Business grade networking

[HuskyLogic]

Linus, 

 

I've been struggling with a topic of which brand of Network equipment I should use when I install routers and access points and the like in client locations.  The two top brands that comes up every time I search are Linksys, and Ubiquiti.  Is it possible to compare these two companies? is one really better than the other, or are they basically on the same level? 

[brwainer]

Linksys makes switches and routers suitable for small business, sure, but I don’t know of anyone who really recommends them. Ubiquiti on the other hand makes products that are targeted at small and medium business and suitable for deployment by integrators who want to make their future self have an easier time supporting the client, and even possibly offer a compelling managed services offering. They are in completely different leagues and there is very little Linksys offers that competes or compares to Ubiquiti.

 

Other companies I would consider for business clients are Netgate routers (PFSense), HP switches (they compete with Cisco for a fraction of the cost), and if you get some clients with bigger pockets then Ruckus APs with a SmartZone or Virtual SmartZone controller (the ZoneDirector line is no longer getting feature updates), and Watchguard firewalls (there are a lot of good options in the firewall space in particular).

 

Brands that some IT consultants or integrators swear by but I don’t like include Meraki (Ubiquiti Unifi is like the kid’s version of Meraki, I don’t like it because of the business model but the actual equipment and software is great), SonicWall (pricing and product doesn’t seem compelling but honestly the fact that I like Watchguard might make me a hypocrite here), Fortinet FortiGate (somewhat odd interface but the fact that you can easily split one firewall into several separate ones is neat), Sophos UTM (bad experience trying to take one over before). I mention these because my dislike of them doesn’t mean they are bad products/companies.

 

TL;DR: Linksys isn’t really a business grade company nor geared towards consultants and integrators. Ubiquiti however is a fine choice. 

[HuskyLogic]

Does Ubiquiti make something that would be good for my residential and home business clients that dont need as much as a larger company with Multiple AP's and switches?  I like what you said and am leaning in the direction of Ubiquiti. Thanks. 

[brwainer]

25 minutes ago, HuskyLogic said:

Does Ubiquiti make something that would be good for my residential and home business clients that dont need as much as a larger company with Multiple AP's and switches?  I like what you said and am leaning in the direction of Ubiquiti. Thanks. 

Ubiquiti has two main lines for routers and switches, Edge and Unifi. EdgeRouter and EdgeSwitch are managed in the traditional way, directly accessing each device by HTTPS, SSH, or serial. Unifi is a software defined networking system where the router, switch, and APs are managed from a central controller. You can do one controller per client, or manage many clients from a single controller in the cloud, either on your server, a hosting platform, or pay Ubiquiti to use their servers. The controller doesn’t have to be online all the time unless you decide to use features like the guest login portal. All wireless for home or office is Unifi, they do have another wireless category but that is for long distance wireless links (think kilometers).

 

For small clients you can do Unifi with a cloud controller, but You still end up having multiple boxes however - one USG, one switch, one AP. You can possibly get away without a switch if the client has basically no wired devices. Ubiquiti doesn’t really make any all-in-one type devices.

 

If you were really looking for all-in-one devices, there is also the option of Mikrotik. They are a competitor to Ubiquiti in a lot of categories (WISP, routing, switching, etc) but they don’t really have a Unifi competitor. They do have small office / home office wireless products though. The hAP AC or hAP AC2 are great pieces of hardware for a combined router, switch, and AP. RouterOS (that runs on most Mikrotik hardware) is second to none in terms of included value and configurability - but that is the downside also, you have to learn how to set it up. Mikrotik stuff is definitely business grade in terms of hardware quality and features, and the stability is there as long as you stick with the bugfix (now called Longterm Release) update channel. The learning curve of the equipment is why I didn’t mention it before - I actually run all Mikrotik hardware in my house (CRS125-24G-1S switch, two hEX routers, and three hAP AC as APs) and at work we regularly deploy CCR series routers in MDUs and hotels (name brand hotel chains like Marriott and Hilton). 

[HuskyLogic]

A lot of information. Thanks. I will have to digest it and see if I have any more questions.