Ubiquiti UniFi Dream Wifi 6 Router

Has replaced a USG, Cloud Key, AP and switch at home. Cheaper than the UDM and unless you have a multi-gig connection it's a great one box solution that's as configurable as you want. Was surprised at how easy the process of swapping out all of the above boxes for the UDR was. Just download a copy of your network settings from your Cloud Key and upload to the UDR - it just worked. Rock solid so far on my Starlink connection. Plenty of reviews out there on it's strong and weak points. But it's been a great upgrade for my home network. The setup is simple enough for those wanting to replace the free budget routers ISP's usually provide, but powerful enough for those wanting a more sophisticated configuration.

The Ubiquiti UniFi Dream Router is easy to set up in it's default/auto configuration. The web interface and the phone apps are reasonably easy to use and learn. Being a Ubiqiti device, the UDR (for short) was also created to satisfy professional network installers for businesses and homes. It operates a fully featured version of UniFi OS, which has a plethora of powerful features and capabilities for those wanting to make use of them. Running on my UDR there are several WiFi SSIDs, several virtual networks, blocked traffic to and from specific countries and as I would describe it; enterprise grade internet threat detection and prevention. I can also hand out voucher codes to visitors for WiFi hotspot access. I can access the UDR and all settings remotely. The UDR ... MoreThe Ubiquiti UniFi Dream Router is easy to set up in it's default/auto configuration. The web interface and the phone apps are reasonably easy to use and learn. Being a Ubiqiti device, the UDR (for short) was also created to satisfy professional network installers for businesses and homes. It operates a fully featured version of UniFi OS, which has a plethora of powerful features and capabilities for those wanting to make use of them. Running on my UDR there are several WiFi SSIDs, several virtual networks, blocked traffic to and from specific countries and as I would describe it; enterprise grade internet threat detection and prevention. I can also hand out voucher codes to visitors for WiFi hotspot access. I can access the UDR and all settings remotely. The UDR can set up a VPN so that I can remotely join the local network or there is a simpler "teleport" method. After a few weeks of use I have no complaints about the stability and performance of the Ubiquiti UDR, access points and switches. That was not something I could say for my previous WiFi mesh routers (Netgear Orbi) which lacked reliabilty, particularly when WiFi backhaul was enabled. That was worse if I happened to experience a broadband outage. It would not be clear that there was an outage or yet another Orbi glitch. Then after the broadband was restored, there could be persistent problems requiring Orbi reboots. In contrast, the UDR will quickly detect an outage, indicate it on it's small but clear display screen, log it and graph it. When the broadband/WAN is back online it shows normal operaton on it's screen and recovers quickly without any apparent problems. I brought two UniFi access points with my UDR. It turned out that the UDR had better coverage than I expected, so I did not need the access points. The UDR has great coverage throughout the 150m2 one floor wooden house. Instead the access points are now in a separate garage and guesthouse, linked into the LAN by some Ubiquiti wireless bridges. Everything works seamlessly as a unified WiFi network. It was easy to add the access points. By default the UDR will see them when they are first connected. I just had to click the adopt button. I further optimised performance after I watched some video guides, by setting up different fixed WiFi channels for the UDR and each access point. One great thing about using Ubiquiti is the large amount of video guides and information online, including many from professional installers. The UDR acts as a Unifi OS "console" which is used to support advanced functionality of a UniFi network. A UniFi Cloudkey would be an alternative example of a UniFi OS console. However in addition the UDR also acts as a security gateway, router (1 WAN and 4 LAN including 2 able to provide 802.3af PoE) and WiFi 6 access point. The UDR always runs the Unifi "Network" app. It can run one additional Unifi app, either "Protect" (surveillance), "Talk" (phones) or "Access" (access control). I disabled those as I did not need them. The UDR is powerful enough to support at least 8 access points while also running the additional app. This web tool indicates what it can handle: https://ui.com/consoles/resource-calculator (Tip: Before buying access points consider UniFi6 Mesh or UniFi6 Pro rather than UniFi6 Lite or UniFi6 Long-Range. I have read complaints in forums about the Lite or Long-Range, which attribute problems to the the MediaTek chipset, unlike the Broadcom chipset in the Mesh and the Pro. At least, research it before purchasing an access point.) I have used my UDR in connection to a (no cost) Ubiquiti account. It added some convenient remote management and backup features that I wanted. I have not tried to operate the UDR and access points without the account. If operating without a Ubiquiti account is preferred, I recommend some research on what that would mean for functionality. Writing this in Oct 2022, the UDR and other UniFi WiFi 6 devices are newly released in Europe. The price at nearly 3500 kr could be considered high compared to the range of home use WiFi 6 routers. This is a high end product though. Competing WiFi 7 routers may start to become available in 2023, but it will take a while for many cient devices to support it. I would not expect Ubiquiti to release a WiFi 6E or WiFi 7 version of the UDR at prices to supersede this any time soon. Uniqiti classes thier WiFi 6E access points as "enterprise" products and they cost around twice as much as the WiFi 6 "pro" access points. The UDR could support such access points if desired, but at 1 Gbit/s connectivity instead of 2.5 Gbit/s that the "enterprise" access points support. Here is a review with a lot more information: https://dongknows.com/ubiquiti-wi-fi-6-unifi-dream-router-udr-review/ I hope this long review was useful. One day I might also have the skill to write such topics in Swedish, but for now I have to use my native language. Please consider giving this review a thumbs up (or thumbs down) to let me know whether I should do more review like this.

Got this connected to a lte modem in bridge mode. It’s quite noticeable how good the WiFi is on it. It’s a LR WiFi6 ap on top. Switches very easy from 5ghz to 2.4ghz. Using the WiFiman app can see coverage through the house. Plugged in my older acpro ap and being poe powered up easy as. Will be using it to setup different vlans for different devices soon.

Communicating with router

Works week now but had difficulty getting the Dream router to communicate with the modem. I had to log into the modem to change the IP address

Fan is way too loud for a home device.

This is supposed to be a home router, which you’d expect to be near a phone point or central location. The fan is way too loud on my Brand new UDR router (August 2022 Australia). I’ll be sending it back. If this was in my bedroom, I wouldn’t be experiencing any Dreams… oh the irony.. Gutted other than than, it is a Dream Router.

It just works out of the box. An easy setup.

It just works. This is the second UniFi network I’ve set up from scratch. The UDR was the backbone of the system, and it’s worked as easily as I’ve come to expect of UniFi products. 3 VLAN’s with associated SSID’s QOC and bandwidth limiting. Hasn’t skipped a beat.

Not a good option in 2023

In 2023, when most of people are having 1Gig+ connectivity at home, that AIO device is completely incapable of delivering these speeds. Even with IDS/IPS turned off. Fan is audible if in the room is quiet which is not desirable at all and you do not expect it from a router. But let's not be too picky, that can be easily accepted. What cannot be accepted is the level of how that device is incapable of delivering what it is promising to do - a Gig WAN is indeed the case, but over cable best I could have is 550DL/600UP. Over WiFi speeds are even lower (300/450). And that is with IDS and IPS turned off. Running latest firmware on Stable branch. What's causing another frustration is that just running the UI Network, with all other applications uninstalled makes this ... MoreIn 2023, when most of people are having 1Gig+ connectivity at home, that AIO device is completely incapable of delivering these speeds. Even with IDS/IPS turned off. Fan is audible if in the room is quiet which is not desirable at all and you do not expect it from a router. But let's not be too picky, that can be easily accepted. What cannot be accepted is the level of how that device is incapable of delivering what it is promising to do - a Gig WAN is indeed the case, but over cable best I could have is 550DL/600UP. Over WiFi speeds are even lower (300/450). And that is with IDS and IPS turned off. Running latest firmware on Stable branch. What's causing another frustration is that just running the UI Network, with all other applications uninstalled makes this device use 1.5GB RAM after boot - which is also extremely slow (~2-4 mins to boot fully). Floorplan can be ran on your smartphone using WiFiman - an app from Ubiquiti - which lets you scan the apartment and show you the coverage, while drawing a map, so you can adjust the location properly. What's not expected is...that you cannot save the floor plan?! You can just walk around with the phone scanning your walls, ceilings while drawing you a map on your screen - but at the moment you click - Done - it's lost, so you cannot use it at all.

Perfect Home Router/Firewall/Access Point

Perfect all in one router but with Unifi's configurability. With it's built in Wifi6 AP what's not to like?

Works perfect. Very

Works perfect. Very easy set-up (for the basic functionality) and great user interface in the cloud-based controller. Use this one in combination with a POE+ switch and 4 access points. Great eco-system from Ubiquiti.

Works very well, IF using 100/20 nbn speeds and slower.

Everything about the router works well. Excellent wifi, easy to use os, nice look. expect the wan port. Even though the wan port is a 1g port, the processor can NOT handle 1g of traffic. Not even close. With no extra features turn on (protect, dpi, smq, firewalls ect) you will see traffic at around 600mbps down, which is still quite low on a 1000mbps down connection (speed tests on the old router is around 900+). As soon as you turn on smq on the "uploads" only, the download speed drops to 300mbps. Looking at the router performance while doing the test, the dual core cpu is pinned at 100%. Adding any extra features degrades the performance even more. Looking online it appears this was reported during EA and never addressed. Unless they removed the throughput from ... MoreEverything about the router works well. Excellent wifi, easy to use os, nice look. expect the wan port. Even though the wan port is a 1g port, the processor can NOT handle 1g of traffic. Not even close. With no extra features turn on (protect, dpi, smq, firewalls ect) you will see traffic at around 600mbps down, which is still quite low on a 1000mbps down connection (speed tests on the old router is around 900+). As soon as you turn on smq on the "uploads" only, the download speed drops to 300mbps. Looking at the router performance while doing the test, the dual core cpu is pinned at 100%. Adding any extra features degrades the performance even more. Looking online it appears this was reported during EA and never addressed. Unless they removed the throughput from the spec sheet. Looking at the dream machine pro which is a much more expensive router only device has the throughput listed. I find this very suspect. Tempted to return and just save for the UDR pro and a wifi 6 AP.