The best use cases for the unmanned or the Layer two Ubiquiti UniFi Switches have been in small businesses, which are companies with less than 50 employees.
IT Resource Coordinator at SmartBank
A stable and easy-to-deploy solution that can be used to do firmware updates easily
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable feature of Ubiquiti UniFi Switches is that once you buy them, you own them."
- "If Ubiquiti UniFi Switches had some live support instead of community support, that would go a long way."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
Ubiquiti UniFi Switches typically stay up and running when they're up and running. The most valuable feature of Ubiquiti UniFi Switches is that once you buy them, you own them. This feature is valuable, especially for smaller businesses or companies looking to save money. You don't need to pay a monthly fee to Cisco, HP, Aruba, or any other vendors. Ubiquiti UniFi Switches are really easy to do firmware updates.
What needs improvement?
I'd be willing to pay more for Ubiquiti UniFi Switches if they had some better support options behind them. When something goes wrong in an enterprise application, you need to be able to get a hold of someone. If Ubiquiti UniFi Switches had some live support instead of community support, that would go a long way.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have used Ubiquiti UniFi Switches on and off for the last eight years.
Buyer's Guide
Ubiquiti UniFi Switches
December 2024
Learn what your peers think about Ubiquiti UniFi Switches. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: December 2024.
831,265 professionals have used our research since 2012.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate Ubiquiti UniFi Switches a nine out of ten for stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Ubiquiti UniFi Switches' scalability for layer two switches is as good as Cisco or HP switches.
I rate Ubiquiti UniFi Switches a seven out of ten for scalability.
How was the initial setup?
I rate Ubiquiti UniFi Switches a seven out of ten for the ease of its initial setup.
What about the implementation team?
Ubiquiti UniFi Switches' deployment is pretty quick. Having two people is helpful, but typically, a single person is enough to deploy the solution. The people deploying the solution would have to be at least above entry-level network engineers. Anyone can plug a network cable into a device, but configuring and working it within UniFi's scope, the LAN setup, and security would require above-entry-level network engineers.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The solution's pricing in the marketplace would probably be about three out of ten. There are some cheaper products out there, but they're definitely cheaper. Also, there are more expensive products that aren't better than Ubiquity.
You pay for the name when you get beyond the UniFi product line into products like Cisco and Aruba. Users choose the other products for their live person support, but most of it is the name.
What other advice do I have?
I've used Ubiquiti's layer two switches. They have an enterprise version layer three that I've not gotten my hands on yet.
The same people who set up the solution are needed to monitor it. It doesn't require a lot of maintenance once they're up and running.
Overall, I rate Ubiquiti UniFi Switches a nine out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Director at Innate technology
Very reliable and stable with a straightforward setup
Pros and Cons
- "The solution is very reliable and stable."
- "The solution needs to improve its documentation because it is quite poor."
What is our primary use case?
Our company uses the solution for logistics scanning in warehouses. We have 200 users across logistics staff, technicians, administrators, and directors.
What is most valuable?
The solution is very reliable and stable.
What needs improvement?
The solution needs to improve its documentation because it is quite poor. There isn't much available on the internet so we work through fixes on our own.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for nine years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is very stable so stability is rated a nine out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable so scalability is rated an eight out of ten.
How are customer service and support?
We have not needed technical support.
How was the initial setup?
The setup is straightforward.
Configurations take a couple of hours to a couple of days depending on the customer's environment. We use Ubiquiti Clarity which makes it easy to adapt and configure access points.
What about the implementation team?
We implement the solution for customers. One staff person is dedicated to rolling out monthly updates.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The warranty is very short at one year. If the solution breaks after that, you literally have to throw it out. The solution needs to offer three-year or limited-loss warranties.
What other advice do I have?
I recommend the solution and rate it an eight 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.
Buyer's Guide
Ubiquiti UniFi Switches
December 2024
Learn what your peers think about Ubiquiti UniFi Switches. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: December 2024.
831,265 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Director of Technical Operations/CTO at a consultancy with 51-200 employees
Deploys quickly, offers good stability, and has great feature sets
Pros and Cons
- "The ability to deploy quickly and then having one central location for all the settings are its most valuable aspects."
- "The documentation for command lines needs to be improved."
What is our primary use case?
We mostly use the solution for wireless. We have a lot of wireless clients. That's the big bulk of usage as we're rapidly evolving to IOT.
How has it helped my organization?
The solution has improved our organization in the fact that we don't take as long to configure anything. It's just plug-and-play. As far as the wireless goes, it's instantaneous for anybody who wants to get on the network. We have a lot of wireless access points deployed. It works really well. It's convenient.
What is most valuable?
The ability to deploy quickly and then having one central location for all the settings are its most valuable aspects.
They've been very aggressive as far as their feature sets as their capability.
What needs improvement?
The documentation for command lines needs to be improved.
When we do firmware updates, it usually creates problems in the devices themselves. If we do a firmware upgrade, it's for sure that there will be an issue. They need to work out the kinks in that regard.
The security of the solution could really be enhanced.
It would be ideal if you could roll back firmware. It would be ideal to have something that's built-in that you can kind of just go and push a few buttons and then it reverts back to the old firmware.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for five years at this point.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability of the solution has room for improvement. It could be unique to us, however, there's been some instances where it's very unstable. Instabilities are something that we've been striving to reduce ever since I got here and even before that.
I believe that it has to do as much with the environment that we're putting this hardware in. When you're in a facility where the temperatures get high, the humidity sky-rockets. If you don't have hardened equipment that is designed to handle that kind of very harsh environment, you will have problems.
I try and design so that we can mitigate without spending exorbitant amounts of money to do so.
I used to sell systems to a crab fleet that fished out of Ballard Washington and go up to Alaska and we'd sell them two or three of the same systems because they'd rot. They'd throw them overboard and install new ones. It's that kind of environment that things get corroded because there's a lot of moisture. Therefore, the stability issues we face could be based on the fact that the environment is a questionable and uncontrollable factor.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have about 60 plus switches deployed right now. We have four active sites and a fifth site is coming online. I'd say probably closer to 100 switches. We've got all sizes. I tried to standardize recently on eight ports and that's a whole different conversation, however, we use them in horticulture areas.
This solution is built more for small to medium-sized businesses. The bigger the network gets, the more instability. You have to be there going through the enterprise with the edge line.
That said, it's very scalable. I have seen no blocks. You can build this as big as you want it. And we've done everything from basic switches to large point to point and a point to multi-point. So we pushed the envelope as much as we can.
However, then you get cases like switch age where it's way over the edge of the network, and then you see problems every day, that device old, but even before it got old, it seems like it had this issue.
We have clients that have hundreds of employees on the system, so there are probably users in the low hundreds at any given point of time. We also have about 80 cameras which make up endpoints as well. Most of the people using it are data entry (sales, administration, and procurement) and a few accountants. That said, it's all network-centric. Our security systems and our surveillance systems are all on the network. It's a busy place. We've got a fiber backbone between our main greenhouse and our administrative headquarters.
We do plan to expand. The site that we're bringing online is between 600,000 and 700,000 square feet of greenhouse with a 20,000 square foot building that will have processing, offices, and IT in it. It will double our capacity as far as production. We're going to grow big in 2021.
How are customer service and technical support?
We're never able to get help from technical support. We don't use them due to this. You've got to be self-reliant. That is one area that I think that they're really lacking in. They need to beef up the level of support that they offer to clients.
That said, the actual factory technical support may be weak, but the forums and the available information is humongous. You could go online and you can get an answer and that's what we do.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
The company was using the Ubiquiti Edge product initially, however, they transitioned to UniFi as they started to grow. The gentleman that made that decision is no longer here, therefore, I really don't know what the driving factor was, however, if I were to guess it had to do with the simplicity.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was mostly straightforward.
That's one of the key features because you don't have to do any deep thinking trying to get a complex configuration. It's by the numbers. You know if you messed up in a heartbeat. You don't have to guess. Sometimes you have to do a little digging to determine what got messed up. However, even if you have to backtrack a bit, it's very easy to deploy.
Deployment takes a couple of hours typically, from design to final implementation.
We have about 13 maintenance people that cover the entire operation of the organization and this solution.
What about the implementation team?
We didn't need an integrator or consultant. It was all done in-house. I've been an integrator for 40 years, and therefore I have a depth of knowledge. That is not very common in the industry. Usually, I'm the one that is out on accounts, however, I have been making smart systems talk to one another for many, many years.
What was our ROI?
We don't have any metrics to really analyze. It's difficult to answer a question on ROI. I'm creating something right now to asset track and service track every piece of gear that goes in. That's one of my goals by Q1. I want to have something in place so that when we start hanging this stuff, it's got a QR code on it. We know when it was installed, we know what it's comprised of, and we know when somebody touches it or has anything to do with it. We plan to create a virtual service record.
A year from now, I'd probably be able to give a lot of information about ROI, however, at this point, all I can say is, for the most part, the gear does have a good life cycle. The parts that we've had to replace have often been on us because when they get hosed down with water, they don't seem to work very well. And when they're PoE and they short out the switch we have to blame ourselves. We can't blame the hardware.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We don't have any visibility on pricing, therefore I wouldn't be able to speculate. It's my understanding that there aren't any extra costs above the standard licensing fee.
What other advice do I have?
We're just customers. We like using the solution. We didn't want to change horses in midstream, even though a lot of people have attempted to convince us to do so.
We try to use the latest version of the solution. We update the firmware on a regular basis and so most of the time, it's maybe one version behind at the most.
We're going to basically start some life cycle management too. We're using the solution on-premise with a cloud key.
I would advise other users to take training before transitioning from the physical. You can get pretty lost in the process. Take any training you can on the system so that you understand it before you begin.
I had a friend who was Cisco certified. He taught IT and he wasn't aware of Ubiquiti and I showed it to him and he said, ''Wow, this is easy.'' It is also very powerful, they didn't skim. The only thing that I have concerns about and everyone does is cybersecurity. Especially since the pandemic hit, there's a lot of activity on the web and there's a lot of malicious stuff going on, and people are looking for the antidote.
For me, the biggest lesson I took from working with this solution has to do with understanding the product and planning. Don't go in cold and try and, you know, find the fit for a job. If it's an emergency that's one thing, however, the better you plan, the better result you're going to have.
On a scale from one to ten, it's a high 8. I don't really see any major glaring issues other than the support. They do make made a hardened version of the product for harsh environments. It's been all-around a pretty positive experience.
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.
Consultor at Importadora El Triunfo
Reliable platform enhancing organization's connectivity and operational efficiency
Pros and Cons
- "The product's most valuable features include its robust performance and reliability."
- "They could integrate artificial intelligence for more advanced network traffic analysis and optimization features into the product."
What is our primary use case?
We use the platform to support our wireless infrastructure in a building. The facility serves multiple functions across different floors, including a showroom where we provide internet access to clients.
How has it helped my organization?
The product has significantly improved our organization's connectivity and operational efficiency. We have observed a 19% improvement in process efficiency, which is attributed to the solution's reliable performance and effective management.
What is most valuable?
The product's most valuable features include its robust performance and reliability. The latest models handle our current and future demands efficiently, and their integration with other tools has been highly beneficial for managing our network.
What needs improvement?
They could integrate artificial intelligence for more advanced network traffic analysis and optimization features into the product. Additionally, expanding compatibility with other network management tools could improve its utility.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using Ubiquiti UniFi Switches for approximately one year.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The product is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The product is scalable. It is designed to handle current and future network demands efficiently, allowing us to expand our infrastructure without issues.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We previously used HP solutions. We switched to Ubiquiti UniFi for better performance and more advanced features.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was straightforward. Our in-house team, including myself, a Cisco-certified engineer, efficiently managed the process, which was completed without major complications.
What about the implementation team?
We implemented the product with the help of our in-house team.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The setup costs are reasonable, and there are no additional licensing fees beyond the initial purchase.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We also evaluated Cisco solutions. However, Cisco was too expensive, and Ubiquiti UniFi offered a more cost-effective solution with competitive performance.
What other advice do I have?
I recommend Ubiquiti UniFi Switches to others and rate it a ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Last updated: Jul 22, 2024
Flag as inappropriateTechnician at a security firm with 11-50 employees
Manages IT network and IT security and has reliable performance
Pros and Cons
- "Managing the switches, such as the main server router, is straightforward. If you use UniFi, it’s easy because everything is integrated into the product. You can discover and manage any connected device with just one piece of equipment, like the UniFi controller. This applies to both the wireless LAN and the wired LAN. UniFi products are simple to manage and help maintain a good network profile."
What is our primary use case?
We use the solution to manage your IT network and IT security. You must access the network using the UniFi Controller software to configure, monitor, and manage your network equipment. The UniFi system's performance is reliable.
What is most valuable?
Managing the switches, such as the main server router, is straightforward. If you use UniFi, it’s easy because everything is integrated into the product. You can discover and manage any connected device with just one piece of equipment, like the UniFi controller. This applies to both the wireless LAN and the wired LAN. UniFi products are simple to manage and help maintain a good network profile.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Ubiquiti UniFi Switches for 10 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution offers stable performance and is highly reliable. It is sensitive to various network demands and rarely encounters issues with payload handling. Users' main concerns relate more to user management than the physical hardware.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I rate the solution’s scalability a nine out of ten.
How are customer service and support?
The support for Ubiquiti UniFi Switches is not satisfactory. If you purchase one, it can be difficult to get adequate support. There are issues with their support system, such as the refusal to accept returns or provide thorough analysis and solutions for problems. The support needs significant improvement, especially given the complexity of the technology.
When I visit the website to search for help, I don't find clear or useful guides. The resources available are not comprehensive, and I repeatedly search for relevant information.
If you have a problem with Ubiquiti UniFi Switches, it's not as easy to find straightforward documentation as with other companies like Microsoft or Cisco. With Cisco, for example, you can easily access regular, detailed information on configuring and deploying their devices. However, Ubiquiti's documentation can be less clear and harder to follow. You might find it challenging to locate specific instructions or examples of how others have solved similar issues. Despite this, some users are still satisfied with the overall performance and features of Ubiquiti UniFi Switches.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I used Ubiquiti UniFi Switches for service management and connected various devices and equipment within the technical center. The HP requirement is minimal, and the UniFi Switches are just Layer 2 switches. I've used them for many years without any issues.
How was the initial setup?
I rate the initial setup a nine out of ten, where one is difficult and ten is easy.
What was our ROI?
The return on investment for Ubiquiti UniFi Switches is promising because it requires only a one-time investment. These switches offer a reliable network and come with a comprehensive analysis tool, making them a good option for small—to medium-sized enterprises.
What other advice do I have?
I have extensive knowledge in managing Ubiquiti UniFi Switches. It is not yet determined if the issues are due to active connections or other factors. Now, let's focus on the solution delivered by the switch. The certification process is straightforward, which is crucial because our users rely on stable and secure connections.
UniFi Switches can manage everything from a single screen, making the solution user-friendly and secure. These switches are an excellent choice for enterprises using Microsoft services. We haven't encountered any technical or application issues because they are highly responsive.
Overall, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Last updated: May 26, 2024
Flag as inappropriateEasy-to-manage platform with efficient network protection functionality
Pros and Cons
- "The switches' PoE capabilities have made device deployment very easy."
- "In the next release, it would be beneficial to include a face recognition feature for door access control to enhance security and user convenience."
What is most valuable?
The product is a simple and user-friendly software offering network protection and access controllers. Integrating everything into one solution makes it easy to manage and control all aspects of our network from a single place, which is crucial for our operations. These are the most valuable features of the product.
What needs improvement?
Ubiquiti products in India are very limited compared to other countries. It would be great if they could improve the distribution and access to these products in India. For example, I had to import some products from other countries because they were unavailable here.
In the next release, it would be beneficial to include a face recognition feature for door access control to enhance security and user convenience.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Ubiquiti UniFi Switches since 2020 for about four years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a stable solution. When I started using it four years ago, I had issues with automatic updates a couple of times, but I haven't had any issues after that. It's been straightforward and stable for more than three years now.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is a scalable solution. I initially had two access points and two to three cameras. Now, I have nearly 30 devices, and everything works fine.
Scalability has been fine for us. Our maximum usage is about 30 to 40% of our network bandwidth. We are a small company with a total capacity of 100 seats, so I foresee problems once we reach that capacity.
How are customer service and support?
I have yet to interact with the technical support. I usually find solutions by Googling and using their help documents.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I used NETGEAR earlier. I switched because I couldn't scale. I also used unmanaged switches from other brands, but a friend recommended Ubiquiti for its manageability and design. Since then, I've been using Ubiquiti.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was very straightforward. In this aspect, I haven't seen any other product do better than Ubiquiti.
Even though I am a software developer, I wanted to implement the product independently. It was a smooth process for me. I initially bought the USG, then the IBM Pro, followed by the switches, IP cameras, access controllers, and door access control. I gradually started buying whatever was available from Ubiquiti. It's just a matter of plugging them in. It takes two to three minutes to complete. The switches have been maintenance-free for the past few months.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Ubiquiti is much more affordable than enterprise brands like Aruba and Cisco, which makes it good for small and medium businesses. However, it's a bit expensive in India compared to other brands like D-Link and TP-Link.
What other advice do I have?
UniFi switches have significantly enhanced our network management. One of the most impactful features has been the addition of VPN support a couple of years ago. It has greatly improved our routing capabilities. While VPN and routing are common features in networking equipment, I am particularly happy with how UniFi has implemented these functionalities.
The switches' PoE capabilities have made device deployment very easy. Over the last four to five years, I have never encountered any issues with them. I did the entire networking setup for our office and have been very satisfied with the overall networking experience with Ubiquiti.
I don't see any AI-specific features from Ubiquiti. It just connects us to the Internet. They may have added AI features in their new product lines, but I haven't seen them yet.
The product has helped me save a lot of time and money. The devices are efficient, and the network setup is stable. I no longer need to work on the network, saving me time and maintenance costs.
I have already recommended it to two of my colleagues' companies and helped implement it in a partner university.
I rate it nine out of ten. The only reason I should have given it a ten is the limited availability of their products in India.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Last updated: May 21, 2024
Flag as inappropriateCEO at CITOM
Simple to use, open technology, with a nice GUI
Pros and Cons
- "These switches are very simple to use and the GUI is very nice."
- "The VPN technology in Ubiquiti products is really difficult for beginners who do not have the right skills."
What is our primary use case?
We are a solution provider and Ubiquiti UniFi switches are one of the products that we implement for our customers.
The use case for this solution depends on the size of the infrastructure. Normally, for smaller installations, we use the routing functionality because they are layer three switches. In larger organizations, we use it as a layer two switch and we use Compass routers to handle 10-gigabit bandwidth. We have one customer using this configuration who does 3D modeling and 3D printing, which requires a lot of bandwidth.
How has it helped my organization?
We have several offices in Switzerland, Germany, and Austria, and we can manage this solution, as well as for our customers, remotely.
What is most valuable?
These switches are very simple to use and the GUI is very nice. They have made administration much easier. Optionally, if you have a very advanced requirement then you can do it less comfortably using the GUI, or instead use SSH to program it. If you have experience in Linux and bash scripting then it is very easy to do.
The most valuable feature is that the technology is open. If there's a new technology then you can implement it yourself. For example, WireGuard is a very nice VLAN framework that is available on Linux and you can implement it on the Ubiquiti switches. With Cisco or other commercial products, you'll have to wait until the manufacturer starts to provide it for you. Sometimes, they need quite a long time before this will happen. It is for this same reason that we don't use macOS or Windows because they are always about five years behind current technologies.
What needs improvement?
The UniFi switches are for people who are not very into technology and if you have a big deployment with special configurations then this line of switches is very limited.
It would be nice to have a single, unique management console or a GUI because as it is now, Ubiquiti switches have two management systems and it is annoying.
The VPN technology in Ubiquiti products is really difficult for beginners who do not have the right skills. It would be very nice if they had a simple way to manage all of the VPN connections from a GUI. This would include from location to location, or from location to computer.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have about two years of experience with Ubiquiti UniFi switches.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
So far, this solution has been completely stable. We have had issues with hardware and needed to exchange it at times, although we had the same issues with Cisco.
We are operating in Germany, and the rules here for when things fail are quite nice. We normally have a two-year warranty, and it is quite easy to exchange hardware with the dealers. Normally, if something is not going to function well, then it gives up within three months. There is no difference between Cisco and Ubiquiti in this regard.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Ubiquiti UniFi has been scalable enough for our use cases. The throughput is ok. We have used it in cases with a gigabit backbone and it worked fine.
We have deployments with only five users and we have deployments with up to 500 users.
How are customer service and technical support?
We have not been in touch with official technical support from Ubiquiti. There's a big community that supports you if you have issues, which is the only support we have used.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We used to use Cisco switches but we had a lot of trouble with them. They are not easy to handle, which is why we switched to Ubiquiti. Cisco switches have the same capability but you have to have knowledge of Cisco IOS.
Ubiquiti is known for its access points, but the ER and ES switches are quite nice. We primarily use the Ubiquiti Edge switches and routers. The overall administration is very easy because we are able to write scripts in the same language that we use for our common operating systems. This was a great step forward from our Cisco solution.
The Cisco switches allow you do do everything because they are the standard-makers, but it is a closed community. If they don't do it then you can't do it, whereas with Ubiquiti, there is always somebody who is doing something crazy and you can get advice for your project. It is very nice.
With Cisco, normally after six years, they stop support and you have to buy completely new infrastructure. It is really awful.
How was the initial setup?
It is a complex product so, of course, the setup is complex. However, it is straightforward in that you have the freedom to do what you want to do, without any limitations. There is a big community that supports you if you have issues with the configuration.
The deployment is quite fast. We took about two weeks to get the switches running exactly the way we wanted them to, but for simple tasks, you can do it in just two days. It's really easy.
Personally, I think that it is much easier to do if you are already familiar with the command line and the terminology from Cisco.
What about the implementation team?
If our customer is large enough to have their own IT department and host the switch on their site then we do consultancy for them. There are cases where we conduct a PoC and then when the customer is satisfied, we implement it on their site and they take it over. Finally, if they have insufficient knowledge on their end, we sometimes implement and manage the entire solution on their site. In most cases, we handle the implementation for our customers.
Beyond what our technical department does, the economic department will discuss things with the client such as what new services or products are available. This can include things like monitoring, data aggregation, and providing information.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Ubiquiti switches are quite affordable and you don't have to pay extra for support.
What other advice do I have?
We are focused on open software and manufacturer-independent solutions, so Ubiquiti fits our strategy well because they operate on the Linux operating system.
We have had no problems where this product did not do what it was supposed to do, either from the hardware side or the software side.
This is a solution that I recommend for normal operations. The suitability of these switches depends on what you want to do, what your tasks are, and what the application is. Ubiquiti is not always the manufacturer of choice. If you need really high-speed networks or have special requirements then it is important to test things out in the lab beforehand.
I have a lot of experience with different switches that are on the market and my favorite are those by Ubiquiti. They are affordable, they do what they should do, they are open, and you don't have to pay extra for support.
I would rate this solution an eight 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.
Senior Solutions Architect at TechConek Philippines Inc.
Helps to support clients remotely without onsite visits
Pros and Cons
- "We have integrated the tool for PoE switches and non-PoE switches. Its most valuable feature is SD-WAN. UniFi SD-WAN can access all statistics and performance data in one interface, enabling us to support clients across different locations remotely. Additionally, we can even restart devices remotely through the UniFi SD-WAN."
- "The product needs to improve its pricing."
What is our primary use case?
We use Ubiquiti UniFi Switches internally and as part of our managed client service.
How has it helped my organization?
The main benefit we've experienced is the ability to support clients remotely, especially since our clients are spread across the Philippines. We no longer need to visit sites in person; instead, we can manage everything remotely using SD-WAN. Even simple tasks like restarting equipment can be done remotely.
What is most valuable?
We have integrated the tool for PoE switches and non-PoE switches. Its most valuable feature is SD-WAN. UniFi SD-WAN can access all statistics and performance data in one interface, enabling us to support clients across different locations remotely. Additionally, we can even restart devices remotely through the UniFi SD-WAN.
We no longer need to physically visit sites for troubleshooting as much because issues can often be addressed remotely.
What needs improvement?
The product needs to improve its pricing.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the product for five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate the solution's stability a nine out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We use the tool on a day-to-day basis. I rate its scalability a nine out of ten.
How was the initial setup?
Deploying the solution is easy. We're time-bound for each project, so we don't encounter issues deploying the product. Typically, we can deploy it within one day or even less.
We perform maintenance on Ubiquiti UniFi Switches based on the needs of our clients. Some clients require monthly maintenance, others quarterly, and some even weekly. We conduct checks and immediate replacements as necessary during these maintenance periods.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It's challenging to compare Ubiquiti UniFi Switches and other brands directly due to the significant price difference, especially between US brands like Cisco and Aruba versus others. However, compared to US brands, Ubiquiti UniFi Switches are more cost-effective. On the other hand, if compared with brands from China, it might seem expensive.
I rate its pricing as seven out of ten. We compare prices between the store and local distributors, especially for larger projects, and negotiate based on that.
What other advice do I have?
In most cases, we advocate for an end-to-end Ubiquiti product solution. This includes using UniFi switches for various purposes, such as wireless controllers, PoE switches, and non-PoE switches.
The tool's product lines are good. The management tools, including the web app and mobile application, are easy to use. With them, I can support clients remotely and troubleshoot issues. Checking equipment statistics is simple. This flexibility is great for helping third-party clients.
Once installed, it is an "install and forget" device, requiring minimal attention or troubleshooting.
I rate the overall product a nine out of ten. I recommend it. Select the model that fits your customer or client requirements, and you're ready.
I am involved in the tool's design, implementation, and support.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:
Buyer's Guide
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Updated: December 2024
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Buyer's Guide
Download our free Ubiquiti UniFi Switches Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros
sharing their opinions.
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