Ubiquiti AP's Vs TP-Link Deco Mesh

checkingthisout on 16/03/2023 - 12:59
Last edited 16/03/2023 - 13:14 by 1 other user

Hello Bargainers & big brains.

I did a lot of googling and am stuck.

Broad question, but here it is anyway, I am looking at getting either 1 U6 PRO, 2 x U6 Lite or a Deco Mesh system, x60 x75 whatever etc.

I think all will cover range, that's not an issue, but we have a 1000Mbps service when we want it, and I would like to have fast speeds at either location, will use ethernet backhaul or ethernet over power for backhaul.

I have a Ubiquiti controller already, thus the Ubiquiti gear is there.

Don't game, just have TV's watching Netflix, that's about the most power hungry anything will be.

What would you buy?

1 x U6 Pro
2 x U6 Lite
or
DECO Mesh

Budget is $350-400

Range:

Don't need LR, a single power unit should do it, or 2 max.

Poll Options expired

  • 8
    2 x Ubiquiti U6 Lite
  • 4
    1 x Ubiquiti U6 PRO
  • 6
    A DECO Mesh System
  • 2
    Something else
Computing Mesh Network TP-Link Ubiquiti Wireless Access Point Wireless Router

Comments

  • rumblytangara on 16/03/2023 - 13:10
    +5

    I've owned a previous gen of Ubiquiti gear. Would not touch it again- had lots of issues with hardware reliability, the software controller losing track of devices (requiring device factory resets). Also turns out that the company is pretty bad- dodgy management practices, really crap EoL policies. It probably works okay for most people, but I won't be going back.

    If you have the controller already, then the barrier to entry is low, and you already know how it works, so adding new hardware to the environment will be pretty easy.

    Don't be tempted to buy this stuff from overseas- if it's from the US it will disable itself in Oz. Seems more common with business-oriented gear than pure consumer gear.

    I have several friends with the Deco stuff. Friends who are reasonably savvy with tech. They are entirely happy with the gear. If I had to buy a home mesh system, it would be Deco.

    • checkingthisout on 16/03/2023 - 13:10

      Thanks for your comment!

    • turbochris on 17/03/2023 - 09:42

      Same here, I'm over Ubiquiti stuff. Moved to Opnsense instead, but if you are not a Linux nerd, then I think the Asus gear is pretty good for home use.

    • mhz on 17/03/2023 - 10:03
      +1

      Sounds like you got a dodgy setup.
      I've run Ubiquiti gear for the last ten years or so and never had a problem.
      Recently upgraded to the dream machine router and its great!

      • rumblytangara on 17/03/2023 - 10:09

        Well, isn't this the case for most consumer experiences? Usually stuff works. Just some brands have a higher failure rate, or a rep for worse customer support, etc.

        I went through five APs and three software controllers (vanilla VM then vanilla Linux running on dedicated HW). Had total hardware failure on two APs, intermittent dropouts on a third, devices would drop out of the software controller and need factory resets to the point that one of the reset buttons fell off the PCB.

        Totally vanilla setup in terms of topology. Both logical and physical.

        The range and performance of the Lites was also pretty substandard. Worse than the Asus gear I had before, worse than the enterprise gear that went in after. Mind you, this was a couple gens ago so maybe the new stuff is better. But I seriously doubt it.

        I'm sure the vast majority of people with home setups go years without people problems. One of my friends loves his setup. But there's a reason you don't see this brand in any enterprise or hospitality deployment. Probably multiple reasons.

        I like the Ubiquiti Edgerouters a lot more- reliable, simple, inexpensive.But last I heard that's been hung out to dry with no development effort. And it's not pretty integrated eye candy like the Unifi line.

        • dmbminaret on 17/03/2023 - 12:01
          +2

          I have 6 UAP-LR running in a factory with seperate sheds all connected by cat 5e with a pfsense firewall. It's a large geographical area and the last 2 are connected via air max gigabeam. UDM at home.

          I have not had issues you speak of. I know a guy who is a principal engineer at Cisco in San Fran and he even commented he uses ubiquity at home over the Cisco shit he gets free.

  • Clear on 16/03/2023 - 13:16
    +1

    TP Link Deco is very home consumer friendly compared to Ubiquiti. Setup is a breeze through the Deco app and it's almost plug and play. You can mix and match different Deco models quite easily.

    Ubiquiti requires a lot more setup and knowledge. Unifi wireless mesh in my experience is iffy too so I tend to have a wired backhaul when possible. It's more tailored for business than the average home user anyway.

    • rumblytangara on 16/03/2023 - 13:22

      OP has a Unifi Controller installed already.

      I'd agree that the wifi performance (for the older gen gear at least) was substandard.

      • Clear on 16/03/2023 - 13:23

        Deco is still an easier to setup platform. Does OP have the software or hardware controller?

        • checkingthisout on 16/03/2023 - 13:24

          I have a Ubiquiti Gen 2 Plus controller for some cameras, don't need the wifi to stay with Ubiquiti, if there is something better suited for the 1Gbps life.

          • Clear on 16/03/2023 - 13:28

            @checkingthisout: Since you already have the hardware you may as well utilise it. So penetration and coverage isn't an issue? If it was I'd be going for the U6-LR over the U6-Lite and Pro. Otherwise I'd be going for the Pro.

            • checkingthisout on 16/03/2023 - 13:29

              @Clear: Yeah, I think any of the newer wifi signals would work, we have a single Ubiquiti Amplifi that works OK already, which means the range on anything newer would be fine. I mean, that thing is OLD! 2019 or something.

              So anything else would be an upgrade, it's more keeping the speed zooming.

          • Twix on 16/03/2023 - 13:28

            @checkingthisout: If you like to tinker and setup VPNs go with Ubiquiti. If you don't the TP-Link Deco's are good enough. Do you already have an Ubiquiti router?

            • checkingthisout on 16/03/2023 - 13:30

              @Twix: I don't have a ubiquiti router, I have an unmanaged 1Gbps TP-Link POE switch into the FTTP which works well enough.

              • Twix on 16/03/2023 - 13:32

                @checkingthisout: Apart from the U6 APs you'll need a UDM Pro or UDM Pro SE for Gigabit. That puts you well over the $400 limit.

                • checkingthisout on 16/03/2023 - 13:36

                  @Twix: Does the U6 AP's need to go through a Ubiquiti switch just to get registered? I thought they could be picked up on any LAN by the controller. The TP-Link switch will have no issue doing 1000Mbps, it's doing right now.

                  • Twix on 16/03/2023 - 13:39
                    +1

                    @checkingthisout: You can use the controller for the APs. The switch should be after the router. nbn fibre NTD —- UDM Pro —- PoE Switch —- U6 AP.

                    • checkingthisout on 16/03/2023 - 13:42
                      +1

                      @Twix: Ok thanks for the info!

                      • Twix on 16/03/2023 - 13:44
                        +1

                        @checkingthisout: The UDM Pro or UDM Pro SE can replace the Cloud Key Gen 2 controller. It has a hard drive bay to store Unifi Protect camera footage.

  • w3dge on 16/03/2023 - 13:49

    Have no love for Ubiquiti AP's and no idea on their current stack (i got burnt on the original square AC AP's and never tried again), but i have recent experience with Deco X60's in a 3 node setup in a dual story house. Long story short, for anything remotely latency sensitive, wifi performance was considerably worse than the ancient Netgear R7000 it replaced. You would get glitches/pauses for example watching a webcam in real time and you get so little control over the wifi settings there is nothing you can do about it. wasted a bit of time with support and returned.

    I am now wary of any mesh wireless where their is no dedicated backhaul either wirelessy or via ethernet cable. Unfortunately, i cannot advise on what you should buy.

    • checkingthisout on 16/03/2023 - 13:57

      Well damn, sounds like both brands burnt you, there are many to choose from, Asus, Eero, Google, D-Link, Netgear. Honestly there is too much choice.

      • w3dge on 16/03/2023 - 14:06
        +1

        i think if you love playing with tech, the Ubiquiti stuff is popular for a reason, but i just happened to try when they released a terribly broken AP into the market. I just re-read your post and you said you would use ethernet backhaul for the Deco, which may alleviate the problems i saw with what i assume was it having to share radios between different wifi users and the backhaul. i will say, the wifi coverage from 3 nodes was excellent.

        After the Deco, i went back to the R7000 for a while and then i replaced with a TP-Link Omada AP (their ubiquiti competitor, was once quite cheap on Amazon via US). Its stable, and has a simple web-ui, but i also wouldn't do it again, mostly because it runs very hot, its the ugliest AP i've ever seen and i've learnt business APs are just different. For me, too much hassle in general with settings, updates, etc are all more difficult and requiring googling, gets old.

        You are right there is too much choice, and its easy to get on some forums or reddit and find yourself buying stuff because it sounds so awesome, i'm clearly guilty of that so far…

        • rumblytangara on 16/03/2023 - 14:12
          +2

          i think if you love playing with tech, the Ubiquiti stuff is popular for a reason,

          I think those reasons are 1) it's very cheap and 2) it looks pretty.

          but i just happened to try when they released a terribly broken AP into the market.

          I was at least one gen after, and it was still terribly broken.

  • JimmyF on 16/03/2023 - 13:59
    +4

    I have a Ubiquiti controller already, thus the Ubiquiti gear is there.

    Then this would seem to be the best path. Most of the people with Ubiquiti issues normally set it up wrong!

    we have a 1000Mbps service when we want it,
    Don't game, just have TV's watching Netflix, that's about the most power hungry anything will be.

    Then honestly don't even see the need to worry about enabling the 1000Mbps service if the best you do is watch netflix.

    • checkingthisout on 16/03/2023 - 14:34

      Yeah we will drop down to 250Mbps I think, it's just that we can have it when we want it, which was how the NBN should have been.

  • DannyC on 16/03/2023 - 14:17

    Have a look at the TP Link Deco x68 mesh. You can get a 2 pack for like $284.66 with Afterpay sale on ebay

    Deco x68 2 pack

    It is easy to setup and very user friendly. Only cons are that it lacks much control over the system and lacks a few security features that a lot of other router and mesh systems have from the likes of Asus or Netgear etc that is behind a subscription pay wall which really sucks….

    • checkingthisout on 16/03/2023 - 14:34

      Yeah, the x68 was one I was looking at, problem with DECO is they have X## and X## and you just get confused as to where & what each product fits!

      • DannyC on 16/03/2023 - 15:06
        +2

        I set this up in my folks house. It is about 26sq with double brick wall where the router is. For a while they had crappy hardware while using a powerline. Used 2 of the x68 in a mesh and it very works well. Gets consistent and steady speeds with no drop outs from one end to the other with no dead zones, their house is rather long. Though their internet plan itself is NBN 50/20 though, their x75 etc are their more premium routers but unless you have a NBN plan to match then those more premium routers will be a waste.

  • Save Medicare on 17/03/2023 - 15:52

    Thinking about picking up some Deco for my parents or otherwise ASUS AX routers for AiMesh when they're on sale.
    2 storey brick house
    What's the general vibe on deco vs AiMesh?

    • DannyC on 18/03/2023 - 11:32

      AiMesh is better, mainly the general security features come with the routers and you don't need to pay a subsciption for those. Also a bit more customisation and advanced features with certain Asus routers. TP Link have dumbed down some of their routers to appeal to the regular person, that comes at a cost to certain features.

      Though I did get my parents a Tp link Deco x68 routers 2 pack in their 26sq house in a mesh and it works very well for their needs, very simple to use. No more dead spots and constant connection. Though Tp links more advanced mesh routers have the additional features but for a higher price.

      • Save Medicare on 19/03/2023 - 17:09

        26sqm is pretty small, why did they need mesh?

        • DannyC on 19/03/2023 - 17:23

          26sqm is pretty small, why did they need mesh?

          26squares = 241 sqm

          their modem is in the rumpus with double brick walls which is at the back of the house, they needed a signal to the front of the house and their house is pretty long.

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