Unifi Express Review: Insights From Testing the New Network Controller, Firewall, and Mesh Unit
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- Опубліковано 10 чер 2024
- lawrence.video/unifi
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Timestamps
00:00 UniFi Express Review
01:06 UniFi Express Price
01:30 Features & Specifications
02:29 Max Devices That Can Be Adopted
03:14 Dimensions
03:31 Qualcomm Processor
03:43 Device Setup
05:05 Mesh Features
06:45 UniFi Application Dashboard
07:28 Traffic Filtering
07:47 Wireguard VPN Speed Test
08:33 Security Settings and Limitations
08:56 Should You Buy This? - Наука та технологія
The ability to adopt it to a dream machine is more of a forward looking thing, I’d say. Let’s say you have no Unifi devices and you buy the Express. Later, you have the need for something more complex so you get a UDM. You can repurpose the express as an AP so it’s not left sitting in a box somewhere.
Yeah, it's just a bonus feature for flexibility. If you want to adopt to a cloud/local controller that's not a dream machine, you just get the new Gateway lite instead, which I believe has the firewall features that are missing on this.
Exactly the reason I've bought it. I've got a DM Pro at my old home, and I'm currently renovating my new home. While the work is being done, I've bought two U6 Lites, and the Unifi Express, safe in the knowledge that I can repurpose this as an AP down the line, perhaps in the guest apartment we are building. Love it.
Thank you so much! All the more reason to buy it
I think it’s designed to compete with tp link and other mesh systems that are prominent for houses without wired Ethernet. It’s an enormous market segment that UniFi is missing out on because of the other options on the market being so targeted to home owners
As an ISP this is the perfect device for it. It allows a single stock item to have for both the router, as well as multiple AP setups. And I'll have to look in to it but if it can adopt to a CK-E it would be extremely helpful.
I was about to buy a U6 and adapt it to my UDR so that my 2nd floor could have a better WiFi. I ended up buying a Unifi express and plug it to my UDR via an Ethernet cable. Love it. Is discret and it design was validated by wifey!
I set one of these up for my uncle recently, love it. While the controller is a bit slow, it is a GREAT option for someone with basic needs. They were using it on a 1Gbps connection and it was fine.
glad to see you take a look at this, I've been eyeing it but it seemed like all the videos people put out they didn't really put it into real use. Thanks for the great content as always and happy holidays Tom!
Hello Lawrence Systems,
The way you show internet traffic in Ubiquiti's network topology is incredibly cool. I've had the UniFi UDM Pro for nearly a year now, and I never knew it had this feature. What you're doing for the UniFi community with your UA-cam channel is truly amazing. Without your guidance, many of us might not even own this remarkable network equipment. Thank you from New Zealand.
it was kinda new I believe
@@SimonOwO Yep the topology being active is a recent update
Well done Ubiquiti for not pushing Cloud only Signup ...
THANK YOU!!! Just got my hands on these. Going to use the Express for work from home user that needs VPN back home whilst traveling, and 2 others for new client I am replacing SonicWall with UDM Pro at the shop and these at home for site to site VPN. Very good price point!
I had an Express & just recently bought a Dream machine Pro. I could not adapt it in the first place but after installing UniFi OS v3.2.7 & Network Version 8.0.26 I manage to adopt it as an access point. Also after that it is better with the WiFi.
I bought one of these and adopted it to my Dream Machine SE. I purchased it because of its size and the cool LCD for status but more importantly because it has a LAN port for connecting a non-wifi enabled device. I wasn't able to find another Ubiquiti AP that was as small AND had a lan port for an external device at such a low price.
Just FYI, any unifi access point with a wireless uplink and a POE injector can be used as a wireless to wired bridge. In a pinch I had to use an AC lite with an injector to stream to a wired tivo box set up in the back yard for a party.
Thanks Tom. Can't wait to get one of these when they get back in stock. Seems like a great option for my little house.
Looks perfect for my parents house, I'll have to grab one when they come back in stock
This is an incredibly comprehensive and well put together review, thank you!
I'm thinking the ability to adopt into a Dream Machine is simply a upgrade path. You have the Express and you don't want to also buy a new AP.
This is exactly what I was going to say. This is a great way to get to learn about the Unifi ecosystem being that you can get started for only $150. If you like what you see and decide you want to dive further into the ecosystem you can simply then buy a UDM and set this up as an access point somewhere without wasting your investment. I also think it is simply an extension of what they are doing by allowing you to mesh them together. If you can mesh multiple Unifi Express devices together I don't see why they would limit you from meshing it to a UDM.
Exactly what i tought and thus am doing now :D .
As an upgrade path makes sense.
@@LAWRENCESYSTEMS I want to have a device around when my UDM will crash. Having an Express device available will allow me to create a working network in no time.
I’m curious to know whether the UDX has the capability to continue to route traffic at layer 3 when used as an AP (adopted by UDM).
Might lead to some neat capabilities.
A site to site connection is what I am using it for while I am on my road trip. Super easy to setup.
I got my parents a USG wit a raspberry pi controller several years ago. The pi has been a bit unstable, so this looks like an awsome upgrade to that setup!
Pi was disabled in latest update that's why it's unstable. Don't work anymore
@@slipknot31286sic6What do you mean by, the pi was disabled?
Another great unbiased review Tom, thanks! Too many people on YT get things sponsored to them (Ubiquiti works with tons of YTers as well) and they have nothing to say except positive things which is always BS. This is an excellent home router option for those with basic needs who want to get in to the Unifi ecosystem as I think they crippled the UDR too much.
THANK YOU!!! Just got my hands on these
Great video! thanks for sharing, I'm considering picking one up
My interest in adopting this to a UDMse is to repurpose it from an AP to a temporary router in case the UDMse takes a dump. I haven't tested yet, but I'm thinking you should be able to hit reset on the Unifi Express and set it up, doing a controller/network restore of the failed UDMse site controller and when a replacement arrives, reverse it. Would love to see a test on this.
I'll eventually get one, this is great
I bought one when they came out. I wanted to go unifi for a while and this was the cheapest way to start. I use it with 2 switches and a u6+. In a few moths i'm getiing probably a udm-se and then this unit is going to be an acces point, or i'll install it at my mothers house. I love it for now. It's the best way to see if unifi is good for you and a great beginning point to more :P .
I’ve bought it to be adopted by my UDR and use as a wireless access point to serve my office. I’ve got a few weird dead spots in my office and unlike the U6 Pro I have in the kitchen no easy way to router Ethernet cable. Found a perfect spot in the office using WiFiman that gets full signal from my UDR. This way I’ll have max WiFi everywhere in the house. In the future I’m planning to build a separate office extension so it will also work well for that (I’ve done a similar thing hardwired and wireless using the old AirPort Express these are based on!)
I feel this would be a great unit for use as a travel router as well as a backup router or even something to throw into a tech bag to have on hand for the times of temp setup
The Dream router is a lot better for this. You have a poe switch build-in directly.
I would have to agree. This is like buying netgear routers and meshing the routers together instead of having true AP meshing. Way too limited unless you have a small home. UDR all day over this uh thing. @@verlicht
This wouldn't be a great travel router for a lot (dare I say most) people IMO because it cannot simultaneously connect to an existing WiFi network (e.g. hotel or cruise ship WiFi) while also broadcasting its own WiFi network for your devices to connect to. As far as I can tell, that is probably one of the most commonly used features of a travel router.
Something like the Gl-iNet Beryl AX can do the above, while also doing WireGaurd VPN at 300mbps (as opposed to the UniFi Express being limited to 80mbps). The ability for the Beryl AX to be able to tether to a phone via USB (or WiFi) and share that connection with your other devices over both WiFi and ethernet simultaneously can also be useful for some people (which the UniFi express cannot do).
I say this as someone who does not own any Gl-iNet products (but will probably get one later this year when I travel) and have a UDM Pro, multiple UniFi APs, and UnFI Protect cameras setup at home.
@@pkennethv I wouldn't trust those wifi networks in hotels and on cruise ships especially the wifi networks because of how congested with devices as it is by other people that are connected to them which in return you get really slow speeds. they don't even completely cover the area as it is
I still stand on my point of it still being a great little router to add to your network installer/ IT tech bag when you need a simple small router (I had been there at a point when I needed a small router for setting up something that required a network and didn't have one)
Totally agree. @@pkennethv
Adopting the Express makes sense as an upgrade path, if you add a UDMPro, either in a large/complex home or small satellite office.
Good work Tom, thanks
Installed one of these in a friends apartment when it came out. Paired with an 8 port lite poe switch, a flex camera on the patio and the 5 port flex mini in the entertainment center. It’s all they needed and works perfectly for them.
What are you using to run protect?
@@millergramno idea I didn’t install the camera for them. I think they think it’s a Unifi.
Just got installed for home, using as router/vpn access, wifi AP, works pretty well. Cost is reasonable, well done Ubiquiti
!
I really wish they made a gateway+AP device that was capable of being adopted to a self hosted controller. The UXG-Lite, which appears to be a similar form factor is apparently adoptable by a self hosted controller but it lacks the access point.
Good review, thanks. I feel this is a good entry product for non-techies.
Let us know your thoughts on the UXG-Lite if you can get one, I was eyeballing that one as I have no problems running my own network controller.
Wonderful. Thank you.
Hoping to get your help on this. Moving into a new home and I currently have a plethora of smart devices, work and home devices, etc. I’m new to IT but learning more everyday. I’m looking to segment the various devices on my home network utilizing VLAN. Originally I had in mind to purchase the Edgerouter X, a lite 8 Poe switch and 2 ap. 1 Ap for all my smart devices and guests. The other for my personal devices like my wife’s iPad etc. my pc/work devices will be connected to the switch. Each all in their own vlan. For the vlan segmentation would this setup be solid or should I get an express, lite switch for expansion and an extra AP. Can the express act an access point as well as the controller? Saving me the $$ of buying 2 extra ap? Mind my knowledge if I’m getting things mixed up here. I’m just not sure which set up would be better.
Thank you very much for the detailed information! I have a question regarding forced disconnection: Is there a way to set the time period for automatic disconnection myself with UDR? I am a customer with 1&1 and need to renew my connection every 24 hours.
Thanks for the review.
I'm thinking of replacing my UISP Router with this. I have UniFi APs, and it would be nice to just log into one system to manage everything, rather than booting up my VM just to manage the UISP Router.
I normally don't turn on the antenna on a wireless router, but I think this may also help out with one of the rooms in the house that keeps dropping a signal, since the Express would just be in the room next door in an enclosure.
Looks like a good replacement for those using the older wifi 5 Amplifi setups.
I got Unifi Express expressly for this purpose as it was becoming more and more obvious that Ubiquiti is not updating Amplifi line any more. Without Express around there wasn't a reasonably priced and compact enough Unifi option (I really want the device to fit under the corner of my TV on my TV cabinet in my living room, so UDR is right out!) for my 45 square metre apartment where one access point is more than sufficient, but Unifi Express solved my problem.
Only real problem with the device could be that it's a bit too configurable for an average home user (in comparison to an Amplifi solution) although relatively little work is needed to bring it up as a simple router and firewall. Probably many home users would be fine with absolutely minimal amount of setting up, but with 500+ Mbps Internet speeds one probably wants to pick wider WiFi channel widths than what are set up as default, and it requires digging into the scary configuration settings.
It's really a significant upgrade from Amplifi HD feature-wise for an user not scared of the configuration possibilities, and Amplifi HD is apparently still selling at similar price to the new Unifi Express...
I paired one of these with a UDR in a mesh to cover a deadzone in the driveway. Pairing with the UDR was simple and I can see it, and manage it like any other AP. It doen't run the OS, it basically becomes an AP with the mesh. Have had zero issues with it.
Do you have to enable mesh or can you just use it as an AP (wireless AP piggy back off my UDR as I’ve got a dead zone in my office)
@@richarddcrossley If mesh is enabled on the UDR, the app can pick it up an set it as an AP over mesh.
@@bernhardtfam I don’t want to use mesh ideally. I’ve got a UDR and one U6 Pro none mesh configuration. Is that possible? If not I guess I can use mesh but on research it seemed general consensus was to not use mesh and have each point running on a different WiFi range.
You could run this as a wired AP as well. This thing is so flexible that it really is a good option for a number of uses. I used the wireless mesh as I did not have the option to run a cable.
@@bernhardtfam thank you. Yeah it looks like wirelessly has to be mesh. I’m debating to hardwire it into the Homeplug I have in the office. As they are newer versions I actually get 230 Mbps vs 300-500 Mbps 6Ghz wireless but the upload speed takes a big hit. As you say these are so flexible (like my older much loved AirPort Express) I’ve got a few options now of in the future so worth the investment. Will try the mesh option and see.
I have a very basic home network, currently using TP-Link Omada. After dealing with some weird bugs and issues I have been thinking about getting the Unifi Express. I also like having the traffic identification since I'm on Xfinity with the 1.2TB data limit per month I would like to know where my traffic is being used so I don't get overage charges.
Hi,
would be good to know if they would have an option to adopt it to a virtual network controller or at least if I can "migrate" the devices from my current network controller to the Express GW without too many "issues". I'm currently running a setup with USG-3P, US-8-60W and a UAP-AC-Lite. It would be cool if I could get rid of the AP and just use Express as an Wifi 6 and as an GW...
Would you please also test the Gateway Ultra - as I'd like to know the differences between them except the Wifi 6 capability that the express has. Thx!
Thx for the great tutorial!
I just ordered one with a 3pack of flex mini switches. Reviews seem to be clear on good performance as a router - hoping to replace my edgerouter lite for my 1GB PPOE fiber connection. Being able to stick a single-pane manager in place for those switches actually makes it practical to have all of my network gear powered by a single central UPS. And the UDM pricing was just too high for the features I need, compared to the ERL
Definitely would use for my home, but I already have tp-link going. At my church I'm thinking of using it as an physically separate wan/lan setup since i'm not well versed in virtual networks and routing.
I just bought one to play with. I guess I was lucky as they were available when I went on today.
Just bought an Orbi system a few months ago. Wish I knew this was coming out.
What band do they use to mesh? I assume all ui ap’s that support mesh use the same band for backhaul to the nearest wired ap?
i have a use case where i want to have these installed and connected to a "main" UDMPSE via VPN, they are for monitoring a town water supply. They currently have 18 merakis for this right now, the replacement cost to switch to these devices would be pratically half the cost of the licence renewal for the Merakis.
I have pretty small network at home, using USG as router.
This will be replacing the USG and provide Wi-Fi to my home office. Current AP is moving to other end of the house to have better wireless connection there and two switches provide wired connections. UX is basically tailor made for my setup.
If I ever need larger network, I’ll just get UDM or UDR as a router and set this one to provide Wi-Fi where connection is most lacking.
Why adopt into a Dream Machine? I've been wondering to get one for that use. I have a room in my house where I have a 3D printer and a regular printer both with ethernet port. I don't want to run cable there, wifi signal is strong in that room. I've been wondering if I could use the Unifi Express as a bridge and join it to my home wifi.
I have a holiday home with an ER-X which i would be tempted to replace with one of these. Perhaps bringing one of my spare AC-LR APs there to make it a UniFi system.
The thing that might push me over the edge to buying is if the site-to-site with Teleport works without me needing to open ports. So far i gave had limited success with Tailscale because i can't get routing working between sites.
I have been eyeing the UCG-Ultra. I am curious how good the "NGFW" is compared to their other offerings. Is it the same minimalist design, or is it imporved?
How would this integrate with a cloudkey if i wanted multisite and protect support? Would the mgmt all be moved to the cloudkey? I use the UX for internet routing, wifi etc
I have a UDM and a Beacon meshed. The Beacon is a little far away from the UDM so it gets a poor connectivity rating. Would this be a good device to add to my mesh network?
How do I add one of the access points to mesh with express? I’m new to this! I would like the express to cover down stairs and then would like to use one of the access points to cover the second and third floor. I don’t have any cabling upstairs.
I have an Edgerouter and two Ubiquiti APs and I would like to replace the Edgerouter with something more "modern". Should I go for the Unifi express or the UXG lite? Are there any reasons to not buy the Express?
If you adopt the Express to a Dream Machine it may allow you to connect a wired switch to the Express to expand a network to a space without infrastructure if it's meshed to the Dream?
great system for the basic/generic use home user I guess if you wanted to have something that is capable for connectivity but also have a decent vpn or routing rules I guess you could get a raspberri pi to do that part of your network for you if it allows you to set a static IP to the pi
I have 3 sites with the USG-3s with the oldest Cloud Keys now, and I would love to use this, but the max "4 additional Unifi devices" limitation makes it impossible. Too bad.
That'a why the UXG Lite exists. It also has the benefit of being able to be remotely managed.
@@williamp6800 I know that. When my USG-3s eventually break down I will have to get new UXG-Lite devices instead. BUT.. I would much rather have a device with the Unifi controller built in, so that I wouldn't need to have a separate cloud key or hosted controller running somewhere else, but with the (dare I say ridiculously low?) 4-device limit I can't. All the installation locations are in tight spaces in private homes, so large rack units and R2D2-type devices won't fit.
I went with UX after watching your video and added U6-lite to the ecosystem. Now, I am considering adding Pfsense to my setup. Where will the Pfsense reside - between Cable modem & UX? I want the UX to be in the Gateway mode not an AP. Appreciate if I could get some guidance on the setup. Thanks in advance
As features like DNS Shield grow in popularity, it will be interesting to see if that gets added. Thank you for your highly logical - buy the product with the features you need, not that you might be able to hack to meet those needs today (on that specific software version). It's common to see people go to the opposite extreme which also costs a fortune. I think these units will be a good option for most frugal client sites.
Being the EdgeRouterX WAN speed restrictions, what kind of thruput on the WAN port?
So I just received and set up my Unifi Express. First off the cuff, it's a great little device, and it sets up just a DM Pro. However, after that, you notice something which sticks out like a sore thumb. The speed of the device. My goodness, it's SLOW!!!!
Boot up takes about 5 minutes, and then another 5 minutes to "settle". During that time, it's impossible to use the device, but after boot up, the Wi-Fi comes alive so you can connect fairly quickly.
I also noticed the OS is limited to 3.1.26, as opposed to The DM Pro which runs on 3.2.9 so full device inventory reporting is not available. I imagine this update will eventually come, but for now, it's missing.
Otherwise, I think it's a fabulous little device, and linked up with three U6+ AP's, it'll work wonders until I migrate my DM Pro to my new home.
I am new to Unifi networking and would like to know if I will be able at least analyze Wi-Fi traffic and see wireless devices info on the dashboard for example IP addresses etc. using Unifi Express as an access point only since I am already using Edge Router 4 as a gateway and it can not be replaced and I am using CK2 plus as Unifi controller.
A comparison with the UDR would be interesting. The UDR is but $50 more (when available, is it ever) and to my mind offers a much better SOHO starting point. Neither are suitable for placement in a comms cupboard without crippling the wifi, where a pure gateway device is needed without resenting paying for an unusable built in WAP.
I used UDR and this is a great device however it was very noisy. I put it in my living room and heard a fan. And I used only Networking without any other app. I will wait for another gen and will stay with UX for now. + it uses less electricity (I live in Germany and here it's expensive)
@@Pingwinator I think you must mean the UDR Pro ($379) or UDR Special Edition ($499),ie the rack mounted variants.The UDR ($199), as in the “dalek,” doesn’t have a fan and is silent.
@@flowntn1989UDR has a fan. Not particularly noisy but it’s definitely noticeable in a quiet room.
Does the UDR support being managed by a separate self-hosted controller?
@@BurntToast1 You are right! Totally inaudible to me, needed a stethoscope to hear it! Only 3 months old might explain that.
Hello. Can it do wire 1gbit/sec simultaneously? what is the max 2.4/5ghz speeds do you get from it given you have your 2.4/5ghz device next to the device
How do you think this would work as a road warrior or work from home employee connecting back to an enterprise? Or potentially for small remote sites, using the magic site (SDWAN) solution?
Depends on how much speed you need. As noted in the video the VPN is not that fast.
Hi ,
Can this be meshed hard wired instead of wireless to another ap or unifi express?
Would be great if you can make a video on how to mesh these on the same ssid.
Thanks.
What are people using for multi-gig networks?
Does this unit have the ability to use public wifi as Internet Provider and share wifi at the same time, Looking for a scenario about older parent that have wifi supply to all appartement in a building, but want them to be secure behind a firewall ?
What kernel does this device run? Doing a strings on the downloadable image 3.1.26 and grepping for linux-image gives 4.4.60. Is this true? That would be way old kernel...
The Unifi LAB app is fantastic. I have never been able to find such an app for network monitoring in my home. Any recommendations?
Lawrence Systems,
Is it possible to adopt this to my UDM-Pro, then deploy it at my parents house configured for Site-to-Site to my home network?
Question. I have a UDM (capsure). Should I update to this or UDM pro? I have a small homelab.
Would this allow me to run multiple SSIDs and also maybe different ones for each band? Or even vLAN?
I've never used a unifi device, always been confused by the controller, cloud key etc etc.
I just want solid wifi across the house,
make use of the cable I've managed to run around the house,
and maybe replace my provider's router, and have some more advanced features to maybe segregate IoT devices from the rest of the network.
Yes, you can have up to four SSID's
If I configure a UniFi Express as a WiFi access point, can I use its WAN port for a connection to my laptop and its LAN port for connection to my switch? Will my laptop then get internet access via the WAN port?
Note: The switch is connected to the internet via a second UniFi Express.
This is giving me amplifi vibes... Looks very similar!
if you bought the NVR system, would this not recognize it then and be able to control it?
I have 4 Ubiquiti Access Points and I have the Unifi Network Application running in Home Assistant. Would there be any benefits to adding this to my network?
I've ordered this to mesh to my UDM PRO - U6-PRO so I can provide cabled connection in a room without having to pull cables and the equipment in there does not have wifi.
Love form factor, but want a true replacement (size and ports) for the USG3 (two WAN ports). USM pro size not a great fit size wise.
I bought one soon as it released just to see how it worked. Have 0 use case for it but it's cool.
I would like to build a network with two U6 mesh Acces Points, witch Hardware still i needs?
This would be perfect for small SMB clients that need more than just the ISP modem but not a full fledged UTM from Sonicwall, fortinet, etc. The one thing stopping it is the lack of being able to manage it from our controller.
Not sure about medium business as I like to build in some scalability, but maybe some small business. However, I would really elect to pay the extra 50 bucks and get just the dream machine. Although I'm they don't play well in racks usually.
Hello Tom. HNY. What is the throughput of this unit for internet access, if I have a 1GB internet access will I get that speed with this devices?
Can this be used as an access point with a Cloudkey ?
I am confused... the wifi 6 band is greyed out. Is it not built in?
I wonder how this Express can replace my USG as gateway, and how to replace the controller function from my standalone PC in my network...
Is the DNS Shield function available with the latest firmware?
Did you test the VPN speed limitation you mentioned? What speed did you achieve? Thank you.
The test and results are in the video.
Can you wire backhaul these devices? Thanks
I presume it supports ipv6? I know the other UI devices are steadily getting better at this, but worth asking of this device just to be sure.
Does anyone know if this can be used as a controller for other device when not using gateway mode?
Great video, it would be nice if you can make a video on how to configure Vlans in the Express the right way:
I cover that in this video ua-cam.com/video/TCMivAkDBtw/v-deo.htmlsi=CebUtMJEl-MvQBcs
With the Unfi Express as my gateway what will I need if if I want to set up my home network with a separate vlan or network for my IOT devices. Thanks for the informative review.
If it's for wifi connected devices, nothing. Just set up a VLAN, and appropriate firewall rules to isolate the VLAN.
If it's for Ethernet connected devices, a managed switch that can do VLANs. A Unifi switch integrates into the management interface making if relatively simple for those new to VLANs, but you can use any VLAN capable switch. Then setup the VLAN and firewall rules on the UXG Express, and the VLAN on the third party switch.
As someone new to VLANs, I'd strongly suggest going with a Unifi switch. The least expensive Unifi switch is ~$30 and has five ports. Which means four usable ports after you plug it into the UXG Express. Or you can step up to an 8 port switch, four of which have PoE. (Power over Ethernet) Since almost all of the Unifi access points are PoE powered, this can be very handy.
Had some WiFi issues with a TP Link Archer, was going to go with a USG since I've deployed a few, decided to give this a try. I ran a number of speed/latency/stress tests on my TP Link (Which is a few years old) on a wired connection before switching...and was very surprised to find that the Unifi Express simply did not perform as well. I'm on Verizon fiber and have NEVER had wired network issues in the past. Latency, jitter, and latency deviation were all up compared to the old TP Link...oddly enough my upload tests perform MUCH worse, and (This may be a Ubiquiti specific setting causing the issue) Discord has become absolutely terrible, which again...I've never had issues with. While it may be great for "some"...I'm very surprised at my early testing results compared to an old $75 TP Link router.
I'd really appreciate this video but it would be great if you showed how advanced traffic filtering is
One big question I have is I had a Dream Router and ended up switching it out for a dream machine because the Max download speeds on the dream router were ABYSMAL (it got a max of like 600MBps when I have a gigabit connection) both are kinda big for my Network cabinet so this smaller device would be awesome but I am worried that it has the same speed issues the dream router did. Were you able to get a full gigabit connection through this on WAN?
People get gigabit through this device, and confirmed by Tom at 8:52, but you'd get gigabit through your existing UDR if you disabled IDS/IPS (like this device).
@@stevenmishos UDR/UDM processors can't handle gigabit speeds.
@@JacksonCampbell I've seen evidence that they would if they disabled IDS/IPS.
@@stevenmishos I did not have it enabled still capped out at 600ish
@@JacksonCampbell the UDM handles it just fine the UDR could not
Can this be used as a travel router on a cruise or hotel?
Would interested to know the real throughout knowing that a mesh network, with every link between devices will decrease the bandwidth by half.
10:57 adopt the UniFi Express with a UDM - as well as providing a second life for your Express when you later purchase a UDM to be your router, it possibly also makes sense that the Express can be repurposed as a USB-C powered access point for when a PoE one is too expensive or impractical to install?
Yes, as an upgrade path makes sense to pair it with a Dream Machine.
I have a question as it was not clear to me. I use pfsense as my gateway and a unifi controller running in docker. Can I use the express just as my unifi controller? I have a 16 port switch and 3 APs.
Yeah it does not "need" to be a router, you can get it for just the controller function
Yes you can, it would be at the limit of this controller as that's 4 other devices
Yes I am also very interested in this device (if it was available for purchase lol) because if I understand correctly, you can use it as a controller box but you don’t necessarily have to use it as your router/gateway. Like if you already have pfSense or a Netgate device. If this is the use-case you’re capped at the number of Unifi devices it can manage. But that’s true no matter what. This would replace an Ubuntu box for me
@@kevro29 are you still capped at four other devices if it's not acting as a gateway, and only a controller?
Does anyone have any more info on how to setup the Express in just controller mode (and not act as a gateway/router)?
Is it possible to do controller/AP mode where it runs as a controller and also an AP?
There are many mixed messages on this subject and I didn’t want to purchase then return it if it didn’t work.
For instance, I have a much more powerful router between the internet/home network and ONLY want to use the Express as a controller for my other Unifi devices but also as an AP for some exclusive iot devices.
what about VLANs? does it have any serious limitations there?
Can Unifi Express take over from an existing Windows self-hosted network controller (in addition to adopting the 2 existing Unifi APs UAP AC Lite)?
More likely that you would have to release them from the current controller adopt them the express.