New deployment - thinking all Ubiquiti?

[Dragnix122507]

Hello all,

I've got a client right now who we're probably going to be doing a wiring job with around 80 drops, and a couple fiber runs. They're looking for the following:

• NVR
• 32 x cameras
• 3 x 24 port manageable PoE GBe switches
• 6 x WAPs
• New server
• Phone system

The idea of using all Ubiquiti hardware for the NVR, cameras, PoE GBe switches and WAPs came up. Unfortunately we don't really have experience with anything outside of the WAPs they manufacture, which we probably have 150 in a cloud controller. Just wondering of anyone's experience deploying an all Ubiquiti network... we have historically used HP switches, UAPs and SonicWalls for most network deployments, and don't venture into camera systems and phones very often. We'll probably sub out the work for the phone system, but we're planning on doing basically everything else.

Has anyone set up a network this way? And is there a good reason to go with EdgeSwitches over Unifi Switches?

Thanks everyone

 

[trevm999]

Both UAPs and Unifi Video are awesome products, why not use them both? You're going to need a Ubiquiti switch for the 24v PoE anyway, so why not get all Ubiquiti switches? I'm pretty sure you'd be hard pressed to find any better price than a Unifi switch. I'm not an expert, but my guess is that the difference in the switches are largely what market they are intended for. I think a unifi switch will show up on your controller. But if you are really into switch configuration via CLI then the EdgeSwitch might be the way to go.

 

[BlackLabTechs]

Used many cameras and switches (both unifi and edge switches). I wouldn't use the Unifi Secure Gateway though. Not much for features. I'd go with a real "UTM" if it were me.

As for the switches, to elaborate on trevm999 comments, the UniFi switches show up in the unifi controller. you can do basics on them like turn on poe, reset ports, name ports, vlan, etc. DPI is only enabled if using a Secure Gateway which I don't do so that's out for me. The edgeswitches have DPI built in, much more "tunable" and many more features. Think of them as a core switch. But you have to manage each Edge Switch separately, not through a central controller.

Let me know if there are any must have features you need to edit if you went with UniFi switch and I can check it out on one here and post a screenshot.

 

[Dragnix122507]

Mostly our interest is the ability to do VLANs for guest access and that sort of thing. We'll probably be rolling a SonicWALL for the firewall though, since that's what we work with most often. I think as long as the Unifi switches are able to do VLANs and the other basic functionalities of the WAPs we should be alright though.

Thanks