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Ubiquiti UniFi Cloud Gateway Fiber (UCG-Fiber) Review (vs. UCG-Max): The Best Non-Wi-Fi Router

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In my review of the UCG-Max last year, I used “painful” to describe the lack of 10Gbps support in the otherwise all-around excellent gateway. I wished I could replace my humongous UDM-SE with it.

That pain is the empty slot that this UniFi Cloud Gateway Fiber (UCG-Fiber), part of Ubiquiti’s newly released compact UniFi trio, fills. Among other things, its three 10Gbps ports provide much-needed relief.

Here’s the bottom line: If you’re in the market for a compact non-Wi-Fi router that gives you everything, get the UCG-Fiber today. It’s a steal at $279 (no storage). When you’re at it, keep U7 Pro Max in mind if you want to build a top-tier Wi-Fi 7 network.

Ubiquiti UCG-Fiber UniFi Cloud Gateway Fiber out of the box
The Ubiquiti Cloud Gateway Fiber (UCG-Fiber) includes a power adapter, two sets of tiny plastic rubber feet for its base—note the cut-out piece of paper for you to stick the feet at the right spots on the gateway’s underside—and an Eitherlighting network patch cable.

UniFi Cloud Gateway Fiber: Finally, a top-notch wired router!

In a sentence, the UniFi Cloud Gateway Fiber is the improved version of the UniFi Cloud Gateway Max. Finally, we now have a compact UniFi gateway that’s comparable to, even better, than some full-size gateways, such as the UDM-SE!

OK, that was more like a paragraph, but this new gateway sure is exciting! To quantify the excitement, though, keep in mind that, as part of Ubiquiti’s UniFi ecosystem, the UCG-Fiber is also familiar.

So, let’s focus on what this new gateway has compared with the previous models. The table below shows the differences between the UCG-Fiber and the UCG-Max, with full-size UDM-SE as a reference.

UCG-Fiber vs. UCG-Max
Ubiquiti UCG-Fiber vs. UCG-Max: From the front, the former (bottom) looks like a larger version of the latter.

Hardware specifications: UCG-Fiber vs. UCG-Max vs. UDM-SE

Cloud Gateway Fiber UCG-FiberCloud Gateway Max ThumbUniFi Dream Machine Special Edition (UDM SE)
Full NameUbiquiti 
Cloud Gateway Fiber
Ubiquiti 
Cloud Gateway Max
Ubiquiti 
UniFi Dream Machine Special Edition
ModelUCG-FiberUCG-MaxUDM-SE
Built-in Wi-Fi BandwidthNone
Processing PowerQuad-core ARM Cortex A73 at 2.2 GHz,
3GB RAM
Quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 at 1.5 GHz, 3GB RAMQuad-core ARM Cortex-A57 at 1.7 GHz, 4GB RAM
IDS/IPS Throughput
(routing bandwidth with security turned on)
5Gbps1.5 Gbps3.5Gbps
Storage1x NVMe storage slotIntegrated 128GB SSD,
1x 3.5-inch SATA storage bay
Dimensions8.3 x 5 x 0.5 in
(212.8 x 127.6 x 30 mm)
5.6 x 5 x 1.2 in
(141.8 x 127.6 x 30 mm)
17.4 x 1.7 x 11.2 in
(442.4 x 43.7 x 285.6 mm)
Weight
(without HDD or SSD)
1.5 lb (675 g)1.1 lb (519 g)10.9 lb (4.95 kg)
Gigabit PortNone8x LAN
PoE Port1x 802.3at (PoE+)None6x 802.3af (PoE)
2x 802.3at (PoE+)
PoE Power Budget30Wn/a180W
Max PoE Power Per Port30Wn/aPoE: 15.4W
PoE+: 30W
Multi-Gig Port1x 10GBASE-T WAN/LAN
1x SFP+ WAN/LAN
1x SFP+ LAN,
4x 2.5GBASE-T LAN
1x 2.5GBASE-T WAN
4x 2.5GBASE-T LAN (or WAN)
1x 2.5GBASE-WAN or LAN
1x SFP+ WAN or LAN
1x SFP+ LAN
Power MethodDC Jack 54V, 1.1A
(power adapter included)
USB-C
(power adapter included)
Universal AC input,
USP-RPS DC input
Supported Voltage100 -240V AC
Power Consumption
(per 24 hours without PoE devices)
≈ 300 Wh≈ 390 Wh≈ 430 Wh
Internal FanYesNoYes
Notable DesignCompact design with 0.96″ LCM status displayStandard rackmount,
1.3″ touchscreen
UniFi Application Suite
(concurrent supported apps)
Network (default),
Protect,
Talk,
Access,
Connect
Max UniFi Device Support
(Concurrent access points, cameras, phones, etc.)
50+30+100+
Max Camera Support
(Protect app)
HD (15)
2K (8)
4K (5)
HD (20)
2K (12)
4K (7)
Max Concurrent User Support
(end-devices)
500+300+1000+
Software Version
(at review)
UniFi OS: 4.1.16
Network: 9.0.114
UniFi OS: 4.0.6
Network: 8.4.59
UniFi OS: 3.1.9
Network: 7.4.156
Release DateFebruary 26, 2025July 16, 2024January 22, 2022
US Cost
(at launch)
$279 (no storage)
$399 (1TB)
$529 (2TB)
(buy now!)
$199 (no storage)
$279 (512GB)
$349 (1TB)
$479 (2TB)
(buy now!)
$499
Ubiquiti UCG-Fiber vs. UCG-Max vs. UDM-SE: Hardware specifications
UCG-Fiber vs. UCG-Max ports
UCG-Fiber vs. UCG-Max: The UCG-Fiber is clearly better with three 10Gbps and four 2.5GBASE-T ports, one of which features PoE+ (port #4).

UCG-Fiber: Fast and flexible network ports

The “fiber” notion in the new gateway’s name refers to the two SFP+ ports (one WAN and one LAN). These 10Gbps ports are known for fiber-optic connections, and some broadband plans’ terminal devices (the ONT) come with an SFP+ port. If your Internet receiver doesn’t, there’s a third 10Gbps BASE-T WAN port.

Not sure the difference between these two? The cabinet below will help.

10Gbps Ethernet: BASE-T vs. SFP+

BASE-T (or BaseT) is the standard port type for data communication and refers to the wiring method used inside a network cable and the connectors at its ends, which is 8-position 8-contact (8P8C).

This type is known by a misnomer called Registered Jack 45 or RJ45. So, we’ll keep calling it RJ45.

On the other hand, the SFP or SFP+ (plus) port type is used for telecommunication and data communication, primarily in enterprise applications. SFP stands for small form-factor pluggable and is the technical name for what is often referred to as Fiber Channel or Fiber.

Best among Multi-Gigabit Routers: The Asus RT-AX89X 10GbpsTP-Link Archer AXE300 Ports Multi-Gig
BASE-T Multi-Gig vs. SFP+: The two are generally available as separate ports, such as in the Asus RT-AX89X‘s case (left), but can also be part of a combo port in some hardware, such as the TP-Link Archer AXE300.

For data communication, an SFP+ port has speed grades of either 1Gbps or 10Gbps. The older version, SFP, can only do 1Gbps, though it shares the same port type as SFP+. This type of port standard is more strict in compatibility with better reliability and performance.

While physically different, BASE-T and SFP/+ are parts of the Ethernet family, sharing the same networking principles and Ethernet naming convention—Gigabit Ethernet (1Gbps), Multi-Gig Ethernet (2.5GBASE-T, 5GABSE-T), or 10 Gigabit Ethernet (a.k.a 10GE, 10GbE, or 10 GigE).

Generally, you can get an adapter, called a “transceiver”, to connect a BASE-T device to an SFP or SFP+ port. Still, in this case, compatibility can be an issue—a particular adapter might only work (well) with the SFP/+ port of certain hardware vendors.

The BASE-T wiring is more popular thanks to its simple design and speed support flexibility. Some routers and switches have an RJ45/SFP+ combo, which includes two physical ports of each type, but you can use one at a time.

In any case, like all UniFi gateways, you can configure the UCG-Fiber’s ports to the max, including switching their WAN/LAN roles. While the two default WAN ports are there for a dual-WAN setup, you can turn either into a LAN port—most of us only have one Internet connection.

Other than the three 10Gbps ports, the UCG-Fiber has five 2.5GBASE-T ports, of which one features a PoE+. This is an improvement over the UCG-Max, which has no built-in PoE. As a result, the UCG-Fiber can power an IP camera, a phone, or a Wi-Fi 7 access point. In this case, the U7 Pro Max, which uses the same PoE+ standard, is a good fit. The two form a complete high-end Wi-Fi 7 network.

The way PoE technology works is that you can use the new gateway to power any (UniFi) access point, or any device for that matter, that uses the PoE+ or PoE standard. However, if you want to use the UniFi E7, you’ll still need a PoE++ injector or a switch, such as the Zyxel XS1930-12HP.

Ubiquiti UCG-Fiber UniFi Cloud Gateway Fiber FrontUbiquiti UCG-Fiber UniFi Cloud Gateway Fiber Ports
The front and back of the UniFi Cloud Gateway Fiber. It’s much more compact than any full-size UniFi console. Note that the SFP+ ports don’t come with covers.

UniFi Cloud Gateway Fiber: Much more than simply an advanced router

Like the case of all UniFi gateways, the UCG-Fiber is more than a router since it can run the full suite of UniFi Applications, of which the Network app, which enables it to function as a router, is one.

Tip

Generally, all UniFi cloud gateways (a.k.a. hardware consoles) share the same basic features and settings, but their capacities vary depending on the hardware specs.

Main applications in the UniFi Application Suite include:

  1. Network (default): This application enables the hardware to function as an advanced router by managing all things network-related, including network settings/features, security, firewall, Wi-Fi, and the support for extenders/access points to form a mesh system.
  2. Protect: The support for IP cameras as an advanced surveillance system, including a built-in NVR.
  3. Talk: A locally hosted Voice-over-IP system.
  4. Access: A “platform designed for Access Control Systems”—per Ubiquiti. Examples are door-related security IoT devices, such as doorbells, keyfobs, locks, etc.
  5. Connect: Application that manages digital signage and EV Stations 

Each of these applications is a world in itself, with various in-depth customization and different types of UniFi devices.

As noted, some applications, such as Protect and Talk, require local storage for the recordings. On this front, the UCG-Fiber continues the same high-end local storage approach started by the UCG-Max: You can add an NVMe SSD to it via a slot on the left side using a proprietary tray (not included with the non-storage version).

If you pay extra to get the 1TB or 2TB version of the gateway, the SSD and all necessary accessories come in a separate box. In my experience, it’s best to get the non-storage version and the tray itself. After that, get an SSID of your own. In my case, I swapped the 1TB stock drive with a 4TB drive, and it worked fine.

On this front, Ubiquiti says users should use NVMe drives purchased from store.ui.com for the “best experience,” and it only “confidently claims compatibility” with the ones it sells.

Ubiquiti UCG-Fiber UniFi Cloud Gateway Fiber NVMe SlotUbiquiti UCG-Fiber UniFi Cloud Gateway Fiber NVMe SSD
The UCG-Fiber shares the same tray (not included) for the NVMe slot as the UCG-Max. If you get the gateway with storage included, there’s a separate box that contains the tray, the SSD, and a tiny opening tool. The tray can handle a “naked” NVMe SSD of all standard lengths. To avoid the excessive heat, though, it’s best to use PCIe Gen 3 or Gen 4 drives.

In case it’s not obvious, the UCG-Fiber doesn’t need this added storage to function as an advanced router—it has an undisclosed onboard storage to store apps and settings.

However, if you want to use the Protect application, which you should consider, an NVMe SSD will come in handy. On this front, it’s important to note that this storage is not user-accessible—the UCG-Fiber doesn’t have a network-attached storage (NAS) feature.

Also, in case you wonder, Ubiquiti confirmed with me that the SSD is attached to the gateway using the PCIe Gen 4 NVMe standard, which is much faster than SATA (6Gbps), not that that would make a big difference in real-world usage considering the hardware’s network ports.

Ubiquiti UCG-Fiber UniFi Cloud Gateway Fiber AppsUbiquiti UCG-Fiber UniFi Cloud Gateway Fiber Storage
Like any other UniFi console, the UCG-Fiber can handle all the UniFi applications, and its NVMe slot can take SSDs of any capacity, such as this 4TB drive.

No built-in Wi-Fi means flexible Wi-Fi

As mentioned, the UCG-Fiber, like the previous UCG-Max, is a non-Wi-Fi gateway—it has no built-in access point. While this might be a downer to some, it means the device’s usefulness is not tied to any Wi-Fi standard or tiers, making it more flexible hardware compared to any Wi-Fi router. It won’t become obsolete when there’s a major change on the Wi-Fi front.

Still in love with the idea of a Wi-Fi router? Check out the UDR7.

It’s simple to add Wi-Fi to your network via access points. For the UCG-Fiber case, you’d clearly want to get a UniFi AP since you can then control them from the gateway’s user interface. This practically turns the combo into a “Wi-Fi router” but with more flexible placement. You can place the access point where you need Wi-Fi instead of where the router is.

UCG-Fiber and U7 Pro Max
The UCG-Fiber is being tested with the U7 Pro Max, which draws power from its PoE+ port. Note how you can move the latter away from the former by using a long network cable, allowing for flexible Wi-Fi coverage.

I tried it with the U7 Pro Max, and the two worked beautifully together. Plug it into the gateway’s PoE+ port, and your network is complete!

Considering the UCG-Fiber has only one PoE+ port, the moment you use a device of the same PoE standard, its power budget is used up, and the system will warn you about the matter—you can ignore the warning. It’s not like you can add another PoE device to the router.

While the UCG-Fiber does not have a built-in Wi-Fi broadcaster, it allows users to preconfigure Wi-Fi settings with in-depth customization and automatically use those for any connected UniFi access points when applicable.

A typical UniFi gateway in all counts

Other than the hardware specs, the UCG-Fiber is a typical UniFi console. That means it shares the same setup process and features as the rest of the family. Specifically:

You can set it up like any standard router using its local web server on a computer via the default IP address, which is 192.168.1.1. If you have used a UniFi gateway (or any standard router) before, things are self-explanatory.

Those who feel more comfortable with the phone can also use the UniFi mobile app for the setup process and ongoing management. (I prefer the web UI and a large computer screen.)

No matter which you use, you can manage the hardware completely independently from Ubiquiti. However, there’s an option to create a UI login account and tie the hardware to it to have a few more features and better ease of use.

Ubiquiti and your privacy

Generally, Ubiquiti insists on a vendor-connected login account during the initial hardware setup process. However, that’s not a requirement, and logging in with a vendor translates to privacy risks.

UI account and UniFi gateways
UniFi account
You can manage a UniFi console/cloud gateway (or access point) independently from Ubiquiti via its local web user interface, which is accessible at the hardware’s default IP address, often 192.168.1.1. The UniFi mobile app can also work in the local mode. However, in this case, built-in Remote Management and other handy features are unavailable.

Here’s the link to the US networking company’s privacy policy.

Online privacy and security are a matter of degree. Different companies handle their users’ data differently.

So, using the login account has quite a bit of upside, but if you’re willing to put in some work, the gateway also features remote management via Dynamic DNS.

Ubiquiti UCG-Fiber UniFi Cloud Gateway Fiber Port ManagementUbiquiti UCG-Fiber UniFi Cloud Gateway Fiber Wi-Fi Settings
The UniFi Cloud Gateway Fiber has lots of customization, including flexible port configuration and lots of pre-configured Wi-Fi settings for any UniFi Wi-Fi access point you’d add to the system.

After that, running the latest Network 9, it has everything you’d want from an advanced router. There are a lot more than a typical home or SMB network would need. Here are a few examples:

  • Flexible port management (VLAN, Dual-WAN, WAN/LAN roles, PoE, and more.)
  • Advanced VPN servers, including WireGuard, Site-to-Site VPN, Teleport, and more.
  • Advanced firewall and threat protection, including content/access-blocking per categories/countries and ad-blocking.
  • Excellent monitoring system for connected devices, including web filtering (parental control) based on different categories applicable to a group or particular device(s).
  • Pre-configuration for Wi-Fi, including the settings for Wi-Fi 7’s MLO feature, which automatically applies to any added UniFi access point.

And then, if you have UniFi phones or cameras in your network, pop in SSDs, and you have yourself a locally hosted security and voice-over-IP system you can manage even while on the go.

So, what the UCG-Fiber can do is truly impressive, considering its compact physical size.

UniFi Cloud Gateway Fiber: Excellent performance

I used the UCG-Fiber for over a week before testing it for days with the latest UniFi OS and Network app, available during the official launch on February 25, 2025, before publishing this review.

Overall, the experience was so satisfying that I decided to keep using it as my new gateway, finally replacing the UDM-SE, which has taken up so much space in my little IT closet. It took me just a few minutes to restore the UDM-SE’s backup onto the new gateway, and everything was dandy.

I generally use a few UniFi applications in my day jobs, but this performance section is only about how the UCG-Fiber functioned as a router via its Network application.

Tip

UniFi consoles (a.k.a. cloud gateways) share the same architecture, which allows for porting the settings from one to another. In an upgrade, you can back up the old hardware’s settings to a file and load them into the new—if you tie the hardware to an account with Ubiquiti, there’s a cloud backup option.

In this case, as long as the replacement is running the same (or newer) version of the UniFi OS and Network app, your network will remain the same. However, another app, such as Protect, might require extra work to transfer over the existing recordings. There’s also a chance you need to re-adopt the UniFi hardware, such as the cameras. So, it’s recommended that you take the time to prepare before the switch. If re-adoption is necessary, it’s best to remove the device from the old gateway prior to swapping it out with the replacement.

As you can see on the charts, the UCG-Fiber was the fastest wired router I’ve tested in terms of throughput speeds, and it did that consistently with ease.

Ubiquiti UCG-Fiber UniFi Cloud Gateway Fiber Wired Performance
The Ubiquiti UCG-Fiber has the best sustained wired performance among 10Gbps-capable routers.

It’s worth noting, though, that the number shown in the charts was when the gateway worked without any feature turned on, which is the way I test the wired performances of all routers.

In anecdotal testing, even with many features, including online protection, turned on, the UCG-Fiber’s performance remained stellar.

Per Ubiquiti, the gateway does not have an internal fan. It was silent during my testing. Interestingly, it was slightly less warm than the UCG-Max and used slightly less power over 24 hours, as shown in the specs table above.

Update (March 4, 2025): Ubiquiti initially said the UCG-Fiber had no internal fan. As it turned out, that was the case of the initial (alpha) design. The company later confirmed that “the latest revisions do have a fan” but is “confident it’s on the less audible spectrum.” Again, the gateway was indeed quiet during my trial.

It’s also worth noting that the UCG-Fiber takes a very short time to boot up or apply changes. In fact, its quick reset to factory default helped me try out different scenarios without spending a lot of time waiting during the testing.

So, apart from being faster and more capable, the new gateway also beats its older cousins, the UCG-Max and even the UDM-SE, in the cool factor. And that’s not a bad thing.

Ubiquiti Cloud Gateway Fiber (UCG-Fiber)'s Rating

9.4 out of 10
Ubiquiti UCG-Fiber UniFi Cloud Gateway Fiber
Performance
9.5 out of 10
Features
9.5 out of 10
Design and Setup
9 out of 10
Value
9.5 out of 10

Pros

Top-tier hardware with three 10Gbps ports, four 2.5GBASE-T ports, PoE+ support, and a NVMe slot for NVR

Excellent and reliable real-world performance; can handle lots of concurrent UniFi devices (Wi-Fi access points, cameras, IP phones, etc.) and end-users

Compact and aesthetically pleasant design with everything for all users from home to enterprise-grade

Lots of valuable features, each with tons of customization, comparatively affordable

Cons

Only one PoE+ port, no PoE++ support; SFP+ ports are less practical than 10GBASE-T

A Ubiquiti login account is required for the mobile apps and built-in Remote Management, as well as other features, to work

Runs a bit warm, no SSD caddy is included in the non-storage version

The takeaway

The new UniFi Cloud Gateway Fiber is the best non-Wi-Fi router to date, designed for those who need uncompromising 10Gbps bandwidth.

The top real-world wired performance aside, the hardware has so much to offer that it’s impossible to list them all.

Sure, it doesn’t have built-in Wi-Fi, but it’s fairly easy to add a UniFi access point, such as the U7 Pro Max, to turn it into a Wi-Fi 7 powerhouse. In this case, the total cost is still less than that of many high-end Wi-Fi 7 routers on the market that have fewer features and inferior flexibility.

So, get the UCG-Fiber today if you have faster-than-2.5Gbps broadband or local bandwidth needs! You’ll love it! On the other hand, if you only need sub-2.5Gbps bandwidth, the UCG-Max is still very relevant, and there’s no need to upgrade.

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53 thoughts on “Ubiquiti UniFi Cloud Gateway Fiber (UCG-Fiber) Review (vs. UCG-Max): The Best Non-Wi-Fi Router”

  1. Hi Dong,

    I am rather interested in this UCG Fiber but I have some concerns.
    My ISP is using a ONR (Optical Network Router). It cannot be bridged as dictated by the ISP. Can I use the UCG Fiber with it without ending up in double NAT scenario?

    Thanks.

    Regards
    Andy

    Reply
  2. Great review!
    I was wondering if the SFP ports have rubber plugs or something, as I wouldn´t want them open to dust and stuff like that.

    Reply
  3. HI Dong

    I got the TP Link BE85 and went impressed. Not for me and that’s gone back. Now looking at this combo.

    If I attached one U7 Pro max to the Fibre gateway, could I then buy another U7 Pro max and use it wirelessly to create a mesh network? I know you recommend wired, but this sent possible with my house at the moment.

    Reply
      • Ah ok, I was under the impression that you can use a POE injector to make that happen I need to clearly read up ok now a POE injector works, clearly.

        Reply
        • You can do that but it’s pointless and the mesh mode might not be available or work well considering the intended use case. Honest I haven’t tried and likely never will.

          Reply
          • Understood. Thank you. So my options are ( and I can leave you alone then)

            1. Cloud gateway fibre or max with one U7 pro max AP and then extend the network (if needed) using a UX7

            2. Bite the bullet and run an Ethernet cable to another location in the house to another U7 pro max AP.

            Have I missed anything?

          • I can imagine. If I do I won’t inflict pain on you by letting you know 😂. Thanks for your help Dong. Got someone coming out to quote me for some wiring

        • You can use PoE injectors. I did with my U7 Pro Max APs until I finally got a 2.5g PoE switch. I’m pretty sure you can wireless mesh them too.

          Reply
  4. I do not like this review as it is going to cost me about $600 since you have convinced me it is finally time to upgrade my Asus AX89X (used with 5gbit service). Having 3 10gig ports, not being rackmount size and having the power to do 5gbit with security on is all impressive. Only thing stopping me from blowing money out my butt is the usual state of the Unify store stock. 😉

    Reply
    • Or you can keep that $600. Apply the same idea to any time you want to buy something and you end up with a lot of money while living as though you had no money. Eventually you’ll die on a pile of money. Then what?

      Money only has value the moment it’s spent and it has the best value when you spend it on the right thing, at the right time, which you just did. Congrats! And you’re welcome! 🙂

      Reply
  5. Forgive my English “google translator”, I wanted to know if the 10gbit ethernet port also negotiates 2.5 inputs, or scales to a single gigabit!

    Reply
  6. Hi Dong,
    I have no prior experience with Ubiquiti products but am considering a gateway + wifi + camera setup for a new space I’ll be moving into shortly. You state that one can configure Unifi gateways via the web interface without signing up for an Unifi account, but does this extend to the Protect service as well? Residential ISPs only issue public dynamic IPs in my country, so without a static IP I would assume I’d need to register in order to monitor camera feeds/footage when away from home? Thanks in advance.

    Reply
  7. Hi Dong, the IDS/IPS throughput for the UCG Max as listed on the Unifi website is 2.3Gbps however it shows as 1.5Gbps on your post here.

    Which is the correct number then?

    Reply
    • That’s the number listed on the site at the time of the review, Shahid. Network 9 might have made it better. I’d say you can count on the higher number. Ubiquiti tends to, or at least used to, understate its hardware.

      Reply
  8. Note: the UCG-Fiber does have a fan! It’s really quiet and really hard to notice but you can feel the heat coming out of the device.

    Reply
    • Good note! I confirmed with Ubiquiti and updated the post accordingly. The thing is really silent, though, so I was fooled.

      Reply
  9. Thanks Dong for your review and your work. By the way some images in the Ubiquiti Community are showing that the Cloud Gateway FIBER has a fan.

    Reply
    • Interesting. Ubiquiti confirmed with me that it has no internal fan. I didn’t open it up. It was completely silent, though. I’ll look into this.

      Reply
      • Good day, I got one and in a quite environment , you will hear the fan, I have a beelink mini pc close by and it’s quieter, at least my gateway Fiber has this “noise” I had the gateway max before and there is a difference due to the fan , but only noticeable in really quite places , great review

        Reply
        • I still don’t hear the noise, but my room does have some ambient noise from other devices. Thanks for the input.

          Reply
  10. Thanks so much for the very thorough review. I am in the process of building my first Ubiquiti network. My office network is very small at the moment with 3 computers, 2 NAS (all 2.5GbE with 1GbE fiber internet), 3 AP and a number of IoT.

    I got the Flex 2.5 PoE-8 switch with 10gbe ports. Is it beneficial to get the UCG-fiber instead of the UCG-Max to have the 10GbE connection between the router and the switch? One other benefit is that it would allow me to add a 10GbE PCIe to the NAS in the future.

    Reply
  11. Hey Dong,
    Thanks for a great review!
    I know you state that you test without IDS/IPS and it makes complete sense when comparing vs other routers.
    However I am very interested to know what IDS/IPS throughput you get on the Fiber. I believe a lot of other viewers would really appreciate this info too 🙂

    Reply
    • As mentioned it was still fast, Chris. Specifically, it didn’t change, the performance remained the same (within margins of fuctuations). I’ve used it for over 7 days now as my primary and it’s been been much better than the UDM-SE, which is a pleasant surprise.

      Reply
  12. Would this pair well with asus RT-BE88U in access point mode?

    I’ve read your other articles that say not it is not a good idea to mix wifi standards and stick with the same vendor. unfortunately asus doesn’t have a non wifi router like this without turning wifi off another router.

    Thanks for your time, and your informative articles. I was able to greatly improve my internet from comcast gateway thanks to you.

    Reply
  13. Hi Dong, great review and I have ordered one to replace my UDM SE.

    Which SSD do you recommend? I’ve picked up a 2TB Kingston NV3 but now think it may have been a poor choice. I can return it if there is something better. I’m thinking more longevity than speed. Thanks!

    Reply
    • You’ll love it, Martin. I ported my UDM-SE over and things have been great. It’s much faster overall. As for the SSDs, I honestly have many among those I’ve reviewed, which is to say I have many options, but as you’ll note in one of the screenshots, I current use a 4TB Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus. It’s been over a week, so far so good. I’d say any good SSD would do but pick those with high endurance rating if you want to be sure.

      Reply
      • Don’t know what happened to my reply there! I was saying that you have a tip about migration, but I just wanted to clarify.. Do I need to remove the UDM SE before setting up the new device? And you say to remove the cameras, will I need to reconfigure their settings? I do have a Unifi account and backups in the cloud, but could also make a local backup too.

        I’ve been looking for step by steps on migration, and had this issue when I went from UDM Pro to UDM SE. There doesn’t seem to be any out there – could be a good post for you to do given that you seem to have a nice array of equipment!!

        Thanks!

        Reply
        • You’ll likely have to re-adopt the cams and with some, depending on the model, you might have to reset them first, which would be tricky if you can’t easily get to a camera itself physically, so it’s best to remove it from the old gateway first, which effectively resets it. The backup/restore only works flawlessly with the Network app. Theres no way to backup and restore the recordings as you can imagine.

          Reply
          • Yeah not worried about the recordings. Ok, will remove and readopt when it arrives!

          • Just an update as I struggled to do the migration initially. Anyway the correct way to do it is leave UDM SE as is, and plug the WAN port of the UCG Fiber into a LAN port of the UDM SE. That then allowed me to set it up and restore a backup onto it. Everything transferred over just great including all my cameras!

      • BTW, there are reports that it doesn’t utilise anything over 2TB when fitted with a larger SSD. That’s probably why they specify up to 2TB on the specs.

        Reply
  14. I’m new to Unifi ecosystem so pardon me for this question. Can I get two Unifi Cloud Gateway and configure one of them to be like a switch? I’m currently using 2 Asus XT12 (hardwire backhaul) and I am thinking if I can get 2 UCG Fiber and configure one of them to become a switch and attach a second AP via POE?

    Reason for asking is because looking at the price and the 10Gbps ports, it is a no brainer to get two and configure one to become a switch.

    Reply
    • No, Jeffrey. UniFi (full-scale) gateways generally only works as the primary unit of the system and have no other roles. There are some exceptions, such as the UX7 but it’s not a full-scale gateway—it can run only the Network app. No UniFi gateway (router) can work as a PoE receiver (PD).

      Reply
      • So what would you suggest I should get if I want to get an E7 AP and pair it with the UCG Fiber?

        I don’t think I can connect it directly to the POE+ port am I right? If that’s the case I will have to get another POE++ switch to power up the E7 AP right?

        The only thing that I am struggling to plan is to find a 10gbps POE++ switch to power up the E7 AP so that maximize the 10gbps plan that I have signed up for.

        Or should I give up the idea of going with Unifi and just get a pair of Asus Zenwifi BQ16 instead (Pro is not available in my country) since I can also recycle my XT12 as additional wireless mesh APs.

        Reply
  15. Great review, thank you for your content. I’m due for a router upgrade, I have a USG and recently switched to a fiber-based ISP that has multi-gigabit capabilities, though we are subscribed for a lower tier currently that meets our needs.

    My question is around the console capabilities of this new hardware line. I have a Cloud Key Gen 2 in my home network for management and would prefer to adopt one of these new routers into that Cloud Key instead of migrating services to the onboard console. Will I run into any technical problems managing a UCG-Fiber or UDM7 via a Cloud Key?

    Reply
    • The the gateways already have the function of the Cloud Key included, Chad. So get one of them and ditch the Cloud Key—the UCG-Fiber is more capable in terms of storage space. Or you can keep it and not use the NVR function of the gateway (I haven’t tried). As for the migration, things can be a bit complicated for anything that’s not part of the Network app. I’d say start anew.

      Reply

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