Switch Ubiquiti USW-Flex-Mini

Lightweight and tough!Great as a dumb-switch.Next show, I will definitely buy a second one for my road-kit - so I can string 2 in-between PoE switches to get up-to 300M hard-wired without needing to get out my Unifi Building Bridge.They do not have SSH unlike every other Unifi product, so Layer 3 adopting them is an absolute disaster. Forget about customising their configuration too. Combine that with Unifi's tendency to revert informURL back to "unifi:8080", and I fear these little guys would be regularly & catastrophically losing contact from your central controller.I wish it had PoE-passthrough on one port like the old US8's... but for it's price, it is spectacular value for money.NOT recommending for critical use - but great for your road-kit!

A great value for the money, but not without issues.

I purchased a couple of these to provide some easy wired connectivity in 2 offices, all attached to an all Ubiquiti infrastructure running the latest Unifi controller. I encountered enormous issues as the devices as the controller attempted adoption. Had issues for hours, when I finally realized the switches were aggressively acquiring the same ip, 192.168.1.20. Problematic, because I have dedicated and statically assigned servers using those internal addresses, creating a huge problem.After much troubleshooting, I reset them (for the 50th time) and opted to not use port 1 as uplink, and by using the following ports and not port 1, they grabbed a DHCP lease and I was finally able to statically assign the desired IP addresses. After this, I was then able to finally ... MoreI purchased a couple of these to provide some easy wired connectivity in 2 offices, all attached to an all Ubiquiti infrastructure running the latest Unifi controller. I encountered enormous issues as the devices as the controller attempted adoption. Had issues for hours, when I finally realized the switches were aggressively acquiring the same ip, 192.168.1.20. Problematic, because I have dedicated and statically assigned servers using those internal addresses, creating a huge problem.After much troubleshooting, I reset them (for the 50th time) and opted to not use port 1 as uplink, and by using the following ports and not port 1, they grabbed a DHCP lease and I was finally able to statically assign the desired IP addresses. After this, I was then able to finally connect the rest of the ports to equipment and they have worked fine since.I think that given the prevalence of 192.168.1.* addressing in private lans, especially in consumer environments, it baffles the mind how the devices automatically attempt to grab that address, instead of just functioning in DHCP mode. I think the other issue is documentation, it's quite limited and I only figured out the issues after digging through discussion boards and with my own troubleshooting.But, with all of this said, the switches perform surprisingly well and consistently, which is amazing for their price point and being actual managed switches that integrate with my Unify environment.They are worth it, in my opinion, despite the pain of figuring out the issue.

A word on POE

First off I like this little 5 port switch. It's great for temporary setups such as live events where wired connectivity is preferable to overloaded WiFi. (Bearing in mind youll need a unifi controller on network or web hosted.) It also makes a good smart device switch. Example) put it behind a TV to hard wire Roku, Apple TV, or gaming consoles. Its small and light weight. It also helps in situations where a switch is already saturated and a user wants an inexpesive soluion to add a couple of devices. It doesnt get warm. Managed like any other Unifi switch its simple to setup and reliable.Now a word on POE. There's quite a few reviews that ambiguously talk about POE. This device can be powered by 802.3af POE. It can be powered via USB-C as well. However in either ... MoreFirst off I like this little 5 port switch. It's great for temporary setups such as live events where wired connectivity is preferable to overloaded WiFi. (Bearing in mind youll need a unifi controller on network or web hosted.) It also makes a good smart device switch. Example) put it behind a TV to hard wire Roku, Apple TV, or gaming consoles. Its small and light weight. It also helps in situations where a switch is already saturated and a user wants an inexpesive soluion to add a couple of devices. It doesnt get warm. Managed like any other Unifi switch its simple to setup and reliable.Now a word on POE. There's quite a few reviews that ambiguously talk about POE. This device can be powered by 802.3af POE. It can be powered via USB-C as well. However in either instance it does NOT offer any POE output. It's a simple managed 1-in-4-out gigabit switch. That said, it does feature full VLAN capabilities on all ports.

Awesome switch, but have a bug with configuration

A great device for the price, especially if you have purchased the UniFi Network ecosystem. However, it should be noted that these devices are a real pain in the ... configuration if your controller is removed. This is discussed at length on the UniFi forums, so be aware before you buy. We needed to connect the device directly to the network where the controller resides and select "Override inform host with controller hostname-IP" before the device would be accepted and perform a firmware update. There is no SSH access, so you cannot do a 'set-inform', unfortunately.

Best Inexpensive Switch

Ubiquiti - pretty much says all you need to know. A fantastic managed switch that is inexpensive and small but preforms great. Some complain about Ubiquiti equipment being difficult to set up. Not the case for me, I'm not the most advanced user but for a nice reliable home system it is an incredible switch. I see it as a big step up from the typical unmanaged switch and if the network is well designed it will perform great. Mine is a secondary switch that handles printers, a Nintendo Switch and Apple TV. Have one at mother-in-laws house running a couple of POE WiFi access points. Rock solid Ubiquity systems are great. Her WiFi system keeps her Apple watch going even if she doesn't remember to take her iPhone with her. She has called for help like when she got her ... MoreUbiquiti - pretty much says all you need to know. A fantastic managed switch that is inexpensive and small but preforms great. Some complain about Ubiquiti equipment being difficult to set up. Not the case for me, I'm not the most advanced user but for a nice reliable home system it is an incredible switch. I see it as a big step up from the typical unmanaged switch and if the network is well designed it will perform great. Mine is a secondary switch that handles printers, a Nintendo Switch and Apple TV. Have one at mother-in-laws house running a couple of POE WiFi access points. Rock solid Ubiquity systems are great. Her WiFi system keeps her Apple watch going even if she doesn't remember to take her iPhone with her. She has called for help like when she got her power chair stuck just off the sidewalk outside! Apple watch worked (testimony to Apple and my wife for teaching her to use it). She is 90+ and home network is very important!I highly recomend this product.

Fantastic Little Switch with Effortless Setup

The UniFi USW Flex Mini 5-Port Gigabit Managed Switch is a gem. Setting up was a breeze through the user-friendly UniFi Controller software. Its compact size belies its exceptional reliability with lightning-fast connections for various devices. It seamlessly handles streaming, gaming, and more. This sleek switch's sturdy build and versatile design fit any setup. For a hassle-free, top-notch network upgrade, the UniFi USW Flex Mini is a clear winner. It's become an essential part of my network, and I couldn't be happier

Solid

Works perfectly for my needs. I had been using a USG and a Unifi AP and needed to introduce a switch into the environment to add additional wired devices. I tried a cheap managed Netgear switch that didn't have the capabilities necessary to run the AP with my VPNs.I had a minor issue with this switch not staying adopted into my controller, but it continued to function with my settings and the issue resolved itself after a day. This switch is a great value for the price.

What's not to love?

I don't see any reason these wouldn't work on any network, but for the record, I run an all Ubiquiti network in my house - console, gateway, router, switches, access points, etc. I have added four of these little switches for more connectivity in rooms where I have only one Ethernet cable in-wall but wanted to add a streaming box, gaming console, network printer, data port - that sort of thing. For me, they have proven to be exactly what I need. I can power them from my main switch using POE so there is no need to run a power cord. I have had other brands of networking components (no names, but think linking your system and gearing your net) that occasionally needed to be power cycled because they have lost connectivity. I have never had any such issues with these. ... MoreI don't see any reason these wouldn't work on any network, but for the record, I run an all Ubiquiti network in my house - console, gateway, router, switches, access points, etc. I have added four of these little switches for more connectivity in rooms where I have only one Ethernet cable in-wall but wanted to add a streaming box, gaming console, network printer, data port - that sort of thing. For me, they have proven to be exactly what I need. I can power them from my main switch using POE so there is no need to run a power cord. I have had other brands of networking components (no names, but think linking your system and gearing your net) that occasionally needed to be power cycled because they have lost connectivity. I have never had any such issues with these. The size makes these little switches easy to place anywhere, and I have never known them to run hot. They just perform day after day, without trouble and I'm able to place them and forget them - until I need to utilize one more of the ports. Like I said, what's not to love?

poor support = bad rating

When I submitted a ticket to Ubiquiti asking for clarification on some settings or a link to docs other than the installation sheet, they couldn't tell me fast enough that this was an entry level product in the one sentence sandwiched between boilerplate spewage. Replies had a 4-day turn-around, minimum, with no resolution. One unit won't be adopted by my Cloud Key anymore. I even bought a Mini 8pt POE switch thinking that might help. All Ubiquiti gear is now turned off, disconnected, and ready for reboxing. Buy this if you don't need any support or documentation for something that UI doesn't want to touch.

super flexible switch everyone should have

If your a Unifi Nerd, Buff, or techy, this little switch is great. I always like to keep a switch in my laptop go-bag, and this fit the bill. Cheap reliable and has extra features. Adopt this via a unifi controller and your set. take it with you when you need something and its still plug and play. OR dont adopt it and can use it as a plan jane dummy swtitch.Under the unifi controller you can setup VLANS, power it via POE (to skip the USB C power it comes with) and configure any other Layer2 protocols via the unifi controller.$30 switch is awesome, worth every penny.