Consultant at Cyber5
Consultant
An easy-to-setup product with good stability
Pros and Cons
  • "The product’s most valuable feature is the workflow-driven setup for the infrastructure component."
  • "During the configuration, we cannot get information on the network level from the regular interface."

What is our primary use case?

We use the product for high-performance wireless networks.

What is most valuable?

The product’s most valuable feature is the workflow-driven setup for the infrastructure component.

What needs improvement?

During the configuration, we cannot get information on the network level from the regular interface. A few other vendors, like Fortinet, Zoho, and Azure, provide an option to switch to a power shell console directly. It has a hyper installer to make the process quick. There could be a similar option for the product for easier implementation.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using Ubiquiti WLAN for four years. At present, we are using the latest version.

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What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I rate the product’s stability a nine out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I rate the product’s scalability an eight out of ten. We have medium to enterprise customers.

How was the initial setup?

The product’s initial setup is easy. I rate the process an eight out of ten. The complexity of the deployment depends on specific requirements. It takes a day and a half to complete.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

I rate the product’s pricing a seven out of ten. It’s an expensive product but has all the essential qualities and functionality. It is worth the money. There are much more costly products in the market.

What other advice do I have?

We pre-analyze the existing environment of the customers’ network and make suggestions for essential changes in the product. I rate it an eight out of ten.

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: partner
PeerSpot user
ESTEE Gabriel Carpio - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Solutions Architect at TechConek Philippines Inc.
Real User
Top 5
Easy setup and highly stable solution
Pros and Cons
  • "would rate the scalability a nine out of ten. It is very scalable."
  • "If they can integrate or release a single platform because, currently, there are two different platforms for switches and routers. So, maintaining just one unified platform, like, for example, unifying the models or brands, and avoiding separate platforms for edge switches, edge routers, and other Ubiquiti products, would simplify the integration and implementation process."

What is our primary use case?

We are a systems integrator and offer Ubiquiti WLAN as a solution to our clients.

What is most valuable?

Most of our clients prefer to eliminate the use of China brands, and Ubiquiti, being from the US, is something we can offer to them as a good alternative.

So, it's a good alternative. 

What needs improvement?

If they can integrate or release a single platform because, currently, there are two different platforms for switches and routers. So I believe maintaining just one unified platform, like for example, unifying the models or brands, and avoiding separate platforms for edge switches, edge routers, and other Ubiquiti products, would simplify the integration and implementation process. Currently, having two different platforms makes it more complicated for the end-users to manage and modify their devices.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using Ubiquiti WLAN for seven years now. We currently use the latest version.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I would rate the stability a nine out of ten. Based on our previous installations, once you install the device, you can just leave it or forget about it. You can enable auto-pilot or automatic updates unless there's a bug or fix that needs human intervention, then that's the time you need to repair or modify the system. But from all the projects where we installed this product, we didn't encounter any issues.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I would rate the scalability a nine out of ten. It is very scalable. 

How are customer service and support?

We don't usually communicate directly with Ubiquiti technical support, but we try to participate in the Ubiquiti community. However, some of the answers in the community are misleading. So instead, we rely more on watching YouTube videos or listening to reliable video tutorials from experienced users.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward. The only thing to note is that the edge max or the edge switches and the unified systems are two different platforms, which can make things more complicated for end-users managing two different platforms.

We are using a mixed implementation. So we use on-prem, and we also use some managed services for our clients.

What about the implementation team?

We handle the maintenance in-house. Two engineers are usually involved in maintaining the Ubiquiti WLAN.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

As for pricing, we are getting a good price from our distributors, and it depends on the complexity and scale of the project, so we can negotiate for more discounts based on the volume of orders.

We charge for technical support, but we don't charge for any license renewals or recurring costs related to licenses.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

You cannot compare Ubiquiti to Cisco because Cisco is for enterprise, and Ubiquiti is for SMB. So it's hard for me to make a direct comparison.

We used Cisco Meraki for deployments, and we have also worked with other competitors of Ubiquiti, depending on the specific needs of the customer.

So, we work with multiple products based on the customer's requirements.

What other advice do I have?

In terms of technology, we have observed consistent updates to improve functionality and simplify the solution.

I would definitely recommend using the solution. Overall, I would rate the solution a nine out of ten. 

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:
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Buyer's Guide
Ubiquiti WLAN
April 2024
Learn what your peers think about Ubiquiti WLAN. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: April 2024.
770,616 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Ehindero Moses - PeerSpot reviewer
Project Manager at Velvot Nigeria Ltd
Reseller
Top 5
Has an easy initial setup process, but its scalability needs improvement
Pros and Cons
  • "The product is simple to use in terms of GUI and dashboard."
  • "Its scalability, UI, and security features could be better."

What is our primary use case?

We use Ubiquiti WLAN to connect different departments of our organization. It helps us in blocking and allowing access to the network.

What is most valuable?

The product is simple to use in terms of GUI and dashboard.

What needs improvement?

Ubiquiti WLAN's features need improvement for enterprises compared to other vendors. Its scalability, UI, and security features could be better. The product should have features similar to Cisco in terms of R and D for environments. Additionally, they should introduce certification programs for people to learn more about it.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I rate the platform's stability a seven.  

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I rate the platform's scalability a six out of ten.

How are customer service and support?

They have a lot of documentation and YouTube tutorials. However, the technical support services could be better.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is easy. I rate the process a ten out of ten. It can be deployed on hybrid as well as private and public clouds. It takes a few minutes to complete depending on the network size.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Ubiquiti WLAN is a low-priced product. I rate its pricing a one out of ten.

What other advice do I have?

I advise small and medium-scale companies to use the product. I rate Ubiquiti WLAN a six out of ten.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:
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PeerSpot user
Puran Rai - PeerSpot reviewer
Chief Executive Officer at Nexus Technology
Reseller
Top 10
Great signal reach and penetration but lacks individual AP configuration
Pros and Cons
  • "Ubiquiti WLAN's best feature is the free controller system software."
  • "Ubiquiti WLAN would be improved with the addition of individual AP configuration, which would allow for fine-tuning of individual access points and logins."

What is our primary use case?

I use Ubiquiti WLAN to provide Wi-Fi in the hotel industry.

How has it helped my organization?

We've received positive feedback from our clients after deploying Ubiquiti WLAN, which has improved our confidence and reputation as a service provider.

What is most valuable?

Ubiquiti WLAN's best feature is the free controller system software. We can download this software anytime without licensing fees, and once deployed, the access point instantly synchronizes with the system, which makes configuration faster and easier. Other valuable features include Ubiquiti WLAN's signal reach and penetration, single view of all access points, and captive portal system, which you can use to generate tickets for guests and allow them to log in using the password.

What needs improvement?

Ubiquiti WLAN would be improved with the addition of individual AP configuration, which would allow for fine-tuning of individual access points and logins. There are also occasional issues with syncing the controller software.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using Ubiquiti WLAN for three to four years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Ubiquiti WLAN's stability is good.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Ubiquiti WLAN's scalability is good.

How are customer service and support?

Ubiquiti's technical support is satisfactory.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

The setup is straightforward; for example, deployment will take around four to five days for a three-story building with fifteen to twenty rooms.

What about the implementation team?

We use an in-house team.

What was our ROI?

We've received a decent ROI from Ubiquiti WLAN.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Ubiquiti WLAN is fairly well priced and available as a one-time purchase.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I evaluated Cisco Meraki and Ruckus.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate Ubiquiti WLAN seven out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Reseller
PeerSpot user
Volodymyr Khorenzhyi - PeerSpot reviewer
Network Engineer at Thunder Software Technology Co., Ltd.
Real User
Top 5
Works without licensing but needs to incorporate models with external antenna
Pros and Cons
  • "The tool's deployment is very easy. The deployment of 15 access points can take a day."
  • "Ubiquiti WLAN needs to expand the models with external antennas. It needs to improve stability."

What needs improvement?

Ubiquiti WLAN needs to expand the models with external antennas. It needs to improve stability. 

How was the initial setup?

The tool's deployment is very easy. The deployment of 15 access points can take a day. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Ubiquiti WLAN is cheap. It can work without licensing. 

What other advice do I have?

I rate the product a six out of ten. 

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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Kabelo Mokwalase - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Infrastructure Engineer at Digiata Technology Services
Real User
Top 20
It is an affordable solution but the online console needs improvement
Pros and Cons
  • "Its most valuable feature is pricing."
  • "It is not a stable solution."

What is most valuable?

The solution's most valuable feature is its pricing.

What needs improvement?

They should improve the solution's online console. Also, they should work on making its AP features stable. Presently, it reboots whenever we make any changes.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using the solution for a couple of years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is not a stable solution.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We have 50 solution users in our organization.

How are customer service and support?

The solution's support team needs to be more responsive.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Negative

What other advice do I have?

The solution could work better. I rate it as a five.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Owner at a consultancy with 1-10 employees
Real User
Stable, easy to deploy and manage, and fewer access points are needed when compared to other vendors
Pros and Cons
  • "The most beneficial thing about Ubiquiti is that it is simple to deploy."
  • "The downside is the interface changes, where they are constantly doing firmware updates."

What is our primary use case?

We are a solution provider and the Ubiquiti WLAN is one of the networking products that we implement for our customers. We have worked with different versions including the AC Pro HD, the HD, and the XD.

I have set up and manage multiple sites. There are 45 access points deployed all over a billion square feet.

What is most valuable?

The most beneficial thing about Ubiquiti is that it is simple to deploy. I found that the access points were easy to identify on the network and they came over easily, which was an upside.

What needs improvement?

The downside is the interface changes, where they are constantly doing firmware updates. I often felt like I was being pushed into updates, in spite of it already working. In my mind, it also raises a red flag because you have to wonder why they keep changing the firmware. You can decide to ignore the update, but then if you move the access point then it will update automatically anyway. This is a little bit of control that you give up. So, while it is easy to deploy, all of these things that happen in the background make me uncomfortable.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with Ubiquiti in general for several years, but specifically with WLAN for the past two to three years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The Ubiquiti WLAN is very stable, although if I don't update it, I feel a lot better.

How are customer service and technical support?

The technical support is not good. We did get help, but I didn't have a good feeling about it.  By comparison, it isn't the level of support that you would get from Cisco or Aruba.

I would say that they have improved from when I started with them a few years ago and that they are getting better. In fact, it's a lot better, and also, the need for calling technical support has been reduced as well. By comparison, we call Fortinet for technical support more often. With Fortinet, we often joke that you wait on hold for so long that you've fixed the problem before you even speak with somebody about the issue.

Another comparison is with Meraki; with them, you get them on the phone quickly and they fix the problem. That's it. 

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I have experience with products from several vendors. Some examples are EnGenius, Fortinet, Cisco, Juniper, Aruba, and Cisco Meraki.  There are differences between them and some of my colleagues are upset with the security levels that are offered by some of the other vendors.

For example, if you want to compare Juniper to Cisco, Cisco settings are not as secure. The group settings are much higher in terms of encryption on the Juniper than on the Meraki. And, if you want better security, which is group 14, you can't do that unless you call them up and they actually set it for you. So that's on the Meraki side, or Cisco.

In terms of support or how things actually happen under the hood, some people liked Meraki the best. I am leaning towards liking Meraki more, but there are some drawbacks. As far as the support is concerned, or the overall experience with the solution, Ubiquiti is simple and easy and inexpensive. You go to Meraki or you go to Aruba or you go to the others, it's a lot more money.

For many years, I use the EnGenius products for Wi-Fi. Pretty much all the access points we were selling to our clients were the EnGenius brand. Then we went to Ubiquiti and I was happy because it was much easier, I can manage it in one place, it's better, and I don't have to update things as much if I choose not to. With EnGenius, I never changed anything. I set it once, and I forgot it, and there's something to be said for that. You just set it and forget it and leave it. But the EnGenius, if you have to do troubleshooting then it is quite a problem because the management is terrible.

How was the initial setup?

We implement and deploy network solutions for our customers. This includes setting up the physical access points, then configuring them by adding them to access groups, making sure that the channels don't conflict with other devices, and so forth.

The deployment and models depend on the density of the access points in the space.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

This product is more cost-effective than some others on the market.

What other advice do I have?

My advice for anybody who is implementing Ubiquiti is to first make sure that you have a good plan first. Make sure that you have done your homework in terms of the space where it will be installed. The best is if you're replacing the existing solution, you should still review the placement. The reason is that nine times out of ten, you'll use fewer Ubiquiti devices than you would if you were using Aruba, or Meraki, or some other brand.

You don't need to buy as many, even though with the budget you have you can buy twice as many access points for the same money you would spend on Meraki, but it's overkill. You don't need that many. So, be conservative about the number of access points that are put out there. This is to say that you have to do a really good survey.

Look for metal plating, look for the line of sight access, so that you put the access points where they can actually see each other. Make sure that the access points are not too close to each other, but not too far away. That's the whole thing. I go with 50 or 75 feet away, in tight spaces.

Overall, I feel that this is a good product.

I would rate this solution an eight out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
PeerSpot user
Infrastructure Manager at a energy/utilities company with 201-500 employees
Real User
Robust, easy to install, easy to deploy, and has good visibility
Pros and Cons
  • "You can save backups of this controller locally and then I can export it to wherever I want."
  • "I have never used cloud solutions. My first approach would be something related to the cloud, and backups on the cloud, and maybe an easier way to connect to it because I have an on-premises environment."

What is our primary use case?

It's a WLAN solution. I can provide access point management for the whole corporation.

We are not physically installing a single site, we have a few branches across the nation, and I can manage them in a single point.

I have a few SSIDs that broadcast to specific sites.  

I can manage the login, and I have it integrated to make it easier for my clients. They don't need to use passwords, it is based on a certificate that is on my domain. 

What is most valuable?

The feature that I really like is the backup. You can save backups of this controller locally and then I can export it to wherever I want.

It notifies me when I have to update the access points. It is consistently roaming my environment and alerts me when it is not up-to-date, or if it requires my attention.

For example, it alerts me, if there is an access point that is conflicting with another access point outside of my organization and is using the same channel.

It includes a heat map, which is pretty good. I can import an image with my company or my site, and delimitate the spaces, such as where the wood is, or concrete, brick, glass and few other materials, all with built-in options on the tool. I can pin my devices won where they were installed and we know exactly the broadcast intensity of the signal.

The heat map is a nice troubleshoot tool, that helps me to manage the solution and understand if there is a complaint regarding a co-ordinant. For example, if someone complains that the Wi-Fi is not connected in some place of my sites, I can check the heat map and shows me the proper signal strength on that specific place, I know then, that where I should act, on my AP or on the client's connection to evaluate the network card for the user.

The heat map is always working well.

It has good visibility.

This solution gives me a lot of power to manage the WLAN for my company.

Ubiquiti WLAN is a very robust product to use.

They have a feature that allows you to wirelessly connect between them. If for example, the Wi-Fi has a poor connection with the network, it will look for a partner, and select the wireless from there, or if I don't have data cabling on the local, I can simply connect it into the eletric network and it will work as a wireless extension from any other devices. We barely have outages with the solution and I requires a minimal attention/effort to keep running.

What needs improvement?

For me there is little room for improvement on my scenario, I have never used cloud solutions or had a glance on it. 

The improvement I see right now as a good feature is firmware related, if I were able to re-firmware my legacy/old Ubiquiti AP's with a generic new firmware, this would definitely extend the life-cycle of my older assets that still work smoothly, It would allow me to avoid some hardware expenses within years and keep my environment up-to-date.

Another nice improvement for this would be a seamless integration with PowerBi from Microsoft to generate dashboards and aggregate the info on Infrastructure reports easier.


For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Ubiquiti WLAN for approximately two years.

We are using the most updated version, which is version 6.0

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We had two instances where the controller was down, but that was due to a server issue.

The controller and access points are pretty stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

In my environment, I currently have 20 access points. In the beginning, we had 15 or 16 access points, we already had close to 30 in the close passando, and now we are running around 20.

In my experience, this platform scales pretty well. I have not scaled it to hundreds of access points, so I am not sure if it can scale for larger enterprise companies the same way it has for us.

How are customer service and technical support?

I have never contacted technical support.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I have experience with the Ubiquiti UniFi solution. I have been working with it for three years. It's pretty stable.

I have also, worked with Hewlett Packard and Cisco. 

The command line breaks the point for troubleshooting and for managing the information, as mostly things are done using a GUI on Ubiquiti, it really gets way easier to identify the issue sometimes.

How was the initial setup?

It was easy to set up. I would rate it an eight out of ten.

It was only two hours to deploy.

It is very easy to manage the solution.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

It doe not cost much, I could say that it delivers a nice pack for what it costs.

What other advice do I have?

Ubiquiti itself, is a good company to start with. 

Ubiquiti is the best choice for small companies because of the easy installation, their variety of products, and their integration, and you can manage all of your devices from a single controller.

As of right now, I don't have any switches, just Ubiquiti access points, and a controller, but we can manage any device that is manufactured by the same vendor. This is a great feature to have.

I, personally, have never used the switches. I am not sure what the capabilities of it are, or what the throughput is.

If you are a small or medium-sized company, it will ease your life. It will present you with dashboard, and management capabilities.

I haven't seen that ease with other vendors. Ubiquiti offers you a simple way to manage it.

I don't know if it can be used in large companies, where you have large environments to manage, or with data centers or services that you offer on a large scale (over 200 AP/switch devices).

I would rate Ubiquiti WLAN a nine out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
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Download our free Ubiquiti WLAN Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: April 2024
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Download our free Ubiquiti WLAN Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.