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Ubiquiti Routers: High-Performance and Innovative Network Solutions for Every Requirement Profile

Ubiquiti has made a name for itself by providing high-performance and often innovative network solutions that appeal to professional users, small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs), and demanding home users alike. Ubiquiti's router portfolio is diverse and divided into various product lines such as EdgeMAX (EdgeRouter), UniFi (Security Gateway, Dream Machine, Next-gen Gateway), and AmpliFi, each tailored to specific needs, technical requirements, and management philosophies. Whether you desire maximum control over every detail of your network, prefer a seamlessly integrated system solution, or are looking for an easy-to-set-up, stylish home Wi-Fi – Ubiquiti offers a suitable router solution. Discover the world of Ubiquiti routers at etree and find the centerpiece for your stable, secure, and high-performing network.

Ubiquiti is characterized by offering enterprise-level features often at a price point that is also attractive to smaller organizations and ambitious private users.

Why a Ubiquiti Router? The Convincing Advantages in Detail:

  • High-Performance Hardware at Attractive Prices: Ubiquiti routers often offer high routing performance, advanced features, and robust hardware at a very competitive price.
  • Differentiated Product Lines for Specific Target Groups: With EdgeMAX for experts, UniFi for integrated system solutions, and AmpliFi for user-friendly home Wi-Fi, every user can find the right concept.
  • UniFi Ecosystem – Seamless Integration and Centralized Management: The UniFi line allows for the management of routers/gateways, switches, access points, and even cameras via a single, intuitive software interface (UniFi Network Controller).
  • EdgeMAX EdgeRouter – Maximum Configurability and Performance for Professionals: Offers in-depth configuration options via web GUI and a powerful command-line interface (CLI) for customized network solutions.
  • AmpliFi – Simplicity and Design for Modern Home Users: Focus on extremely simple setup via app, appealing design, and powerful mesh Wi-Fi for seamless coverage.
  • Advanced Security Features: Robust firewall options, diverse VPN protocols, and with UniFi gateways, Intrusion Detection/Prevention Systems (IDS/IPS) as well as Deep Packet Inspection (DPI).
  • Regular Firmware Updates and Active Community: Ubiquiti continuously maintains its software and benefits from a large, dedicated user community that shares support and knowledge.
  • High Reliability and Stability: Especially EdgeRouters and UniFi gateways are known for their stable operation in demanding environments.

Ubiquiti Router Product Worlds in Detail: EdgeMAX, UniFi, and AmpliFi

Ubiquiti offers three main lines of routers, which differ fundamentally in their orientation and management:

EdgeMAX – EdgeRouter Series: For Maximum Control and Performance by Experts

The EdgeRouter series is aimed at network professionals, Wireless Internet Service Providers (WISPs), small to medium-sized businesses, and technically savvy users who require granular control over their network.

  • Operating System EdgeOS: A powerful operating system based on Debian Linux with a functional web GUI and an extremely powerful command-line interface (CLI) for detailed configurations.
  • Core Features: High routing throughput (often accelerated by hardware offloading), support for dynamic routing protocols (OSPF, BGP, RIP), advanced firewall rules, extensive VPN options (IPSec, OpenVPN, L2TP, PPTP), Quality of Service (QoS), VLAN tagging, DHCP server/relay, DNS forwarding.
  • Management: Primarily standalone configuration per device. Monitoring and basic management also possible via UISP™ (Ubiquiti ISP platform, formerly UNMS).
  • Example Models: EdgeRouter X (ER-X), EdgeRouter 4 (ER-4), EdgeRouter 12 (ER-12), EdgeRouter Infinity (ER-8-XG for 10G).

UniFi Series – Integrated Network Solutions for Centralized Management

The UniFi line is ideal for users and businesses who want to build a unified, centrally managed network ecosystem of routers/gateways, switches, and access points.

  • UniFi Network Controller: The central management software that runs either on a dedicated Cloud Key, as software on a user's own server, or directly integrated into UniFi Dream Machine (UDM) models. Offers an intuitive graphical interface for all network settings.
  • Device Types:
    • UniFi Security Gateway (USG, USG-Pro-4 – older models): Provide basic gateway functions and firewalling, integrated into the UniFi Controller.
    • UniFi Dream Machine (UDM, UDM-Pro, UDM-SE, UDR): All-in-one devices that combine router, switch, UniFi Network Controller, and often a Wi-Fi Access Point (UDM, UDR) or an NVR for UniFi Protect cameras (UDM-Pro/SE) in one housing.
    • UniFi Next-generation Gateway (UXG-Pro, UXG-Lite): Dedicated, high-performance gateways that require a separate UniFi Network Controller. Often offer advanced security features.
  • Core Features: Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) for analyzing data traffic, Intrusion Detection/Prevention System (IDS/IPS) as part of "Threat Management," easy configuration of VLANs, VPNs (Site-to-Site, Client-to-Site via L2TP/IPSec, Teleport VPN), guest networks, and comprehensive network statistics.

AmpliFi Series – Simple and Stylish Home Wi-Fi with Mesh Focus

The AmpliFi series targets home users who value extremely simple setup, an appealing design, and powerful, seamless Wi-Fi coverage through mesh technology.

  • Management via Mobile App: Configuration and management are done almost exclusively via an intuitive smartphone app (iOS and Android).
  • Core Features: Focus on mesh Wi-Fi for optimal coverage throughout the house, modern and unobtrusive design of the router and MeshPoints, simple setup and monitoring, parental control features.
  • Example Models: AmpliFi HD Router, AmpliFi Gamer's Edition, AmpliFi Alien (with Wi-Fi 6).

Key Technologies and Features of Ubiquiti Routers:

EdgeOS vs. UniFi OS – Different Management Philosophies

EdgeOS (EdgeRouter) offers maximum freedom and control for experts via CLI and a detailed web GUI. Each device tends to be configured individually. UniFi OS (on UDM/UDR/UXG) is part of the UniFi ecosystem and is managed centrally via the UniFi Network Controller, which allows for unified and often more user-friendly configuration across all UniFi devices.

UniFi Network Controller and Ecosystem Advantages

The strength of the UniFi line lies in the centralized management of all network components. The controller enables easy configuration of complex features, provides detailed insights into network traffic, simplifies firmware updates, and allows seamless interaction between router, switches, and access points.

Hardware Offloading for High Throughput (EdgeRouter)

Many EdgeRouter models use hardware offloading to process certain routing and firewall tasks directly by specialized chipsets. This offloads the main CPU and allows for very high data throughput rates, even with more complex rules.

Threat Management: DPI, IDS/IPS (UniFi Gateways)

UniFi Dream Machines and Next-generation Gateways offer features like Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) for identifying applications and traffic types, and Intrusion Detection/Prevention Systems (IDS/IPS) to protect against known threats and attacks from the internet. However, these features can affect maximum throughput.

Versatile VPN Options

Both EdgeRouters and UniFi gateways support common VPN protocols such as IPSec (Site-to-Site, Client-to-Site), L2TP/IPSec, and OpenVPN. UniFi offers "Teleport VPN" as a particularly simple VPN solution for remote access. WireGuard® is also increasingly supported or possible via manual configuration (EdgeRouter).

Which Ubiquiti Router for Which Purpose? – Application Examples:

  • Demanding Home Networks with segmentation and VPN: EdgeRouter X, EdgeRouter Lite, UniFi Dream Router (UDR), UniFi Dream Machine (UDM).
  • Small to Medium-sized Businesses (SMBs) needing a reliable firewall and VPN connection: EdgeRouter 4, EdgeRouter 6P, UniFi Dream Machine Pro (UDM-Pro) / SE, UniFi Next-generation Gateway Lite (UXG-Lite) or Pro (UXG-Pro).
  • Wireless Internet Service Provider (WISP) as CPE or small edge router: Various EdgeRouter models due to their flexibility and performance.
  • Simple, high-performance, and good-looking home mesh Wi-Fi: AmpliFi HD, AmpliFi Alien.
  • Comprehensively managed corporate networks with switches, many access points, and camera surveillance: The UniFi ecosystem with UDM-Pro/SE or UXG-Pro as the central gateway and controller.
  • Internet Load Balancing and Failover across multiple WAN connections (Dual-WAN): Many EdgeRouter and UniFi Gateway models support this.

What to Look for When Buying a Ubiquiti Router? A Checklist:

  • Preferred Product Line and Management Philosophy: Do you need the granular control of EdgeMAX/EdgeOS, the integrated ecosystem of UniFi, or the simplicity of AmpliFi?
  • Performance Requirements: What is your internet bandwidth? What firewall and VPN throughput is needed? How many users and devices need to be served simultaneously?
  • Required Network and Security Features: Dynamic routing (OSPF, BGP), specific VPN types, Intrusion Detection/Prevention (IDS/IPS), Deep Packet Inspection (DPI), advanced QoS rules, PoE ports on the router?
  • Port Configuration: How many WAN and LAN ports are needed? What speeds (Gigabit, Multi-Gigabit, 10G SFP+)?
  • WLAN Integration: Should the router have integrated Wi-Fi (e.g., UDM, UDR, AmpliFi), or are you looking for a pure gateway/router to be used with separate access points?
  • UniFi Controller (for UniFi line): Is a device with an integrated controller (UDM, UDR) desired, or is a separate Cloud Key or self-hosted controller software preferred (necessary for USG, UXG)?
  • Own Technical Knowledge: EdgeRouters generally require more networking know-how for advanced configuration than the graphically guided UniFi or app-based AmpliFi systems.
  • Future Expandability and Scalability of the Network.
  • Budget: Ubiquiti offers routers in a wide price range, from very affordable to high-performance enterprise devices.

At etree, you will find a selection of Ubiquiti routers from the various product lines. Our detailed product descriptions and the extensive information in the Ubiquiti community will help you make the right decision for your network.