think this would then work the same as having supplier A manage things only i'd have control
4 - As per 3, but install the controller software on a raspberry PI. I currently have one i'm using as a media player but can re-purpose it if i can't get everything to work together/buy a new one
One of the resellers includes a 3 year cloud controlled option where they configure the network for you and then you just get it to your home and connect it all up. Working out everything i need from them it comes to around £415 (USG, 2 x AC Pro and a switch which supports POE).
If i was to buy elsewhere then i worked out i can get the price down to £380 so a saving of about £35, i'm more than happy to set everything up on my own so that's not a concern but i would like to use the IOS app and that needs to connect to either a cloud based controller, or a local controller. I can have the local controller installed on my laptop but it wouldn't be on 24/7.
So if you guys were in this position which of the following would you do?
1 - Buy from supplier A and accept that support could be useful (On-costs after the 3yr period is £5 per device so i presume thats £15 a year because the switch wouldn't be managed)
2 - Buy as cheap as possible from multiple retailers. Then run the controller on my laptop, accept that there shouldn't really be any issues once it's setup so the novelty of the IOS app will wear out eventually
3 - Buy as cheap as possible from multiple retailers, use part of the money saved to buy the cloud key - I think this would then work the same as having supplier A manage things only i'd have control
4 - As per 3, but install the controller software on a raspberry PI. I currently have one i'm using as a media player but can re-purpose it if i can't get everything to work together/buy a new one
Soldato
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Personally I'd go for option 4 as I'm 100% comfortable with running my own controller (I use an Ubuntu VM). After that I'd go for option 3, then 2, then 1.
I don't see the point in paying for support, there's a huge user community plus numerous people on here that know the kit well.
Indeed the controller doesn't have to be on 24/7 but I run mine 24/7 as I like to be able to gather the statistics and also access the controller remotely when I need to.
I don't see the point in paying for support, there's a huge user community plus numerous people on here that know the kit well.
Indeed the controller doesn't have to be on 24/7 but I run mine 24/7 as I like to be able to gather the statistics and also access the controller remotely when I need to.
I think i'm going to go for that option. I'd been thinking of getting a Pi for a home server anyway so the Ubiquiti software can just add onto that.
I presume i'm right that if i set everything up using controller software on the PC, once i then install it on the Pi i won't have to reset everything up and it'll keep all my settings?
I presume i'm right that if i set everything up using controller software on the PC, once i then install it on the Pi i won't have to reset everything up and it'll keep all my settings?
Soldato
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You could export the controller config from your PC and import it into the controller on the Pi. I haven't done any cross platform moves but it should work.
The Unifi devices will have the IP address of the controller sorted in their config so if as a result of moving from your PC to the Pi the controller changes IP address then you'll need to tell the devices (SSH in and use the set-inform command) to use the new IP address but as long as you don't tell the controller to forget the deives then the configs will remain.
If you can I'd suggest that you give the PC a static IP address, setup your kit then when you're ready to switch to the Pi export the config, change the IP address on the PC and give that IP address to the Pi. Then import the config into the Pi.
Alternatively the easier option would be to install the controller on the Pi from day 1 and not on the PC.
The Unifi devices will have the IP address of the controller sorted in their config so if as a result of moving from your PC to the Pi the controller changes IP address then you'll need to tell the devices (SSH in and use the set-inform command) to use the new IP address but as long as you don't tell the controller to forget the deives then the configs will remain.
If you can I'd suggest that you give the PC a static IP address, setup your kit then when you're ready to switch to the Pi export the config, change the IP address on the PC and give that IP address to the Pi. Then import the config into the Pi.
Alternatively the easier option would be to install the controller on the Pi from day 1 and not on the PC.
I've just moved my Unifi controller from an Amazon EC instance to a Ubuntu VM (running at home). Worked fine, though I did make sure I was matching controller versions between old and new.
There's an option in the controller UI to override the set-inform address on the APs. I used that to change the address from the IP of the Amazon instance to a FQDN (unifi.mydomain.xxx). I then restored the Unifi backup to my new local controller, changed the DNS and the APs checked in with the new controller.
Oh, and both my Unifi APs are hanging off Devolo homeplugs. I could run some external CAT5/6 from the study to behind the TV in the lounge by drilling two holes. However, other than digging up the drive I've got no way to get cable into the garage (mancave), so I've stick with homeplugs throughout. From memory I get 200 to 300Mbps so it's not Gigabit but still faster than FTTC.
There's an option in the controller UI to override the set-inform address on the APs. I used that to change the address from the IP of the Amazon instance to a FQDN (unifi.mydomain.xxx). I then restored the Unifi backup to my new local controller, changed the DNS and the APs checked in with the new controller.
Oh, and both my Unifi APs are hanging off Devolo homeplugs. I could run some external CAT5/6 from the study to behind the TV in the lounge by drilling two holes. However, other than digging up the drive I've got no way to get cable into the garage (mancave), so I've stick with homeplugs throughout. From memory I get 200 to 300Mbps so it's not Gigabit but still faster than FTTC.
Soldato
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I found it quite hit and miss using the override option in the controller. Initally I setup my controller by its IP address but then added an FQDN and SSL certificate. It seemed to work on the access points and USG but the switches all sat in a disconnected state and showing an error when checking 'info' from the console.
Good point on versions though, I should have mentioned that.
Good point on versions though, I should have mentioned that.