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To clarify for anyone unfamiliar with UniFi from Ubiquiti. The controller is the GUI that allows you to adopt new UniFi devices and manage the network devices.
by ericcholis 10y ago
To clarify for anyone unfamiliar with UniFi from Ubiquiti.
The controller is the GUI that allows you to adopt new UniFi devices and manage the network devices. It's cross-platform via Java. It doesn't have to run continually, as the devices themselves hold the settings. However, continual logging does require the controller to run.
While the switches, Security Gateway and WiFi access points are managed; none of them actually have their own GUI. The can, however, all be accessed via SSH.
The Cloud Key is a POE dongle that runs the Controller software. Nice out-of-the box, plug and play option.
- nicpottier 10y agoYep.. most annoying bit is that the Cloud Key uses 48v POE while all their APs (and the cheaper routers) only support 24v. So you can't actually run a Cloud Key off say an EdgeRouter X SFP. Annoying for sure, though if you are doing a big install you'll probably need another switch and you can just make it a POE one. Still love them though.
- emilw 10y agoThis statement is not complete, almost all new Ubiquiti PoE equipment is 802.3af compatible (48V). Older hardware is 24V only. To cross this gap they released several switches (and routers) with PoE ports which can do both (passive 24V or auto sensing 48V).
- Freestyler_3 10y agoI was going to say this, because I have handled all these different models. At first they didn't have this yet when they came out with 48v devices, but not long after they came with the hybrid switches.
- nicpottier 10y agoSorry, I should have clarified that this is for their consumer grade stuff. Yes, the pros and edu unifi's are 802 but the lite and LR are not. The prosumer edgerouters are mostly 24v as well. (what reading I've done says to stay away from the ER lite POE and get the X SFP instead but that's only 24v) Anyways, not a big deal, just pointing it out as I was bitten by this. Nothing a $50 switch didn't solve.
- pbnjay 10y agoIn addition to logging, I believe if you want hassle free roaming handoff between wifi APs you also need it running. It's been a while since I played with it since my setup is so rock-solid now (compared to when I had linksys gear...)
- dmitrygr 10y agoHandoff works fine without the software running. Source: i use it
- 2-m3m3n70 10y agoThat might be a recent feature but previous versions required the controller to be running for handoff.
- insaneirish 10y agoHandoff is an overloaded term. If you advertise the same SSID on the same L2 network from multiple APs, clients should seamlessly move between those APs, subject to the client's own mechanism. Ubiquiti has a feature called Zero-Handoff [1] which indeed requires the controller's participation. The APs all end up on the same RF channel in this arrangement. While I've not used this feature, multiple APs on the same channel tends to be a bad idea and I much prefer my setup of simply using the same SSID on multiple APs/channels. [1]: https://help.ubnt.com/hc/en-us/articles/205144590-UniFi-What-is-Zero-Handoff- https://help.ubnt.com/hc/en-us/articles/205144590-UniFi-What...
- rufugee 10y agoIn my experience, placing the same SSID across multiple APs/channels and letting the clients decide is a problem, because the clients often get it wrong. Granted, most of what I see this on are Android-based systems (FireTVs, android phones, etc), but I've also had the problem with Ring.com cameras, and with Amazon's Echo. I personally wish the APs would force the issue instead of relying on different client stacks.