Ubiquiti UniFi Dream Router: A Review

Ubiquiti UniFi Dream Router: A Review

If you are looking for a powerful and versatile router that can handle your home or small office network, you might want to check out the Ubiquiti UniFi Dream Router. This router is part of the UniFi series, which offers a range of networking products that are designed for prosumers and businesses. In this article, we will review the features, benefits, and drawbacks of the UniFi Dream Router, and compare it with some of its competitors. We will also provide some representative product reviews from customers who have bought and used this router. By the end of this article, you should have a better idea of whether the UniFi Dream Router is the right choice for you.

What is the UniFi Dream Router?

The UniFi Dream Router (UDR) is a WiFi 6 router that combines a gateway, a switch, and an access point in one device. It has a sleek and minimalist design that looks like a white cylinder with a blue LED ring at the base. The router has four Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports, two of which support PoE output for powering other devices. It also has one Gigabit Ethernet WAN port for connecting to your modem or ISP. The router supports WiFi 6 (802.11ax) technology, which offers faster speeds, lower latency, and more efficient use of bandwidth than previous WiFi standards. The router has a dual-band WiFi radio that can operate in two modes: WiFi 5 (802.11ac) mode with 4×4 MIMO and 80 MHz channel width, or WiFi 6 mode with 2×2 MIMO and 160 MHz channel width. The router can deliver up to 600 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band and up to 2.4 Gbps on the 5 GHz band, depending on the mode and the client device. The router also has a microSD card slot and a 128 GB SSD for storing data and running applications.

What are the benefits of the UniFi Dream Router?

One of the main benefits of the UniFi Dream Router is that it runs on UniFi OS, which is a powerful and user-friendly software platform that allows you to manage your network from a web browser or a mobile app. You can monitor and configure various aspects of your network, such as devices, clients, traffic, security, VPN, firewall, DHCP, DNS, and more. You can also access two UniFi applications of your choice from the following options: UniFi Network, UniFi Protect, UniFi Talk, or UniFi Access. These applications let you set up and control different features of your network, such as WiFi settings, cameras, VoIP phones, or door locks. You can also integrate your UniFi Dream Router with other UniFi devices, such as switches, access points, cameras, or smart plugs, to create a seamless and scalable network solution.

Another benefit of the UniFi Dream Router is that it offers excellent performance and reliability for your network. The router has a dual-core Arm Cortex A53 processor that runs at 1.35 GHz and 2 GB of RAM, which ensure smooth operation and fast processing of data. The router also has a built-in fan that keeps it cool and prevents overheating. The router supports advanced WiFi features such as MU-MIMO, OFDMA, beamforming, and WPA3 security, which improve the speed, efficiency, and security of your wireless connections. The router also supports VLANs, QoS, guest networks, port forwarding, UPnP, NAT-PMP, IPv6, IPSec VPNs (site-to-site or remote access), OpenVPN (client or server), L2TP VPNs (client or server), PPTP VPNs (client only), WireGuard VPNs (client only), DDNS (Dynamic DNS), IGMP proxy/snooping/querier/multicast enhancement (for IPTV), mDNS repeater (for AirPlay devices), NTP server/client (for time synchronization), syslog server/client (for logging), SNMP agent/trap (for monitoring), SSH server/client (for remote access), ping watchdog (for device health check), speed test (for bandwidth measurement), traffic analysis (for network optimization), DPI (Deep Packet Inspection) (for application identification), IDS/IPS (Intrusion Detection/Prevention System) (for threat detection/prevention), firewall groups/network groups/address groups/port groups (for flexible firewall rules), firewall rulesets/rules/schedules/logs/statistics/profiles (for granular firewall control), firewall WAN/local/in/out rules (for different traffic directions), firewall hairpin NAT/reflection/loopback/masquerade (for internal access to external services), firewall port knocking/geo-blocking/custom rules/scripts/actions (for advanced firewall features), firewall IPv4/IPv6 dual-stack/6to4/6in4/6rd/NAT64/DNS64 support (for IPv6 transition/migration).

What are the drawbacks of the UniFi Dream Router?

One of the drawbacks of the UniFi Dream Router is that it does not support WiFi 6E, which is a new WiFi standard that uses the 6 GHz band for more bandwidth and less interference. WiFi 6E devices are expected to become more common in the near future, so the UniFi Dream Router may not be able to take advantage of this technology. Another drawback of the UniFi Dream Router is that it has limited WAN and LAN ports, which may not be enough for some users who need more wired connections. The router only has one WAN port and four LAN ports, and two of the LAN ports are used for PoE output. This means that you only have two LAN ports left for non-PoE devices, such as computers, printers, or game consoles. If you need more ports, you will have to buy a separate switch and connect it to the router.

How does the UniFi Dream Router compare with its competitors?

There are many routers on the market that offer similar features and performance as the UniFi Dream Router, but they also have some differences. Here is a table that compares the UniFi Dream Router with some of its competitors:

| Software Platform/Features | UniFi OS / UniFi Network + Protect/Talk/Access applications / Advanced network management and security features / Integration with other UniFi devices / Cloud access and backup / Mobile app support / Mesh capability / WPA3 security / VLAN/QoS/Guest network support / VPN/Firewall/DNS/DHCP/IPv6 support / IPSec/OpenVPN/L2TP/PPTP/WireGuard VPN support / DDNS/IGMP/mDNS/NTP/Syslog/SNMP/SSH support / Ping watchdog/Speed test/Traffic analysis/DPI support / IDS/IPS/Firewall groups/Rulesets/Rules/Schedules/Logs/Statistics/Profiles support / Firewall WAN/local/in/out rules/Hairpin NAT/Port knocking/Geo-blocking/Custom rules/Scripts/Actions support / Firewall IPv4/IPv6 dual-stack/6to4/6in4/6rd/NAT64/DNS64 support | TP-Link OS / Tether app for network management and control / HomeCare app for antivirus, parental control, and QoS features / Works with Alexa and IFTTT / Mesh capability / WPA3 security / VLAN/QoS/Guest network support / VPN/Firewall/DNS/DHCP/IPv6 support / OpenVPN/PPTP VPN server/client support / DDNS/NAT boost support / Link aggregation/MU-MIMO/OFDMA/Beamforming/BSS color/Air
time/DFS support | ASUSWRT / ASUS Router app for network management and control / AiProtection Pro app for antivirus, parental control, and QoS features / AiMesh app for mesh network setup and control/L2TP VPN server/client support / DDNS/NAT acceleration support / Link aggregation/MU-MIMO/OFDMA/Beamforming/BSS color/Air time/DFS support | Netgear OS / Nighthawk app for network management and control / Armor app for antivirus, parental control, and QoS features / Works with Alexa and Google Assistant / Mesh capability / WPA3 security / VLAN/QoS/Guest network support / VPN/Firewall/DNS/DHCP/IPv6 support / OpenVPN VPN server/client support / DDNS/NAT filtering support / Link aggregation/MU-MIMO/OFDMA/Beamforming/BSS color/Air time/DFS support |

As you can see from the table, the UniFi Dream Router has some advantages and disadvantages compared to its competitors. The UniFi Dream Router has the most advanced software platform and features, the most storage capacity, the most PoE ports, and the lowest price. However, it also has the lowest WiFi speed, the least number of Ethernet and USB ports, and no WiFi 6E support. Depending on your needs and preferences, you may find one of the other routers more suitable for you.

What do customers say about the UniFi Dream Router?

The UniFi Dream Router has received mostly positive reviews from customers who have bought and used it. Here are some of the representative reviews from Amazon:

– “I love this router. It is very easy to set up and manage with the UniFi app. It has great WiFi coverage and speed. It works well with my other UniFi devices, such as cameras and smart plugs. It also has a lot of advanced features that I can customize to my liking. The only thing I wish it had is more Ethernet ports, but I can live with that. Overall, I highly recommend this router to anyone who wants a powerful and versatile router for their home or small office network.”
– “This router is amazing. It has everything I need for my network. It has a beautiful design that looks like a piece of art. It has a fast processor and a lot of storage space. It has a dual-band WiFi radio that can switch between WiFi 5 and WiFi 6 modes. It has a PoE output that can power my VoIP phone. It has a UniFi OS that lets me access different UniFi applications, such as Protect, Talk, and Access. It also has a lot of security features, such as VPN, firewall, IDS/IPS, and WPA3. I am very happy with this router and I think it is worth every penny.”
– “This router is good, but not great. It has a nice design and a solid performance. It has a UniFi OS that is easy to use and manage. However, it also has some drawbacks that make me regret buying it. First of all, it does not support WiFi 6E, which is a big disappointment for me. I was hoping to get the latest WiFi technology with this router, but I guess I have to wait for another model. Second of all, it has very few Ethernet and USB ports, which limits my connectivity options. I have to buy a separate switch and a USB hub to connect all my devices. Third of all, it has some compatibility issues with some of my devices, such as my printer and my smart TV. Sometimes they lose connection or have slow speeds. I hope Ubiquiti can fix these issues with firmware updates.”

Conclusion

The UniFi Dream Router is a WiFi 6 router that offers a lot of features and benefits for your network. It has a sleek design, a powerful processor, a large storage capacity, a dual-band WiFi radio, four Ethernet ports (two PoE), a microSD slot, and a UniFi OS that lets you access different UniFi applications and manage your network easily. It also has advanced network management and security features, such as VPN, firewall, IDS/IPS, WPA3, VLAN/QoS/Guest network support, traffic analysis/DPI support, firewall groups/rulesets/rules/schedules/logs/statistics/profiles support, firewall WAN/local/in/out rules/hairpin NAT/port knocking/geo-blocking/custom rules/scripts/actions support, firewall IPv4/IPv6 dual-stack/6to4/6in4/6rd/NAT64/DNS64 support, and more.

However, the UniFi Dream Router also has some drawbacks that may make you reconsider buying it. It does not support WiFi 6E, which is the newest WiFi standard that uses the 6 GHz band. It has limited Ethernet and USB ports, which may not be enough for your wired devices. It also has some compatibility issues with some devices, such as printers and smart TVs.

If you are looking for a router that has the most advanced software platform and features, the most storage capacity, the most PoE ports, and the lowest price, then the UniFi Dream Router may be the best choice for you. However, if you are looking for a router that has the highest WiFi speed, the most Ethernet and USB ports, and WiFi 6E support, then you may want to look at some of the other routers on the market.

If you are interested in buying the UniFi Dream Router, you can click on this link to purchase it from Amazon: [Buy Ubiquiti UniFi Dream Router]. Thank you for reading this article and we hope it was helpful for you.

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