Mikrotik vs.Ubiquiti router – which one should you choose for your home network?
Both Ubiquiti and Mikrotik are considered as rising stars in the telecom field in recent year, even eclipsing some of the popular names in the industry. There are certain observations that various technicians dealing in the field of fiber optics continue to observe though; the Mikrotik is excellent at the business of routers, while Ubiquiti is best at wireless applications.
Other than that, there are extra differences between these two. Many see Mikrotik as the more affordable version of Cisco equipment (which is quite expensive), and it offers greater reliability in terms of connection – as long as you can get past its steep learning curve. Ubiquiti routers also have their limitations, even though they are also good choices in themselves.
With this information in mind, it is easy to wonder what the better choice between the two is. Hopefully, we will answer this question in this article; looking at both choices in terms of performance, price points, and target markets, especially keeping our experience with both routers in mind.
Table of Contents
What are the differences between the Mikrotik and Ubiquiti routers?
Mikrotik |
Ubiquiti (Winner) |
|
Dimensions (inches) |
8.9 x 4.7 x 1.2 |
6.2 x 5.1 x 2.1 |
Wi-Fithroughput speed |
500 Mbps |
928 Mbps |
Mikrotik vs. Ubiquiti – How they compare
Their target markets
When you check around on the websites of both manufacturers, you will likely prefer the Ubiquiti site than the Mikrotik site. However, there is no definite method of specifying the better option between them, as each present very unique products.
In the case of Mikrotik, the company behind it is based in Latvia, and the main aim is to develop reliable wireless ISP systems and routers. They offer you a complete solution for all your needs in the field of wireless connectivity, whether it is hAP AC, mANTBox, LHG, SXT, DynaDish, and so on. They are also famous for their routers, and they even launched the Mikrotik academy to help in the expansion of learning possibilities for education.
The main focus of Ubiquiti, on the other hand, is to offer Unifi series devices, as well as plenty of wireless accessories. All these help to ease the process of setting up a Wi-Fi network, while still maintaining high performance and range of coverage. At the end of the day, the Ubiquiti option is more reliable and stable because of the good design of the antennas, while Mikrotik devices are almost always reconnecting and experiencing issues at times.
The design of the routers
Both companies have their routers as popular products. WISP networks commonly use the hardware from these companies, and their routers and switches are popular software as they are much more affordable compared to Juniper/Cisco products yet still offering the same reliability.
Ubiquiti will give you a great price for the benefit of wired speed switching, and this is particularly evident in the Edgerouter, Unifi switches, and the Edgeswitch. All the solutions they offer seem to have higher performance and speeds compared to the Mikrotik choices.
The Unifi switch that the Ubiquiti offers is widely available, alongside the RJ45 gigabit ports, especially the 48, 24, 16, and 8 ports. The switch will give you very strong performance, support + PoE, as well as intelligent switches for a growing network. Because of this, the target market is the SMB or Enterprise market, a wider IT audience, and the result is that the Ubiquiti system is much easier to use.
On the other hand, the Mikrotik router will support advanced features, which include MPLS and other options. The Ubiquiti is slightly different because it will use Cavium chips, which makes them less than 100% software solution option.
Performance
The Mikrotik and Ubiquiti do not have too many contrasts when it comes to their performance. In the case of the Mikrotik, the device is powered through a quad-core 716MHz CPU, although the performance can range from a minimum of 488MHz to a maximum of 896MHz. the device comes with three wireless cards, which are:
- 4GHz card (dual chain, and it is the antenna on the board meant as a client access point)
- 5GHz card (dual chain, and it is the other antenna on the board meant as a client access point)
- 5GHz card (quad chain, and it is the antenna array that is above the board, and is used when you want a mesh network)
When it comes to the meshing radios, our testing reveals that they can maintain a strong connection with an average throughput of 60 to 100 Mbps, even if they are at farther distances from each other. The single units are also quite strong, producing a very reliable throughput of 300 Mbps over mesh wireless links, and even a higher speed of 500 Mbps when you are changing the configuration and using a higher channel.
The Ubiquiti will change this approach only to a slight extent, since every channel will use its own configuration in order to boost the speed and efficiency of your connections. When using the 5GHz channel, you will note that it has a 2×2 arrangement of the ports, while the 3×3 port arrangement is present in the 2.4GHz channel. The total throughput to expect from here is 928 Mbps, landing it in a spot of fast choices, while bearing the demands of all your devices.
The only major issue we have with the Ubiquiti is the challenge of setting up its ICMP or WAN networks, forcing you to disable it in order to make the network safer for use by going to the CLI of its browser setup. Aside from that, you will need extra protection mechanisms like antiviruses and VPNs.
Mikrotik vs. Ubiquiti – A comparison review
Mikrotik router – Overview
- RB4011 series - amazingly powerful routers with ten Gigabit ports, SFP+ 10Gbps interface and IPsec...
- The RB4011 uses a quad core Cortex A15 CPU, same as in our carrier grade RB1100AHx4 unitv
This is among the few routers we have used that specifically caters to home environments, and has a very stylish design that will help it to achieve both the goals of increasing the advantages of connectivity, while still acting as a wireless powerhouse.
The professionalism and design are very attractive – in fact, we can rank it among the most attractive routers out there. It looks more like what you would expect from an Apple unboxing session, it looks exactly what you would expect a high-end router, and the packaging is recyclable and simple.
It is important to note that the use of quickset in order to adjust the configurations on the Mikrotik will usually use CAPsMAN software to make adjustments to every wireless radio. This is particularly evident in the Mikrotik Audience router, which has an in-built control system for the wireless channels.
Pros
- Very strong connectivity and high throughput
- An attractive design that fits in well with your décor
- Very good packaging
Cons
- The port density is disappointing
- It has issues with USB support, an issue not as apparent in the Ubiquiti router
- Very challenging to set up for a beginner
- Lacks PoE
Ubiquiti router – Overview
- Product Type:Networking Router
- Item Package Dimension:7.112 cm L X 10.16 cm W X 14.986 cm H
The Ubiquiti is much more likely to adhere to the principles of a mesh network compared to the Mikrotik router, although as a more affordable option and slightly easier to set up. You will need some patience when learning about it though, and you will need to own Ethernet cables as well as they will form a network through the router’s access points.
Its controller app, the Ubiquiti app, is the greatest weakness and strength of the system – which is where your networking knowledge will come in. once you set it up, it will give you plenty of benefits of network functionality without being too expensive. You can also control your bandwidth use and set up a variety of controls like putting guest pass modes and parental limits.
Pros
- The design will let you explore multiple mounting options
- Gives good coverage and quite adaptable to various user needs
- The apps are very useful and ease the setup process
- Easy to customize and scale
- Works very well with many devices
Cons
- Challenging for a non-tech-savvy person
Verdict: So which is the winner? The Mikrotik or the Ubiquiti?
This question is very difficult to answer, and they work to fulfill different needs – so ensure you can select the best option that works for you. However, since we must pick one, we will select the Ubiquiti as the winner – especially if you still want reliability of connection without the very steep learning curve of the Mikrotik.
Frequently asked questions
Is it a good idea to use a third-party device to control security gateways when I am using an Ubiquiti router?
The good thing about Ubiquiti routers is their flexibility when it comes to controlling security gateways. You can do so in this case without the risk of extensive harm, but it is important to remember that third-party devices have some limitations, such as adjusting parts of centralized management systems.
Is it possible to test the Mikrotik router OS functionality before purchasing its license?
Yes, it is possible to download the installation from the webpage of the Mikrotik Company, and then install your Mikrotik router. The time it gives you to operate without needing alicense key goes up to 24 hours of running time.
