Community discussions

MikroTik App
 
bossst
just joined
Topic Author
Posts: 20
Joined: Wed Feb 29, 2012 5:43 pm

Mikrotik vs Ubiquiti Unifi

Sat Dec 14, 2013 10:44 pm

Hi,

Here is my new projet, I'm planning to deploy a Wifi solution in an Hotel, I'll need multiple AP per level and my only backbone is at level 1, to reach the other level I'll need to push the communication in Wifi no network cable are present. I red a bit on WDS but what I can see is, i'm losing alot of power at the end of the line. I also plan to establish from the level 1 to level 2 a link in 5ghz and from there add another AP in 2.4 for the client.

The main goal is the be able to roam seemlessly for one ap to the other without reconnecting and also to get the maxium power per AP.

I saw from Ubiquiti, they have something called Unifi they seem to do exactly what I need, to add another AP and another with the seemless function.

From Mikrotik there is a way to do something like Ubiquiti Unifi ?
 
efaden
Forum Guru
Forum Guru
Posts: 1708
Joined: Sat Mar 30, 2013 1:55 am
Location: New York, USA

Re: Mikrotik vs Ubiquiti Unifi

Sun Dec 15, 2013 12:40 am

Not currently. Mikrotik is working on a controller feature, but it isn't out yet.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
 
n21roadie
Forum Guru
Forum Guru
Posts: 1949
Joined: Fri Aug 07, 2009 10:36 pm
Location: Limerick,Ireland

Re: Mikrotik vs Ubiquiti Unifi

Sun Dec 15, 2013 8:44 pm

..............................
The main goal is the be able to roam seemlessly for one ap to the other without reconnecting and also to get the maxium power per AP.

I saw from Ubiquiti, they have something called Unifi they seem to do exactly what I need, to add another AP and another with the seemless function.

From Mikrotik there is a way to do something like Ubiquiti Unifi ?
First don't believe everybit of advertising hype you read and it is not always totally factual?

To roam seamlessly from one AP to another is not easy as the client will stay connected until the signal drops so low as to disconnect then the client will search for a new signal, with Mikrotik you could quite easily set wireless to disconnect clients with low signal and have all AP use the same SSID, with the limited number of channels on 2.4 careful selection of channel and power setting is important.

Another option to consider which if suitable for this location is powerline networking.
 
User avatar
normis
MikroTik Support
MikroTik Support
Posts: 26379
Joined: Fri May 28, 2004 11:04 am
Location: Riga, Latvia

Re: Mikrotik vs Ubiquiti Unifi

Mon Dec 16, 2013 10:36 am

..............................
The main goal is the be able to roam seemlessly for one ap to the other without reconnecting and also to get the maxium power per AP.

I saw from Ubiquiti, they have something called Unifi they seem to do exactly what I need, to add another AP and another with the seemless function.

From Mikrotik there is a way to do something like Ubiquiti Unifi ?
First don't believe everybit of advertising hype you read and it is not always totally factual?

To roam seamlessly from one AP to another is not easy as the client will stay connected until the signal drops so low as to disconnect then the client will search for a new signal, with Mikrotik you could quite easily set wireless to disconnect clients with low signal and have all AP use the same SSID, with the limited number of channels on 2.4 careful selection of channel and power setting is important.

Another option to consider which if suitable for this location is powerline networking.
RouterOS access list can disconnect clients based on signal, that you can configure in the access list.
 
User avatar
ofendt
just joined
Posts: 23
Joined: Mon Jun 20, 2011 10:17 pm

Re: Mikrotik vs Ubiquiti Unifi

Thu Dec 19, 2013 11:05 pm

Hi,
i had lot's of Mikrotik and moved to 40 x UNIFI 3.0 about 3 month ago.

I am very unhappy with the decission and now i install the old mikrotik side-by-side.
Why:
UNIFI seems to be simple - it is. But i don't know why - it is EXTREAMLY SLOW.
Users send me tons of pictures with 300kbit/800kbit UP/DOWN where the near-by MIKROTIK is getting MBits
(both 2.4GHz N).
And: There is nothing to tweak - because it is so easy - there is nothing where you can change things to speed up in UNIFI.
Last but not least: Mikrotik is perfect with SNMP - you can see in dude how many clients each accesspoint servs ...
The HOTSPOT-Feature shurely is with mikrotik - not with UNIFI.

So to Mikrotik:
Please do a NICE (beautifull) package with Dual (2GHz and 5GHz) incl. antennas - and i will buy lots of them.
Something like RB951 will be ok. I am happy. And maybe you can manage a simple mass-setup in dude where one can group Accesspoints and give them WLAN and BRIDGE-Settings in group... woulb be perfect replacement for controller like UNIFI.
 
User avatar
TheWiFiGuy
Member
Member
Posts: 351
Joined: Thu Nov 24, 2011 7:26 pm
Location: UK

Re: Mikrotik vs Ubiquiti Unifi

Fri Dec 20, 2013 9:49 am

+1 Mikrotik!

We install millions of dollars of Ruckus kit each year and were now looking at UniFI in instances where Ruckus is too expensive.
You mentioned the Wireless controller many, many months ago, but no updates since.

If you could do an enterprise AP , Ie - Anything with 802.af for power , Dual band nice, but not essential and we'd be installing TIKs everywhere rather than just as a Gateway. Our external external installs are all Mikrotik.
 
User avatar
bysard
Member Candidate
Member Candidate
Posts: 295
Joined: Thu Apr 22, 2010 2:53 pm

Re: Mikrotik vs Ubiquiti Unifi

Fri Dec 20, 2013 3:04 pm

Uni-fi is a good solution but it has a flaw in design (atleast from my point of view). The flaw is that you need a Windows machine in order to run Uni-fi controller software which has to be in the same subnet as the AP's (it searches and communicates with AP's via layer2). This sets up price much higher for the working solution. Other then that it's a seamless system that once you setup you will forget about it. It will have no problems, no need for extra attention. We use 4 dislocated uni-fi systems without a problem (Other then annoying winxp machine:( ). With Mikrotik you will have to invest much more time to get a stable working solution and to be honest it's stability went down, down, down from Ros 3.30. If you can afford to implement a Windows machine I would recommend Uni-fi anyday over Mikrotik. Even if I take under consideration that RoS v.7 will have wireless controller embedded, we must admit that it will probably be full of bugs for the next 6 months or more. Uni-fi works out-of-the-box without the need of making a supouts and sending them to support etc. I was 100% Mikrotik until 6 months ago, now we migrate wireless systems to Ubiquity and core to Cisco.
 
n21roadie
Forum Guru
Forum Guru
Posts: 1949
Joined: Fri Aug 07, 2009 10:36 pm
Location: Limerick,Ireland

Re: Mikrotik vs Ubiquiti Unifi

Fri Dec 20, 2013 3:22 pm

Uni-fi is a good solution but it has a flaw in design (atleast from my point of view). The flaw is that you need a Windows machine in order to run Uni-fi controller software which has to be in the same subnet as the AP's (it searches and communicates with AP's via layer2). This sets up price much higher for the working solution. Other then that it's a seamless system that once you setup you will forget about it. It will have no problems, no need for extra attention. We use 4 dislocated uni-fi systems without a problem (Other then annoying winxp machine:( ). With Mikrotik you will have to invest much more time to get a stable working solution and to be honest it's stability went down, down, down from Ros 3.30. If you can afford to implement a Windows machine I would recommend Uni-fi anyday over Mikrotik. Even if I take under consideration that RoS v.7 will have wireless controller embedded, we must admit that it will probably be full of bugs for the next 6 months or more. Uni-fi works out-of-the-box without the need of making a supouts and sending them to support etc. I was 100% Mikrotik until 6 months ago, now we migrate wireless systems to Ubiquity and core to Cisco.
I am still 100% Mikrotik and have very few issues ( of course I would like zero issues...)
Mikrotik is very powerful and offers many options of customization, this is its strength but also its weakness,
Made for Mikrotik suppliers need to offer complete working solutions for their products, rather than
“Yes – a Mikrotik board will fit into the antenna….”,
If I am to switch it will be for much higher throughput and for no other reason I can think of for now.
 
dog
Member Candidate
Member Candidate
Posts: 186
Joined: Wed Aug 12, 2009 3:37 pm
Location: Germany

Re: Mikrotik vs Ubiquiti Unifi

Sun Dec 22, 2013 4:34 am

Not currently. Mikrotik is working on a controller feature, but it isn't out yet.
Is there actually any official statement from MT on this? ("Yeah, we will consider thinking about doing it in the future" doesn't count)
 
JanezFord
Member Candidate
Member Candidate
Posts: 269
Joined: Wed May 23, 2012 10:58 am

Re: Mikrotik vs Ubiquiti Unifi

Sun Dec 22, 2013 9:42 pm

Not currently. Mikrotik is working on a controller feature, but it isn't out yet.
Is there actually any official statement from MT on this? ("Yeah, we will consider thinking about doing it in the future" doesn't count)
http://wiki.mikrotik.com/wiki/Manual:Wi ... Controller

JF
 
User avatar
TheWiFiGuy
Member
Member
Posts: 351
Joined: Thu Nov 24, 2011 7:26 pm
Location: UK

Re: Mikrotik vs Ubiquiti Unifi

Mon Dec 30, 2013 11:22 pm

Uni-fi is a good solution but it has a flaw in design (atleast from my point of view). The flaw is that you need a Windows machine in order to run Uni-fi controller software which has to be in the same subnet as the AP's (it searches and communicates with AP's via layer2). This sets up price much higher for the working solution. Other then that it's a seamless system that once you setup you will forget about it. It will have no problems, no need for extra attention. We use 4 dislocated uni-fi systems without a problem (Other then annoying winxp machine:( ). With Mikrotik you will have to invest much more time to get a stable working solution and to be honest it's stability went down, down, down from Ros 3.30. If you can afford to implement a Windows machine I would recommend Uni-fi anyday over Mikrotik. Even if I take under consideration that RoS v.7 will have wireless controller embedded, we must admit that it will probably be full of bugs for the next 6 months or more. Uni-fi works out-of-the-box without the need of making a supouts and sending them to support etc. I was 100% Mikrotik until 6 months ago, now we migrate wireless systems to Ubiquity and core to Cisco.
Sorry, this is incorrect on two counts:

1.THe controller runs on Linux, Windows and MAC.
2.The controller can be L3 connected, no need for L2 using either simple DNS or DHCP option setting.

The newest version of the controller is multi-tenanted as well, meaning you can use the one controller for your who (isolated) estate.

Took us around 15 minutes to install our controller in the Cloud, and set up DNS (unifi) as a static DNS entry on the Mikrotik acting as gateway. Works a treat.
 
User avatar
bysard
Member Candidate
Member Candidate
Posts: 295
Joined: Thu Apr 22, 2010 2:53 pm

Re: Mikrotik vs Ubiquiti Unifi

Tue Dec 31, 2013 11:13 am

Uni-fi is a good solution but it has a flaw in design (atleast from my point of view). The flaw is that you need a Windows machine in order to run Uni-fi controller software which has to be in the same subnet as the AP's (it searches and communicates with AP's via layer2). This sets up price much higher for the working solution. Other then that it's a seamless system that once you setup you will forget about it. It will have no problems, no need for extra attention. We use 4 dislocated uni-fi systems without a problem (Other then annoying winxp machine:( ). With Mikrotik you will have to invest much more time to get a stable working solution and to be honest it's stability went down, down, down from Ros 3.30. If you can afford to implement a Windows machine I would recommend Uni-fi anyday over Mikrotik. Even if I take under consideration that RoS v.7 will have wireless controller embedded, we must admit that it will probably be full of bugs for the next 6 months or more. Uni-fi works out-of-the-box without the need of making a supouts and sending them to support etc. I was 100% Mikrotik until 6 months ago, now we migrate wireless systems to Ubiquity and core to Cisco.
Sorry, this is incorrect on two counts:

1.THe controller runs on Linux, Windows and MAC.
2.The controller can be L3 connected, no need for L2 using either simple DNS or DHCP option setting.

The newest version of the controller is multi-tenanted as well, meaning you can use the one controller for your who (isolated) estate.
Took us around 15 minutes to install our controller in the Cloud, and set up DNS (unifi) as a static DNS entry on the Mikrotik acting as gateway. Works a treat.

Tnx for the update. It is correct for version 2.x of Uni-fi controller, but for newer versions it might have changed as you stated.
 
vectorvekar
just joined
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Sep 13, 2016 3:45 pm

Re: Mikrotik vs Ubiquiti Unifi

Tue Sep 13, 2016 3:59 pm

Avoid Ubiquiti Unifi at all costs. It is so slow it should not be on the market. I have lost weeks, and so many installs. They must have used paid reviewers because even a search on "unif slow guest" pops up with page one hits. Trying to push down the legitimate reviews. Scroll a few pages and you will see this for yourself.

It looks great, but is so so so slow. It's so slow it makes the internet in the 90s seems fast. It's so slow that snail mail would be a viable alternative. It is so slow that you will lose one's reputation. Avoid Unifi at all cost. Unifi must be a scam it's so slow.

I was given the choice of this enterprise toy called Unifi and MikroTik, and I choose wrong. If I can help one person avoid this hell, the time writing this post will be worth it.
 
kkevin77
just joined
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Dec 15, 2016 12:07 pm

Re: Mikrotik vs Ubiquiti Unifi

Thu Dec 15, 2016 12:12 pm

Actually, where other fails, Unifi reach the target.
I just change 120 APs from old "nerd fashion" mk to ubiquiti.
Just another planet, speed, reliability and ease of management.
No way, MK can be useful for very particular cases for peculiarities of the OS, but for large, high density environment, and for perfect roaming features go with unifi.
 
SilverNodashi
Frequent Visitor
Frequent Visitor
Posts: 77
Joined: Mon Sep 04, 2017 4:18 pm
Location: South Africa
Contact:

Re: Mikrotik vs Ubiquiti Unifi

Fri Nov 10, 2017 10:14 am

I would love to see an enterprise wireless option from MikroTik as well.

The ubiquity devices are nice, but it's not MT ;)
My biggest problem with MT, is that in a large office it simply doesn't have enough range to cover a big area, whereas the Ubiquity Unify AP Long Range can cover a 200m radius.

Even though MT is a router, it should cover wireless devices as well. Too many users have mobile phones, tables, laptops and mobile TV's to run cables to them.

Another nice feature on the Ubiquity, which I wich was on MT, is the bandwidth management. You can quickly see who uses how much bandwidth and easily limit them very quickly.
 
deanMKD1
Member
Member
Posts: 366
Joined: Fri Dec 12, 2014 12:06 am
Location: Macedonia
Contact:

Re: Mikrotik vs Ubiquiti Unifi

Sat Nov 11, 2017 11:46 pm

i use combination from Ubiquiti UAP AC PRO + RB750Gr3 Hex and im happy. All works perfect !
 
p3rad0x
Long time Member
Long time Member
Posts: 637
Joined: Fri Sep 18, 2015 5:42 pm
Location: South Africa
Contact:

Re: Mikrotik vs Ubiquiti Unifi

Mon Nov 13, 2017 1:36 pm

Hi, I'll need multiple AP per level and my only backbone is at level 1, to reach the other level I'll need to push the communication in Wifi no network cable are present
I would suggest trying to make a plan to connect those AP's with Ethernet of fiber to the core.

It would save you a few headaches in the future.
 
p3rad0x
Long time Member
Long time Member
Posts: 637
Joined: Fri Sep 18, 2015 5:42 pm
Location: South Africa
Contact:

Re: Mikrotik vs Ubiquiti Unifi

Mon Nov 13, 2017 1:40 pm

Another nice feature on the Ubiquity, which I which was on MT, is the bandwidth management. You can quickly see who uses how much bandwidth and easily limit them very quickly.
The torch feature om MT also work very well.

What I usually do is I create a script that would automatically create a simple queue for devices in the DHCP leases list and use the scheduler to run every few min to add/remove new and old devices from the queues
 
esaym
just joined
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2017 5:44 am

Re: Mikrotik vs Ubiquiti Unifi

Tue Nov 14, 2017 4:27 am

You say "network cable" is not present, but I would assume their are phone lines ran through out the building? You could very well buy a used VDSL DSLAM off of ebay or something and push 200mbs+ links to a remote AP plugged into a DSL modem. Or even have one DSL modem per floor handling an aggregate of WiFi links. Perhaps something like serve out 2.4ghz wifi and use the 5ghz radio to backhaul back to a single AP that is plugged into the dsl modem. Might work 8)
 
SilverNodashi
Frequent Visitor
Frequent Visitor
Posts: 77
Joined: Mon Sep 04, 2017 4:18 pm
Location: South Africa
Contact:

Re: Mikrotik vs Ubiquiti Unifi

Tue Nov 14, 2017 7:34 am

You say "network cable" is not present, but I would assume their are phone lines ran through out the building? You could very well buy a used VDSL DSLAM off of ebay or something and push 200mbs+ links to a remote AP plugged into a DSL modem. Or even have one DSL modem per floor handling an aggregate of WiFi links. Perhaps something like serve out 2.4ghz wifi and use the 5ghz radio to backhaul back to a single AP that is plugged into the dsl modem. Might work 8)
It isn't always possible, or feasible to run extra network cables, and purchase (read: spend more money) and maintain extra network equipment.
 
SilverNodashi
Frequent Visitor
Frequent Visitor
Posts: 77
Joined: Mon Sep 04, 2017 4:18 pm
Location: South Africa
Contact:

Re: Mikrotik vs Ubiquiti Unifi

Tue Nov 14, 2017 7:39 am

Another nice feature on the Ubiquity, which I which was on MT, is the bandwidth management. You can quickly see who uses how much bandwidth and easily limit them very quickly.
The torch feature om MT also work very well.

What I usually do is I create a script that would automatically create a simple queue for devices in the DHCP leases list and use the scheduler to run every few min to add/remove new and old devices from the queues
Yes, Torch is nice. The stuff that Ubiquity and other brands have is much much nicer. And it leaves a bigger impression with management when you shown them accumulated data. And they can change bandwidth limits themselves.

On a side-note. I was reading up on ZFS last night and someone mentioned that ZFS was great when it was released. But it stayed in the past. Even though it is still good, other technologies have surpassed it over the years.

And I often feel like that when I have to work on a Cisco router. MikroTik is great, and powerful but let's not let it stay in the past.
 
SilverTry
just joined
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Dec 07, 2017 1:03 am

Re: Mikrotik vs Ubiquiti Unifi

Thu Dec 07, 2017 1:07 am

i use combination from Ubiquiti UAP AC PRO + RB750Gr3 Hex and im happy. All works perfect !
Planning to buy the RB960PGS (I think this is the next version of RB750) to power a Ubiquiti AC Pro. Could you tell me if there were any issues with powering your UBNT AC Pro with the included 24V adapter or did you buy a 48V adapter for the router separately ?

Thanks.
 
deanMKD1
Member
Member
Posts: 366
Joined: Fri Dec 12, 2014 12:06 am
Location: Macedonia
Contact:

Re: Mikrotik vs Ubiquiti Unifi

Sun Dec 10, 2017 5:27 pm

i use combination from Ubiquiti UAP AC PRO + RB750Gr3 Hex and im happy. All works perfect !
Planning to buy the RB960PGS (I think this is the next version of RB750) to power a Ubiquiti AC Pro. Could you tell me if there were any issues with powering your UBNT AC Pro with the included 24V adapter or did you buy a 48V adapter for the router separately ?

Thanks.
I powering my UAP AC PRO with included adapter and dont have any issues with it.
 
haik01
Member
Member
Posts: 404
Joined: Sat Mar 23, 2013 10:25 am
Location: Netherlands

Re: Mikrotik vs Ubiquiti Unifi

Sun Dec 10, 2017 8:49 pm

I would love to see an enterprise wireless option from MikroTik as well.

The ubiquity devices are nice, but it's not MT ;)
My biggest problem with MT, is that in a large office it simply doesn't have enough range to cover a big area, whereas the Ubiquity Unify AP Long Range can cover a 200m radius.

Even though MT is a router, it should cover wireless devices as well. Too many users have mobile phones, tables, laptops and mobile TV's to run cables to them.

Another nice feature on the Ubiquity, which I wich was on MT, is the bandwidth management. You can quickly see who uses how much bandwidth and easily limit them very quickly.

Well Silver, it depens where you use it for. You can still use a Lada (is a Russian copy of a Fiat, lookup on Google) to plough your field, and it might "work", but it is better to use a tractor.
Another example: People buy a CRS xxxx router as a "main " router in a dense network. WRONG! People complain about "slow network" etc.... (the person who designed the network should have used a CCR xxxx model).

What I want to say: Use the equipment where it is intended for. Use the Unifi stuff for WiFi, and if you want you can use the cloud key controller (or the software version), to have the "nice management reports". And use the Mikrotik for routing purposes. That is where Mikrotik is very well capable of doing (and it can do things, where expensive routers eg. Cisco, Juniper etc... cannot do even).

I have several sites, all of them have Mikrotiks for routing purposes, and a mix of Cisco Meraki, HPE WiFi AP, Unifi, Lancom etc.... Heck, I even have a church (read: not much money to spend) and I installed a RB2011 and RB951-2n, RB952Ui-5ac, RB751U-2HnD and a Cisco Meraki (I got it for free). And the RB751 serves every Sunday around 30 clients. And no one complains with a 60 Mbps cable connection. And the utilization of the internet is around 20-30 Mbps. Every Sunday I do a speed test, and it always max out on 55-60 Mbps. Even with the 31 clients on it.

So it IS possible to use Mikrotik WiFi in certain areas, but do NOT install Mikrotik WiFi in an airport or something similar. For that you need Ruckus, Aruba, Cisco etc.... But even still, in the airport you CAN use a big ROUTER to route everything correctly, and that router can be a MIkrotik.

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Amazon [Bot] and 28 guests