Yet another UBNT EdgeMax vs Unifi
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Hey Mango,
well, finally went for another gig.: I'm now working at another research institute, roughly five times larger than the old one. And old is the keyword: I need to refresh literally everything, from the networks core switch up to the backup system. Challenge accepted
I will go for UBNT (again), that's a no-brainer. But what would you use? Unifi or EdgeMax?
What I need:
- Roughly 1000 access ports (~150 PCs, lots of demonstrators and IoT devices)
- approx. 10-15 wifi access points (AC Pro)
- US / EdgeMax 48 (Lite)
- US / EdgeMax 16 XG for aggregation
- USG / EdgeMax Router (10G sync. uplink)
Now the point is: EdgeMax will give me a local console and SSH access, I can also access every single parameter. Unifi on the other hand will have lots of automated features. I do have experience with EdgeMax but I never had my hands on Unifi devices.
UNMS looks promising and EdgeMax firmware 1.7.3 with UNMS support is expected to be released soon, but I guess it's not the same as the Unifi Controller.
Opinions?
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The EdgeMax give you more control that I don't know weather the USG provides. Given a choice, I'd prefer EdgeMax and just deal with the multiple interfaces until UNMS is ready. I think @JaredBusch already has UNMS running.
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Yeah, I've got it running too (simple enough, there's a docker image), but I can't add my EdgeMax switches at the moment. Or ... not without a pre-release firmware. But thanks for your thoughts.
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@travisdh1 said in Yet another UBNT EdgeMax vs Unifi:
The EdgeMax give you more control that I don't know weather the USG provides. Given a choice, I'd prefer EdgeMax and just deal with the multiple interfaces until UNMS is ready. I think @JaredBusch already has UNMS running.
I would agree with this. Stick with the EdgeMax line I don't see anything in the Unifi line that is worthwhile outside of the central console. Even that is going to be fixed when UNMS is fully released.
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@coliver said in Yet another UBNT EdgeMax vs Unifi:
@travisdh1 said in Yet another UBNT EdgeMax vs Unifi:
The EdgeMax give you more control that I don't know weather the USG provides. Given a choice, I'd prefer EdgeMax and just deal with the multiple interfaces until UNMS is ready. I think @JaredBusch already has UNMS running.
I would agree with this. Stick with the EdgeMax line I don't see anything in the Unifi line that is worthwhile outside of the central console. Even that is going to be fixed when UNMS is fully released.
That's what I thought. Thank you.
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Go with the EdgeMax line 100%.
The switches will be in this quarter when the current beta firmware goes live.
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UNMS is completely released and available for use too. So Edgemax would make the most sense.
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@jaredbusch said in Yet another UBNT EdgeMax vs Unifi:
Go with the EdgeMax line 100%.
The switches will be in this quarter when the current beta firmware goes live.
Great, ok. Is there any drawback in using the non-PoE version? The LITE-line? AFAIK they are exactly the same feature-wise and just not capable of doing POE, and that's ok in my case.
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@thwr said in Yet another UBNT EdgeMax vs Unifi:
@jaredbusch said in Yet another UBNT EdgeMax vs Unifi:
Go with the EdgeMax line 100%.
The switches will be in this quarter when the current beta firmware goes live.
Great, ok. Is there any drawback in using the non-PoE version? The LITE-line? AFAIK they are exactly the same feature-wise and just not capable of doing POE, and that's ok in my case.
No drawback at all. They are the same as you say, jsut no PoE.
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Awesome, that's it. Next step: Ordering a "few" EdgeMax devices
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@thwr said in Yet another UBNT EdgeMax vs Unifi:
EdgeMax 16 XG
It's definitely not the same.
I don't have a strict personal opinion on way or the other with regards to Unifi switches vs EdgMax switches, but many around here do (they only go for EdgeMax switches).
I have deployed about 6 Unifi switches so far. They are pretty easy to manage, working through setting up VLANs takes a few mins of learning, but really isn't that bad. If you have the Unifi switches and APs you get to see all the network charts for those in one place - it's what makes me sad that the USGs are such a PITA to manage, the lack of a single pain of glass - though I'm sure @scottalanmiller will now tell me how much of a bad idea this is
Unless UBNT recently released a new product, they don't have APs in the EdgeMax line, so you're more or less forced into the Unifi line for APs. The Unifi controller is simple enough to setup on a VM host, then manage the APs.
There's a rumor (perhaps more than a rumor) that Unifi support will be coming to UNMS, but who knows when, or to what degree that support will include.
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@dashrender said in Yet another UBNT EdgeMax vs Unifi:
There's a rumor (perhaps more than a rumor) that Unifi support will be coming to UNMS, but who knows when, or to what degree that support will include.
I've heard that, there are some posts about an upcoming connector (Unifi Controller -> UNMS) which may fill the gap. BTW, there is an EdgeMax AP available. But only a single model as far as I remember.
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@thwr said in Yet another UBNT EdgeMax vs Unifi:
@dashrender said in Yet another UBNT EdgeMax vs Unifi:
There's a rumor (perhaps more than a rumor) that Unifi support will be coming to UNMS, but who knows when, or to what degree that support will include.
I've heard that, there are some posts about an upcoming connector (Unifi Controller -> UNMS) which may fill the gap. BTW, there is an EdgeMax AP available. But only a single model as far as I remember.
I see this, is there something more? This isn't an AP.
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My bad. A colleague told me about an EdgeMax AP, but I think he referes to airMax:
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Aww cool, If there was something new, definitely nice to know about them.
This split between lines is definitely frustrating.
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@thwr said in Yet another UBNT EdgeMax vs Unifi:
My bad. A colleague told me about an EdgeMax AP, but I think he referes to airMax:
Oh, the consumer stuff.
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I believe you can add EdgeSwitches to UNMS
https://github.com/Ubiquiti-App/UNMS/wiki/Register-Devices-to-UNMS
I also recommend EdgeMax. -
@dbeato said in Yet another UBNT EdgeMax vs Unifi:
I believe you can add EdgeSwitches to UNMS
only with beta firmware.
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@jaredbusch said in Yet another UBNT EdgeMax vs Unifi:
@dbeato said in Yet another UBNT EdgeMax vs Unifi:
I believe you can add EdgeSwitches to UNMS
only with beta firmware.
I see, so we got to wait a little... now I vaguely remember you posting this on the UNMS post and that you didn't want to do that in production.
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@scottalanmiller said in Yet another UBNT EdgeMax vs Unifi:
@thwr said in Yet another UBNT EdgeMax vs Unifi:
My bad. A colleague told me about an EdgeMax AP, but I think he referes to airMax:
Oh, the consumer stuff.
AmpliFi is the consumer model of this. The AirMax line if for the WISP market to install in subscriber homes. Still consumer, but different.
