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There's one big gotcha with Unifi cameras, where you have to cloud-connect your Unifi system if you want "AI" detections[1] (anything other than simple motion d

There's one big gotcha with Unifi cameras, where you have to cloud-connect your Unifi system if you want "AI" detections[1] (anything other than simple motion detection). I'm hoping they fix it some day[2], but for now I just have motion detection on my Unifi hardware. If this is a problem for you, make sure you understand the tradeoffs here before you commit to a Unifi system. [1] https://old.reddit.com/r/Ubiquiti/comments/1cifnut/unifi_protect_now_requires_cloudremote_access_for/ https://old.reddit.com/r/Ubiquiti/comments/1cifnut/unifi_pro... [2] https://old.reddit.com/r/Ubiquiti/comments/1dbyvan/home_assistant_users_with_unifi_protect/l7yq5qx/?context=3 https://old.reddit.com/r/Ubiquiti/comments/1dbyvan/home_assi...

alt227 1y ago
Still dont understand why this is such a big issue, and I have been reading threads about it for a year now. Just turn on cloud access, accept the t&cs and then turn it off again. If you are really scared then you can isolate that device in a vlan or DMZ temporarily. I run many commercial and residential networks, and this is definitely a non issue for me.
- paulryanrogers 1y ago
  Will it still get automatic updates in case of security issues?
  - deleted 1y ago
    [deleted]
- oceanplexian 1y ago
  I stopped buying Ubiquiti when I reset my UDM Pro and took it to another house without internet access, and it refused to "activate" without an Internet Connection or a phone app connection. Seems they are more interested in selling a lifestyle rather than actual production network equipment.
  - jeremywho 1y ago
    What are you using instead?
    - ThePowerOfFuet 1y ago
      OPNsense.
    - ungreased0675 1y ago
      I’m also curious what other prosumer network hardware companies have good products?
      - red369 1y ago
        I like Mikrotik routers, and their other products look good too. They are often discussed on HN if you want to search for a range of opinions. I do find that their software can be confusing, but that may also be to do with the number of options.
      - jackhuman 1y ago
        I use TP link Omada gear and its a been very good replacement to unifi. I use it both personally & manage a side gig venue’s network. I have lots of vlans & even run dante & ndi with no issues. Replaced a Unifi system it was so buggy. DHCP reserve IPs failed, spotty issues with artists phones & the mixer board to mix their in-ears etc. I’ve setup IPSec tunnel to AWS VPC even pretty easy. Using a pi4 for last 4 years on poe running their management docker container. So solid! I’d recommend the pi over buying their hardware device mamager, its way slower.
    - newsclues 1y ago
      If I ditched my modest ubiquiti gear I’d probably try out https://www.alta.inc/ https://www.alta.inc/ Because https://chrisbuechler.com/ https://chrisbuechler.com/
      - blowfish721 1y ago
        This looks super interesting, thank you
- AlexandrB 1y ago
  Having seen a few slippery slope situations like this over the years with IoT and other services, I'm simply not willing to make any concessions in that direction. I use a UDM Pro and turning on cloud access requires associating that hardware with a Unify cloud account. That's already undesirable if you want to safeguard privacy.
  - alt227 1y ago
    Fair enough, the Unifi brand is a consumer/prosumer brand after all. I guess if you have strict privacy requirements then you would be looking more at enterprise gear anyway.
    - cowpig 1y ago
      Why does strict privacy requirements imply enterprise gear?
      - Henchman21 1y ago
        Because the elites have decided that privacy is only applicable to businesses.
        deleted 1y ago
        [deleted]
        phs318u 1y ago
        Ah yes. The “elites”. The invisible yet omnipresent, subtle yet ubiquitous, global cabal that no matter how fragmented and divided society gets, always speaks with one voice[0] and acts in seamless unison. [0] It’s an endless source of fascination to me that it always seems to be non-elites that have the inside scoop on what the elites are thinking and deciding. I’d love to know where they get that insight if not from their own hyper-pattern-matching imagination.
        Henchman21 1y ago
bisby 1y ago
https://store.ui.com/us/en/products/ai-key https://store.ui.com/us/en/products/ai-key Even this only reviews "Smart Detections" and I have smart detections turned off on my Unifi cameras, because it enables cloud AI. Having the ability to have an AI key to process detections locally would be great. Also, having to buy extra hardware kinda stinks. Would love to be able to have a self hosted Unifi OS server that can do AI key abilities if the hardware supports it.

alt227 1y ago

Still dont understand why this is such a big issue, and I have been reading threads about it for a year now. Just turn on cloud access, accept the t&cs and then turn it off again. If you are really scared then you can isolate that device in a vlan or DMZ temporarily. I run many commercial and residential networks, and this is definitely a non issue for me.

paulryanrogers 1y ago
Will it still get automatic updates in case of security issues?
- deleted 1y ago
  [deleted]
oceanplexian 1y ago
I stopped buying Ubiquiti when I reset my UDM Pro and took it to another house without internet access, and it refused to "activate" without an Internet Connection or a phone app connection. Seems they are more interested in selling a lifestyle rather than actual production network equipment.
- jeremywho 1y ago
  What are you using instead?
  - ThePowerOfFuet 1y ago
    OPNsense.
  - ungreased0675 1y ago
    I’m also curious what other prosumer network hardware companies have good products?
    - red369 1y ago
      I like Mikrotik routers, and their other products look good too. They are often discussed on HN if you want to search for a range of opinions. I do find that their software can be confusing, but that may also be to do with the number of options.
    - jackhuman 1y ago
      I use TP link Omada gear and its a been very good replacement to unifi. I use it both personally & manage a side gig venue’s network. I have lots of vlans & even run dante & ndi with no issues. Replaced a Unifi system it was so buggy. DHCP reserve IPs failed, spotty issues with artists phones & the mixer board to mix their in-ears etc. I’ve setup IPSec tunnel to AWS VPC even pretty easy. Using a pi4 for last 4 years on poe running their management docker container. So solid! I’d recommend the pi over buying their hardware device mamager, its way slower.
  - newsclues 1y ago
    If I ditched my modest ubiquiti gear I’d probably try out https://www.alta.inc/ https://www.alta.inc/ Because https://chrisbuechler.com/ https://chrisbuechler.com/
    - blowfish721 1y ago
      This looks super interesting, thank you
AlexandrB 1y ago
Having seen a few slippery slope situations like this over the years with IoT and other services, I'm simply not willing to make any concessions in that direction. I use a UDM Pro and turning on cloud access requires associating that hardware with a Unify cloud account. That's already undesirable if you want to safeguard privacy.
- alt227 1y ago
  Fair enough, the Unifi brand is a consumer/prosumer brand after all. I guess if you have strict privacy requirements then you would be looking more at enterprise gear anyway.
  - cowpig 1y ago
    Why does strict privacy requirements imply enterprise gear?
    - Henchman21 1y ago
      Because the elites have decided that privacy is only applicable to businesses.
      - deleted 1y ago
        [deleted]
      - phs318u 1y ago
        Ah yes. The “elites”. The invisible yet omnipresent, subtle yet ubiquitous, global cabal that no matter how fragmented and divided society gets, always speaks with one voice[0] and acts in seamless unison. [0] It’s an endless source of fascination to me that it always seems to be non-elites that have the inside scoop on what the elites are thinking and deciding. I’d love to know where they get that insight if not from their own hyper-pattern-matching imagination.
        Henchman21 1y ago

bisby 1y ago

https://store.ui.com/us/en/products/ai-key https://store.ui.com/us/en/products/ai-key Even this only reviews "Smart Detections" and I have smart detections turned off on my Unifi cameras, because it enables cloud AI. Having the ability to have an AI key to process detections locally would be great. Also, having to buy extra hardware kinda stinks. Would love to be able to have a self hosted Unifi OS server that can do AI key abilities if the hardware supports it.