Unifi USG/Cloud Key vs. EdgeRouter for home use

Networking & Firewalls
1

I’m looking at upgrading my home network. I’m a bit confused as to the difference between these two options. The way I see it, my setup could be:

Unifi USG + Unifi Switch + Unifi Cloud Key 2 Plus

or

EdgeRouter + NVR

The edge router would be cheaper and removes the need for some of the extra hardware, and as far as I know the features would be the same/similar. Is there any reason why you should get a cloud key and USG over just the edgerouter?

Thanks!

2

The USG is easier to use via the UniFi controller software, the edge router has it’s own web interface but can be a bit more challenging to setup depending on if you need to configure more advanced features.

1 Like
3

If you’re looking at Unifi Protect for an NVR, which is a fine product for home use, go with the full Unifi stack (all Unifi equipment). Using a full Unifi stack would be much simpler to maintain.

4

I suppose it’s up to the user to decide in the end, but the difference isn’t $50, it’s in the hundreds just for a prettier UI? Seems hard to justify.

5

It’s all about how you want to manage it and what your goals are. If you were looking for the least expensive option, the ER and a separate camera system would probably be it.

If you want to learn how to use Unifi devices, have a fully managed firewall, AP, switch, etc, the Unifi route with the USG would be the way to go.

If you’re not doing any port forwarding or anything, the ER interface is pretty straight forward with a simple wizard for configuring it for the first use.