Ubiquiti vs. cisco – Which is has the best routers and switches?
Ubiquiti and Cisco have been close competitors in the networking niche for years. Both companies offer high quality products that are easily customizable to meet today’s networking needs. In this article we take a closer look at their core differences.
The choice between an Ubiquiti product and Cisco will largely depend on the size of your enterprise, configuration options available and the kind of security parameters that you need. Both companies serve different niches with some overlaps. Ubiquiti while relatively new has curved itself a niche in the emerging markets with their mid-priced routers and switches. Cisco still remains a behemoth of a company when it comes to networking capabilities and is responsible for setting up security systems in many organizations across the world.
Table of Contents
What are the differences between Ubiquiti and cisco?
Company |
Ubiquiti |
Cisco |
Founding Date |
2005 |
1984 |
Target Market |
Emerging markets |
Multinationals, governments, large enterprises |
Certifications |
N/A |
Multiple – CCNP/CCDP, CCENT, CCNA/CCDA, CCIE, CCDE |
Product offerings |
Routers and Switches |
Networking, security, collaboration, Internet of Things, Data Centers |
Brands |
UniFi, AirMax, EdgeMax, UFiber, AirFiber |
VOIP, Hosted collaboration solution (HCS), Network Emergency Response unit, professional certifications |
Availability |
Ubiquiti vs. cisco – How do they differ?
History
When it comes to company history, Cisco has been in the market longer than Ubiquiti. The company was founded in 1984 while Ubiquiti was started in 2005. Both companies share the similarity that they are US based companies with subsidiaries across the globe. While Cisco has taken the approach of offering their products to multinationals and governments, Ubiquiti main focus has been the emerging markets.
Product offering
The main focus of Cisco products can be categorized into three main groups – service provider, enterprise, and mid/small size business. The IT products are divided into five major technological areas – security, networking (optical, Ethernet, mobility, and wireless), collaboration (video, voice and data), Internet of Things and Data centers. Cisco is also responsible for providing various cloud based services on their Unified computing system (UCS). Cisco is also very active when it comes to disaster recovery measures and has a set of Network Emergency Response Vehicles (NERVs). Lastly, there are various Cisco certifications that are issued across the world like CCENT, CCIE,CCNA, CCDE among others.
Ubiquiti main products are categorized into their respective brands – Ufiber, AirMax, UniFi, AirFiber, and EdgeMax. Each serves a specific networking category. The EdgeMax is the one responsible for switches and routers while the AirMax deals with Point to Point (PTP) and Point to Multi Point (PTMP) network links. The UFiber and AirFiber are responsible for ISP and WISP provisions.
Hardware and configuration
Cisco has a clear head start when it comes to networking provisions for enterprises. Their units are highly configurable but they have been facing lots of competition from new entrants like the Ubiquiti – especially in terms of price and host of features. Ubiquiti continues developing new products that are geared at the home use niche. When it comes to wireless access points, Cisco has two main products – Aironet and Meraki. The Meraki units are cloud based and one of the best in the industry. Ubiquiti main access point is their AC Pro which competes well with Cisco’s Aironet 2800 specs. When it comes to hardware configurations for the two devices the Aironet has more add-ons than the Ubiquiti. Ubiquiti however, has a slight edge over the Cisco products as it a free web-based software.
Ubiquiti vs. cisco – A Comprehensive Overview
Ubiquiti – Overview
Ubiquiti is a relatively new US company founded in 2005. It’s niche is the production of wireless communication and networking solutions. It will sell its wireless and networking products under different brands like EdgeMax, UFiber, AirMax, UniFi among others. The most common brand is the UniFi which has made great inroads in the home and small business category. The EdgeMax is their brand responsible for switches and routers. The AirMax deals with Point to Multi Point (PTMP), Point to Point (PTP), while the UFiber and AirFiber carters to Wireless Internet Service Providers (WISP) and ISP.
Ubiquiti UniFi UAP AC Pro
- Manage Your Networks from a Single Control Plane
- Intuitive and Robust Configuration, Control and Monitoring
This is one of the best access points in the market. It is great for establishing a mesh network for home and small business use and due to its compact size and easy to use interface makes it very popular. Their controller software controls most of the Ubiquiti products. This allows you to connect a number of clients and control all of them from one centralized command that is also available on cloud.
The AC Pro design is what makes it ideal for home use. It is a circular router that measures a decent 7.74 x 7.74 x 1.38 inches and weighs 0.77lbs. The router resembles a smoke signal and has a single circular LED light on the top that surrounds the Ubiquiti logo. The device is not designed to be placed on flat surfaces hence its absence of rubber feet. You do get flat head screws with the unit that you can use to mount it on walls or the ceiling. The LED light will flash a different color depending on the router status updates.
At the bottom side of the router are two Ethernet ports and a USB port. You can use the main Ethernet port to connect to a switch, router or PoE injector while use the secondary port for bridging purposes. The UAP AC Pro runs on a Qualcomm Atheros QCA9563 chip that is capable of hitting speeds of up to 750MHz. You also get 128MB of RAM and 16MB of flash memory. This is a dual band access point capable of hitting speeds of up to 1,300MHz on the 5GHz band and 450MHz on the 2.4GHz band. Setting up the router is pretty simple once you have learned how to use the Ubiquiti controller software. You will find interactive GUI that make it easier to track your clients and traffic analysis. To help more people use their product, Ubiquiti has introduced an easy to use mobile app.
Pros
- Dual band access point
- More connectivity options through the two Ethernet ports
- Host of customizable options through the controller software
- Compact design
Cons
- Controller software has a long learning curve
Cisco – Overview
Cisco systems has its headquarters in San Jose, California. It is a major manufacturer of software, networking hardware, and telecommunications hardware. Sandra Lerner and Leonard Bosack founded the company after graduating from Stanford university in 1981. The company main focus is network infrastructure. It is unlikely today to find an enterprise that does not use a cisco networking product. Part of its strength is it has a long history producing these kind of products. You will find top quality routers, switches and firewalls all that give Cisco a good competitive advantage.
One of the key reasons for going with Cisco products is that they are serious about security. You will have most of their products doting various certification paths. You will find the company handling some of most complex networks in the world securely.
The Cisco RV215W Wireless-N VPN Router
- High-speed 802.11N wireless router
- A 4-port 10/100 Mbps fast Ethernet switch
If you are looking for a router, wireless networking and firewall all rolled into one unit then your answer is the Cisco RV215W. The router and VPN server is compact enough and affordable for use by most households and business owners. Like most of Cisco’s products you get to enjoy improved networking and security features at a decent price.
The router is compact and lightweight measuring 1.18 x 5.91 x 5.91 inches and while weighing 0.61lbs.It comes with two omni-directional 1.8 dBi external antennas and at the back you have 10/100 Mbps fast Ethernet WAN ports and four 10/100 Mbps Ethernet LAN ports. The downside to this router is that it only supports one band – 2.4GHz. This is a disappointment considering most of the routers in the market are now tri-band. However, you do get for an affordable price a router, VPN server, and firewall.
The VPN server is a cool feature to have especially when you are trying to setup a home office network. Most of the time it is time consuming and expensive to setup such kind of network if you have multiple printers and computers. The router supports L2TP, PPTP, and IPSec. When you are using the Cisco QuickVPNclient you get support for up to 5 IPsec client sessions while for remote access you get 5 PPTP client sessions. If you are a network administrator, you should note that you can setup up to four virtual LANs, and four wireless networks (SSIDs). The router is easy to setup with a quick start guide.
Pros
- Route, firewall and VPN server all rolled into one device
- Easy to install and setup VPN
- USB port for 3G/4G failover
- Improved firewall capabilities
- IPv6 support
Cons
Lacks a 5GHz band meaning internet speeds not as fast
Conclusion: So, which is better – Cisco or Ubiquiti?
A closer look at both companies routers will reveal that the Ubiquiti AC Pro is the better product. The Ubiquiti AC Pro is a circular router that offers fast internet speeds and that is compact enough to be mounted on walls and ceilings. It comes with two Ethernet ports and clocks speeds of up to 1,300MHz on the 5Ghz frequency and 450MHz on the 2.4Ghz band.
FAQ
What is Cisco’s Network Emergency Response unit?
This is a tactical response unit by Cisco that allows the company to offer rapid network Emergency Response Vehicles (NERVs). This vehicles are deployed during disasters to carter and fix any breakdowns in networks.
Is the UniFi controller suitable for home routers?
Most of the UniFi routers use the Unifi controller software for installation and setup. The controller can either be accessed remotely or through cloud. It is the main way through which you can monitor your UniFi router configurations.
