UMR In-Depth Review

The Unifi Mobility Router is a very undersold, yet very useful, piece of equipment. If Ubiquiti negotiated a better deal from AT&T, it would be a game changing device.

I picked up a UMR on a whim because I’m a Unifi addict and I have to try something new.

Elmo gets it. Sometimes you just need the hit of opening a new Ubiquiti product.

Anyway, I wanted to use it when I taught Ubiquiti classes, as the ethernet ports in the hotels we teach at often don’t work or the guest network doesn’t like wired connections, so it’s hard to get a reliable WAN connection for the router the students are setting up. I quickly realized that some students would stream a ton of media “just because,” so after using up my data in one day, I decided that wasn’t going to work. I went to AT&T’s website, but I couldn’t find a useful unlimited data plan. After trying in vain, I put the UMR on a shelf, never to see the light of day.

Then my wife complained that the WiFi at our kid’s ballet studio was terrible. I gave her the UMR, plugged it into the USB port in our car, and voila! Her work laptop had a solid internet connection. She didn’t use a lot of data, so the UMR became hers for a few months with a 5 GB/month plan.

After a few updates and a few months later, I checked out the UMR interface and realized Ubiquiti had packed this little guy with a lot more capability. I also decided to shift my AT&T phones to a business plan instead of the residential plan…and that’s when I struck gold.

AT&T Business Plans will let you have a tablet SIM that has unlimited data. The cost varies depending on the kind of business plan you get. So I shifted all of my phones and three Ubiquiti devices (two UMRs and the LTE Backup Pro) to AT&T Business. The unlimited data tablet plan was ~$50/month and two 15GB/month plans each cost $20/month. Not bad, and definitely cheaper than the plans Ubiquiti offers with the devices. I also think the AT&T gal at the store wasn’t as familiar with promotions, so once I get my first bill I plan to call them to find a better fit.

I used WiFiMan to speed test my UMR. I can consistently get around 25-30 MBps down, which is good enough to stream some YouTube or conduct a Zoom call.

But there was more!                                                                                                                       

I discovered you can setup WireGuard VPN. So I created a WireGuard VPN on my home UdM Pro router, then created a client and uploaded the file in the UMR. One click later and my UMR now automatically VPNs to home, allowing me to access my NAS while on the go. Even better, this means my wife can access the NAS through the mapped drives on her laptop, so she doesn’t have to do anything different.                                                                                                                                                                                             

The connection is way more stable than the 5G on my phone when I’m driving in farm country. I’ve noticed a huge difference when I use my phone on a Zoom call and I’m out in the country. The connection is far more stable and I don’t drop calls like I did before.

PoE passthrough was another cool feature. I powered the UMR with a PoE+ adapter, then turned on PoE passthrough and hooked up a Ubiquiti Touch Phone that was set to Teleport home. Phone worked without any issue. This was really useful when I wanted to demonstrate how a Ubiquiti phone worked for a client.

Now, I didn’t like a few things. Ubiquiti charging for “Mobility Cloud” features is kinda lame, and if you don’t pay the $2/month, you lose the VPN access. The AT&T plans they have are garbage compared to what you get through AT&T business. The best thing Ubiquiti could do would be to negotiate a 5, 20 and unlimited data plan that includes “mobility cloud” and is on-par with AT&T business. If the unlimited was reasonably priced, this could easily replace the T-Mobile 5G routers that are popping up in the rural parts of America. Those routers suck, you can’t disable the onboard WiFi and they don’t get great signal in my experience.

The UMR doesn’t currently have Teleport, although WireGuard seems just fine for what I need.

There are cheaper devices that turn LTE into corded internet, but combined with the VPN and PoE Passthrough, the UMR is well worth the $200 investment. If Ubiquiti negotiated a better deal with AT&T, they would have a great travel/RV/rural router that would easily beat other competitors.

Author: Ryan Haag

Teaching the UniFi Full Stack Class

wifi-U has started teaching the new UniFi Full Stack class. This is a great class to get to know the new UniFi applications.

The class starts with a review of new equipment that Ubiquiti has introduced. Some of the equipment includes the Express and Ultra lines, the new Wi-Fi 7 Aps and the Pro Max Switches with Etherlighting and the new Intercom systems.

In the class, each student receives a loaner Cloud Gateway; either a UDR, UX, or an Ultra to familiarize with the interface.

In the USFP we talk about the Protect solution for cameras and the Door Access solution. We built these cool boards so we can demo how the products work.

We also go over the Talk product line and how to get phones up and running and how to route calls, make video calls, and use the intercom. We also show the apps that run on the phone like Protect, and Door Access.

Author: Eric Weber

Plan a Vacation Around Your Training in Myrtle Beach

We are hosting a special training in Myrtle Beach, SC the week of April 9th – 13th.  We have booked the Holiday Inn Surfside Beach for the training and they have a special rate for people attending the class (20-25% discount).

We are offering four days of training; the UniFi Full Stack, the UWA, and our one-day Network Routing and Switching Class for $3,285.00That’s $1,100.00 off the regular price.  Plus, we have some fun events planned:

  • We will have a boat ready with a Captain and fishing poles if you want to try to catch a catfish or cruise the intercoastal waterway.
  • We will have bike rides leaving from the hotel each morning – weather permitting.
  • We will also be hosting a backyard barbeque dinner Thursday night.

I’m looking forward to seeing you and talking about all things Ubiquiti and having some fun too at one of the most beautiful beaches in the world (Please pray for good weather!)

Author: Eric Weber

Big Changes Coming to Ubiquiti Certification Classes

In this video, I will be discussing some exciting updates for our Ubiquiti certification classes, specifically for the UEWA and the UNS. We are transitioning to a new approach where we will provide each student with a dream machine instead of relying on software installations on their computers. I will explain the benefits of this new paradigm and cover various routing, switching, and application capabilities introduced in the UNIFI line. Additionally, we will explore UNIFI Protect, camera systems, door access, UNIFI Talk, and UNIFI Connect. Lastly, I will introduce the new Wi-Fi MAN tool and request that you bring your own device to class.

 

 

Author: Eric Weber

An interesting update on the percentage of users in the three different spectrums

When 802.11ac was introduced in 2013, some Wi-Fi engineers predicted that the Wi-Fi industry would quickly move away from 2.4GHz and start using the 5GHz spectrum, and, although there has been a steady transition, 2.4GHz still holds a rather large portion of the pie.

Remember, there are only three 20MHz non-overlapping channels in 2.4; channels 1,6 and 11, while 5GHz has 25 channels to choose from.

6GHz offers even more channels to choose from, but the FCC only allowed for it’s use in 2020. It looks like the early adopters have jumped in, but what will happen to the 35% of users still using 2.4?  It seems like we will be supporting it for a long time to come.

Author: Eric Weber

Exploring UDM Pro Console Settings

Hey there! In this video, I’ll be walking you through the console settings for the UDM Pro. We’ll cover everything from application tabs to admin roles and even console controls. I’ll also show you how to create backups, set time zones, and enable remote access. Stick around till the end for a quick overview of the map tool and system logs. So grab a cup of coffee and let’s dive in! 🎥

 

Author: Eric Weber

Ubiquiti’s New WIFI 6 ONU

Ubiquiti’s New WIFI 6 ONU

 

 Ubiquiti is expanding its WIFI 6 technology and now is including its ONU devices. The UF-WIFI6 is the latest generation ONU for the GPON UFiber Family and is only compatible with Ubiquiti’s UFiber OLTs.

It includes a USB-C power adapter, but it can also be powered by Passive 24V PoE (injector not included) for ease of installation at any part of the building or house.

This device offers decent WI-Fi Coverage, mainly in 5GHz due to its 3dBi antenna gain.

Physical Specifications

Installation Diagram:

 

 

 

Technical Specifications: 

Mechanical
Dimensions 140.8 x 141.5 x 31.65 mm (5.54 x 5.57 x 1.25″)
Weight 415 g (0.99 lb)
Enclosure material UV-stabilized polycarbonate
Hardware
Processor Dual-core MIPS 1004 Kc at 900 MHz
Memory 256 MB RAM
Total non-blocking line rate 2.488 Gbps downstream
1.244 Gbps upstream
Networking interfaces (1) SC/APC, ITU-G.984 GPON WAN port
(4) GbE RJ45 LAN portsWiFi 802.11ax 5/2.4 GHz channels
PoE interface (1) PoE in, 24V passive PoE
Management interface Ethernet in-band
PON
Button Factory-reset
Max. power consumption 11W
Power method USB-C 5VDC, 3A
24V passive PoE, 0.5A
Power supply 5VDC, 3A power adapter, 1.5 m cord (included)
Passive PoE 2-pair (4, 5+; 7, 😎
Supported voltage range 10 to 30VDC passive PoE
5VDC adapter
Normal TX range of optical module 0.5 to 5 dBm
Normal RX range of optical module -8 to -28 dBm
Max. WiFi TX power
2.4 Ghz
5 Ghz
20 dBm
20 dBm
MIMO
2.4 Ghz
5 Ghz
2 x 2
2 x 2
Max. WiFi radio rate
2.4 Ghz
5 Ghz
300 Mbps
1.2 Gbps
Antenna Gain
2.4 GHz
5 GHz
1 dBi
3 dBi
Operating temperature -15 to 45° C (5 to 113° F)
Operating humidity 10 to 90% noncondensing
Certifications FCC, IC, CE
 

LEDs

PON status (3) signal LEDs
All-OFF: bootup
1x orange: signal too low (< -28 db)
1x white: signal low (>= -28 db)
2x white: signal good (>= -25 db)
3x white: signal strong (>= -11 db)
1x orange + 2x white: signal too strong (>= -8 db)
3x orange: no signal
LEDs alternate between orange + white + orange and a signal strength indicator: No authority
Ethernet Steady white: link up
Blinking white: activity
OFF: link down
Power White: ON
Software
Mode ONU/ONT layer 2/3 Ethernet switch
Services Web server, telnet, NAT, bridging and routing, firewall features, and application passthrough features
Utilities Dashboard, monitoring, alarms, and logs
Other Remote reset, remote reboot, remote firmware upgrade, VLAN support
Security GEM Port Encryption
Ubiquiti specific features UBNT Discovery and UISP Mobile app
WiFi standards 802.11 b/g
WiFi 4/WiFi 5/WiFi 6
Wireless security WEP, WPA-PSK, WPA-Enterprise (WPA/WPA2/WPA3, TKIP/AES)
Minimum software requirements Any modern web browser (Google Chrome™ recommended)
Fiber
Operating wavelength 1310 nm TX/1490 nm RX
Optical interface downstream nominal bit rate 2488.32 Mbit/s
Optical interface upstream nominal bit rate 1244.16 Mbit/s
Physical reach 20 km
Supported Data Rates
802.11b 1, 2, 5.5, 11 Mbps
802.11g 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 54 Mbps
802.11n (WiFi 4) 6.5 Mbps to 300 Mbps (MCS0 – MCS15, HT 20/40)
802.11ac (WiFi 5) 6.5 Mbps to 866.7 Mbps (MCS0 – MCS9 NSS1/2, VHT 20/40/80)
802.11ax (WiFi 6) 8.6 Mbps to 1.2 Gbps (MCS0 – MCS11 NSS1/2, HE 20/40/80)

Author: Eric Weber

New Series of Training Videos by Kevin Houser

Kevin Houser is full-time Ubiquiti trainer, and member of wifi-U team, living in Southern California. He has been a trainer for over 35 years, a devoted to Ubiquiti Instruction for many years and holds certification in many disciplines, including CWNA, MCSE, and CCNA. He is the author of “The Unauthorized Guide to Ubiquiti Routing and Switching”, which is a companion book for the Ubiquiti UBRSS course and “The Unauthorized Ubiquiti Radio and Access Point Handbook: Deploying, configuring, and troubleshooting Ubiquiti Radios and Access Points”.

 

Webinar: What’s New with UniFi APs, and How Do I Choose?

The “What’s New with UniFi APs, and How Do I Choose?” webinar was hosted by DoubleRadius on Nov. 30th, 2022. The presentation was made by wifi-U as special guest. A review of security gateways, controllers, and switches is followed by an AP comparison including AC Wave 1 & 2, ceiling mount, in-wall, mesh, HD & XG models. WiFI-6 802.11ax is covered towards the end, and the primary improvement of OFDMA.