Ubiquiti routers, which to choose?
Ubiquiti routers, which to choose?
You're considering two router options for your new home setup. The UniFi Security Gateway Pro 4 is still a solid choice, but recent videos and discussions have shifted interest toward the EdgeRouter Pro. For everyday use, an EdgeRouter Pro offers different features compared to the USG Pro—especially with its rackmount capability. The newer EdgeRouter 4 also includes an optional rackmount version, making it a viable alternative. Since you'll be linking it to a switch and placing access points on each floor, the EdgeRouter's design allows for centralized management from one interface, which can simplify network setup and control.
Understanding the reasons for choosing a pro version becomes clear when you have a team of around ten. Managing usmg and configuring multiple interfaces smoothly is easier with a dedicated solution like Unifi Gateway. For advanced users, investing in an edge router offers better performance and control.
I’m choosing the Pro version for easier rack mounting. I want everything organized in my wall mount as planned. Future-proofing is important too—especially with ISPs in Belgium offering residential connections. Are there other integration benefits with your UniFi setup besides the Controller vs EdgeRouter comparison? For a home lab, does EdgeRouter offer useful features for centralized configuration?
When you configure VLANs—something you’ll likely do in a home lab—Unifi simplifies things by setting up the VLAN on routers, switches, and access points together. Anything outside Unifi will require manual VLAN setup. For a server or software-oriented lab, there’s nothing the USG needs or requires beyond what it already provides.
For your upcoming purchase of a USG Pro-4, I want to mention a persistent memory problem on certain models that leads to repeated restarts. I owned one and eventually gave it up—though fixing it might have been simpler with more RAM, the launch of the Edgerouter 4 was a better solution. Newer versions should be stable. Edgerouter handles Layer 3 functions where UniFi is still developing. Also, UniFi and Edgerouter target different regions. UniFi products are managed via a controller for easier remote control, while Edgerouter devices need manual setup. This suits locations without remote access needs. UniFi offers simpler VLAN configuration, whereas the Pro-4 can be too powerful for home use—often exceeding 10% CPU usage. I’m using it with Netgear switches and plan to add more later. Enabling features like IPS on the Pro-4 severely limits its speed to 150Mb/s. The unit also makes noise; swapping the fans in both the switch and router can help reduce the sound.
Thanks for the guidance! I plan to start with the USG Pro-4 for simplicity in setup. My past experience with a Linksys PoE+ switch showed me these devices can be quite noisy, so I chose to swap them out for Cooltek Silent Fan 4020 fans—they offer a great CFM/dB balance (just 13.5 dB). The Noctua NF-A4x20 was the closest match, but ultimately the Cooltek options performed better in terms of ratio.