Ubiquiti Favorability Results 2019

By IPVM Team, Published Feb 18, 2019, 09:04am EST

Ubiquiti has quietly grown into a $1+ billion annual revenue company, with offerings across wireless, wireline network and video surveillance (see our profile). While the company does little to no marketing, in IPVM's integrator study, they received a very strong favorability rating as shown below:

fav ubiquiti 2019

Inside this note, we share dozens of integrators comments, including the top positive and negative themes for Ubiquiti.

Overall ************

**** * +** ******** net ************, ******** ** among **********'* **** ******* manufacturers. **** ** ********, amongst ***** *********, ***** Ubiquiti *** ** ************ field ***** ** ******* and **** ******* *********** marketing.

Strong ******* / *** *****

*** **** ****** ********** and ******* ********** ***** was **** ******** ******* strong ******* ** *** cost:

  • "**** ******* *******. **** Price *****."
  • "**** ***** *** *** cost."
  • "**** ** *******, ***** point."
  • "***** **** ********* ******** PTP *** **** *********...."
  • "********** ********** *********. **** it."
  • "********* ***** ********* *** reasonable *******."
  • "** *** ******** ** every *******, ******* ** be ********, ****** ** their *****. *** ****** offer * ***** **** effective ******** *** *** 24V/48V *** ******** **** their **** ***** *** has ****** ** ****** incredibly ****** ******** ************ systems."
  • "**** **** *******. **** price ***** *** ** complaints **** **"
  • "**** *** ** ***** of ******** **** *** priced ***** *** *** the *** ****."
  • "* **** **** ***** routers *** ******** ******** and **** **** **** pleased **** *****/***********."
  • "**** *** *******. ***** and **** ** *****. App ***** **** ****.
  • "*** **** ******** ** Fluidmesh ***** ** *** higher *** *******. *** wireless **** ******* **** been ***** *** *** last * ***** ***** we ******* ***** ****. Easy ***** *** ***** bandwidth *** *** *****."
  • "*** ******** **** *** small ******** *** ****"
  • "***** *****. ***** ** fair."
  • "********, ******** ********, **** support"
  • "******* ** ** ******* it *** **** *'** used ** *****. ***'* beat *** *****."
  • "***** ******* *** ** amazing *****."
  • "* **** ********** ***** there *********!! **** ********* for *** **** *****."
  • "*** *** **** **** their ******** **** ****** well, ********** *** *** price *****. ** ***** were ****** ** *** it ** * ******** site *** **** ***** than *** ** ******* locations **** ******* *** this *******. ******* **** has **** **** *** as ****."
  • "***** ****** *** *****. They're *********** *** **** pretty ****. **** **** don't ****, **** ******* them."
  • "***** ***** ******** *** APs *** *********** *** high **********. * **** like *** *********** ****** management ******* **** ***** troubleshooting ******* ***** *****."
  • "*** **** ** *********, reliability ** **, *** in ******* ** ***** well."
  • "** ****** *** ******** products, ** ********** *** Unifi ********. ** **** them ** ** ******** and ** * ***** cost."
  • "**** ***** ********. ***** bang *** *** ****, solid ******* ********** ** push *** ******** ** price ***********."
  • "******** ********* ***** **** and ** ********. *** functionality & *********** *** price ** *** ******* is *** **** *'** seen ** *** ********."
  • "***** ******** **** ****** very ***** **** *** years *** ********** *** you ** ******* ********** for * ********** *****, very ********** *******."
  • "***** **** *** *** buck *** ******** ************."
  • "***** *** ***** ********."
  • "*****, **** **** ******* with ***** *********** *** the $$$"

**** ** ********** **** Ubiquiti's ******** ****** **********'* ******** ******** product*** ***** ********** ********** *** ** *** favorite ****** *********.

Support ********

*** **** ******* ******** negative *** ***** *** Ubiquiti ****, ** ** this ****, **** *** offer ***** *** ********* SE **** *******, **** comments **** **:

  • "** **** *******"
  • "** **** ******* ** not ****."
  • "***** **** ******* ** non ********."
  • "* ******* ***** **** due ** ***** **** tech *******. **** ** totally ************ **** ****** and **** **** ******* to ******* ** ************ their ********."
  • "********* *********. * **** their ******* ***** ******."
  • "**** ******* ** ********, no ***** **************"
  • "****** *** ** **** someone **** *** ***** tech *******"
  • "***'* ******* ***** **** technical *******. ***** ****** and ******* ****** ******* would ** * **** better ******."
  • "** ******* ****** *** only * * **** warranty *** ****** ** to ****** ** ********."
  • "* **** *** ******** but *** **** ** support *** ************ ** products ** ***** ** tough ** **** ****"
  • "****, ** *** ***, support ***** **** *** 'community'. *** ** *********** with ** ****** ** engineering ******* **** ***."
  • "**** ** ******* ******* blocks ********** ***** ************."
  • "*** **** ** ******* and **** *********** *** becoming **** ** ** issue"
  • "** ***'* *** **** because **** **** ** tech *******, **** ******."
  • "*** ******* ** *** existent"

*******, ****** ** ***** number ** *********** ******* up *******, ************* *** lack ** ** *** arguing **** ** *** not ****** **** ** them:

  • "******* ** ******** *** in * *****, ** may **** **** ** once."
  • "******** ********** **** ***** lack ** *******, ******* we **** ** *** had ****** **** *** them."
  • "******* ** ********* ** obtain, *** **** ** their ******** *****. ** I **** ****-**-******, ************ support * **** ** pay *** **** * competitor's *******. * ** OK **** **** *****-***."
  • "****** ******* - ** you **** **** *** are *****, *****. ********* steer *****."
  • "**** ***'* **** ********* tech ******* *** ***** integrated **** ******* ***** well *** **** *** responsive *** *************.
  • "** *** *** *********** with ** *********** ****/*********** support **** **** **** a ****** **** *** cost ******** ********.
  • "******** **** ******* ** forums/email ****, **'** ***** that ***** ***** **** is ** ***** ** toss *** ******* *** been *** **** "***************" method."
  • "***'* **** ***** ******* as ** **** *** needed *** ***."
  • "*****/*********** *** ** **** confusing **** ****** ************* and ** *******. *** once *** *** ** down *** *** *** through **."

Bad ***** ************

*** *** **** ***** almost ** *********** *** anything ** ******** ** say *** ********** ***** ************ ********, **** *********** ******:

  • "******* *** ****."
  • "**** ******** **** ** camera **** **** ***."
  • "*** * *** *** of ***** *******"
  • "* **** ***** **** make **** ***** ******* but ***'* **** ******** about *****."
  • "***** ******* *** ***."
  • "**** *** ***** *******"
  • "***** **** ***** ***** cameras"
  • "*******, *** ******* *** recorders **** ***** *** a **** *** ****** be ****** ** *** residential ******."
  • "***** ********** *******. **** limited ** ****** ** use ***** *******."
  • "* ***** *** ****** their ***** ********."

************** ***** *********** ******* positive ****** ** ********, a ****** ** *********** explicitly ********** ***** ********* position ** ********'* ********** products ** ***** *********** view ** ***** ***** surveillance, **** ******** **** as:

  • "**** ******* (****** *** the *******)"
  • "** **** **** ******* products, *** ******* ***** surveillance ********."
  • "**** ******** *** ** rating ** ***** ** networking ******** *** ******* in ******* * ***** rate **** * ********"
  • "******* *** **** ******* their ********* *** ********* "
  • "**** ***** ******** ******* need * ****** *****"
  • "**** ***** ******* *** network ********. **** ****, good *** **********. ***** used *** ******’* ** vms."

Few ***'* ****

***** **** ************* **** do ******* *********** *********, like ********, ****** **** many *********** *** ******* who **** ***, **** few *********** **** **** did *** **** ********. This ** * **** of **** ********'* ******** and ******* ******* ***** contrarian ******** ** *********

Only *** ********* ***** ****** *****

***** ******** ** ****** available ****** ***, ** the **, ** **** sold ******** *** ***** website, *********, **** *** integrator ********** ***** ****. This **** ******* ** the ****** ********** **** IP ****** ************* ******* for **** *********. *** hypothesis ** **** **** is * ********** ** a **** ** * lower-cost, ****** ******* *********** in *** ******** ***** that ***** ******** ***** such **********.

*******

******** *** * ****** opportunity ** ******** *** favorability ** ******** ********** and ** ****** ** wireline. *** ***** ******** integrators ** **** ****** technical *******, ** *** not **** ********** **** Ubiquiti **** **** **** changes, ****** **** **** experimented **** * ******* paid ****** *** ******* that ** ***** ***** be ********** ******** ** least ** ******** ***********.

*** **** ******** *** Ubiquiti ** **** **** plan ** ** **** video ************. **** **** been** *** ***** ************ market ***** ****, **** **** * years. ******* ****, ***** surveillance *** ******** * niche ******** *** ****, Ubiquiti *** ***** ****** a *** ******** (** sales *** ******* ********) and *** ****** **** relegated ** ***** ******* using ******** *** **********. And *** **** ** this ******, *** *****-********** expansion ** ***** *** Hikvision *** **** ** difficult *** ******** ** execute *** ******* ******** in ***** ************. ** is ********, **** ****** developments, **** ******** *** a *** *********** *** it ******* ** ** seen **** ******** ******* to ** **** ****.

Comments (64)

Shannon Davis

IPVMU Certified | 02/18/19 05:09pm

The support issue is one of their biggest downfalls. Good thing is if you buy Ubiquiti from scansource they have tech support for this product and they are very good at it.

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Jay Hobdy

IPVMU Certified | 02/18/19 06:32pm

Not bad for a fake company...

 

 

Now before some of you click the unhelpful icon...  Ubiquiti is Fraudulent

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Jay Hobdy

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Jay Hobdy | 02/19/19 06:17pm

To whoever gave me the frown, it was sarcasm.

 

For the record we use Ubiquiti on just about every project. I even see my comments I posted in the survey.

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Undisclosed #1

02/18/19 11:03pm

Security Technicians will never learn the command line so why support them? Leave it up to the SME to get things working. Ubiquiti & For The Horde!

 

 

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Shannon Davis

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed #1 | 02/18/19 11:51pm

Learning the command line would be great if that’s all we did all day every day but unfortunately we have to know how a 1000 different systems work at a 1000 different sites with a 1000 different configurations and deal with 1000 different IT guys who know everything. 

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Undisclosed #1

02/19/19 12:05am

There is only one to learn and master.

UNIX/LINUX.

Do that and you will have the power of the dark side. All systems will make sense, it is fulfilling to think that you know Unix and find out you don't know as much as you thought you did. The learning curve reciprocates and rewards you with the power of grayskull.

They guys I work all need a mouse just to log into a machine. There are many bad IT guys, it is not their fault as some would actually be better off making tacos at taco bell.

As for the security world...tough cookies it is all Linux, finally.

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Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed #1 | 02/19/19 12:21am

In what way is the security world "all Linux"? Most software, whether it's video, access, intrusion, or whatever, doesn't run natively on Linux.

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Undisclosed Integrator #2

In reply to Ethan Ace | 02/19/19 12:30am

In what way is the security world "all Linux"?

Maybe all the cameras that have been getting hacked for the past couple years?

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Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #2 | 02/19/19 12:32am

Sure, but tell me what learning the command line would have done to prevent that?

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Undisclosed Integrator #2

In reply to Ethan Ace | 02/19/19 12:53am

Sure, but tell me what learning the command line would have done to prevent that?

I am just guessing at what the point of the Linux fanaticism is about.

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Undisclosed #1

In reply to Ethan Ace | 02/19/19 01:49am

Without the command line you cannot put the car in reverse. You can read the syslog files, pay your fines etc. Perhaps click and download some firmware. There is a difference between fixing the problem and understanding the problem.

The command line is not for everyone, this is obvious by the revolt in this thread already.

Overall Ubiquiti is decent, it is fun to play with. Yes I play with the big boy toys as well but it is just not as fun.

I think more people here know a lot about the command line interfaces and do not even realize it. It is just a matter of putting in the time to get over that last hurdle and see the horizon. Then a perspective can be make a new notch in your technical confidence. Allow learning to feed itself and claim your reward. Shunning failure will not allow you to succeed, failure is the best teacher of how to succeed. 

Now unplug your mouse and stop clicking, no cheating with cortana either!

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Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed #1 | 02/19/19 03:03am

But given that the vast majority of surveillance systems are Windows based and only Windows based, what is a practical example of something you can accomplish on a Windows VMS server only from the command line? Or on a camera? Or on most switches?

If we're strictly talking about Ubiquiti, maybe you're right. I'm not knowledgeable enough about them to say one way or the other, but you said "the security world" which implies much more than just UBNT wireless.

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Undisclosed #3

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Ethan Ace | 02/19/19 04:52am

...what is a practical example of something you can accomplish on a Windows VMS server only from the command line?

Top 10 IP Camera Troubleshooting Tips

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Undisclosed #1

In reply to Ethan Ace | 02/19/19 05:11am

If you are talking about switches, routers name your brand. They are Linux OS based derivatives. Wifi Linux. Cell phones, Linux. IoT in general Linux.

There are some embedded windows embedded OS controllers that exist...Genetec Cloud Controller, Christie Pheonix Nodes to name just 2.

What can you do with the command line with embedded click easy windows systems with the command line or powershell? Probably nothing at all. You are contained to a child like GUI to perform configurations dictated by the hardware manufacturers.

If you are talking about an all out enterprise Lenel Onguard Server, CCure 9000 Server running on windows 2012 R2+ then now you are in the click ready GUI IT admin or...perhaps an elite powershell admin that can administrate and govern his domain efficiently via the command line / scripts and deep efficient knowledge of how his bill gates legos are connected.

Ethan, I feel your understanding is defensive to the technician you used to be. I want you to know there is a whole community to help you get rid of that complex you carry on your chest. It is up to you to make the next step rather than sit there worried like a retracted pair of pre-dropped circular objects.

Note that there is no strictly talking about anything in particular. Even if you are not familiar there is not threat. Understand the ability to move forward with technology despite your analysis and bias your are emitting right now can be changed. It however cannot be changed if you bunker down and think that this world is still windows 98. 

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Undisclosed #3

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed #1 | 02/19/19 06:05am

#kill -9 U1

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Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed #1 | 02/19/19 12:54pm

I really appreciate your concern, but I'm quite ok. I started learning Unix in the 90s, with no desktop. I ran mostly Linux at home through the 00s and beyond. I was writing DOS batch files when I was 8. I am not oblivious to these things.

My point is that the vast majority of systems do not require tasks to be performed via command line. You still have not provided any real practical example of something that needs to be accomplished from the command line. Saying "an elite powershell admin that can administrate and govern his domain efficiently via the command line / scripts and deep efficient knowledge of how his bill gates legos are connected" is not a practical example; it's vaguespeak used to sound 1337.

Net/net, you started this by saying the security world was "all Linux", now we're vaguely into PowerShell. And reality is that most technicians or engineers are able to have a very happy and successful career never using a command line for more than arp or ping. You can argue that they'd be more efficient somehow, if you want, but that's reality.

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Clint Hays

Rasilient | In reply to Ethan Ace | 02/23/19 04:01pm

Ethan stop feeding the troll! 

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John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #2 | 02/19/19 12:33am

Whatever the OS is, the issue for technical support and hacking are generally on the application layer, which is generally specific to the vendor, not the OS.

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Undisclosed Integrator #2

In reply to Undisclosed #1 | 02/19/19 12:27am

As for the security world...tough cookies it is all Linux, finally.

You won the battle no one knew you were fighting.

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Shannon Davis

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed #1 | 02/19/19 01:01am

Here lies the problem. Prop new to this industry think it’s unicorns and rainbows when it comes to security. It’s so easy to do. All they see is us hanging a camera or installing some hardware.  Problem is they have no idea what it takes to make it all run and keep it running behind the scenes and down the road. 

There mich more to security than this. I wish the command line and Linux would tell my why the reader has false reads, the DPS doesn’t work right, what is causing the momentary short on the cable, why the lock sometimes engages and sometimes doesn’t because the door is out of alignment, why the video starts flickering in and out due to a bad iris, how and why a motion detector falses, how and why a smoke detector gets to sensitive or has a ground fault, why the AC induction on the cable caused random issues, why even though you can easily just replace a part and that doesn’t fix the problem, why when you ask the network tech what he did to fix the issue and doesn’t have the wherewithal to admit something was wrong even though you heard him pound on the keyboard changing something. I could go on and on. 

 

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Daniel Tyrrell

In reply to Undisclosed #1 | 02/19/19 01:10am

Maybe if Linux fanboys weren't such dicks. Seriously, how is one supposed to learn when the Linux community as a whole doesn't want to teach people.

Everytime I ask a question, the response is "Well you're a Windows person, you would never understand, so don't bother. Go back to Windows" Well how the hell is some one supposed to learn anything with an attitude like that?

And then the whole "it's all linux/unix!" But every version of Linux just ever so slightly changes the command line commands.

My experience with the UBNT wireless access points is that their GUI is more powerful than their command line, but that's just me.

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Undisclosed #1

In reply to Daniel Tyrrell | 02/19/19 01:35am

Read this to become enlightened, you are taking it all wrong.

http://www.catb.org/esr/writings/unix-koans/returning.html

 

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Undisclosed #3

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Daniel Tyrrell | 02/19/19 04:58am

Well how the hell is some one supposed to learn anything with an attitude like that?

Why gripe when you can grep?

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Undisclosed Manufacturer #5

In reply to Daniel Tyrrell | 02/20/19 01:17pm

$ mv -f gui_cli_debate /dev/null

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Undisclosed #3

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #5 | 02/23/19 04:03am

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Walter Holm

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed #1 | 02/23/19 12:18am

Linux and Unix are not as secure as you are stating.  Much needs to be done to make them secure.  This is no different than any OS.  Most of the vulernabilies has to do with the applications or services (servers) running on them.

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Undisclosed #1

In reply to Walter Holm | 02/23/19 03:08am

Stop 3rd party installing & running live.

Barebones Debian, FreeBSD, Kali, Arch, Parrot wide open? Do you fresh install and just plug into any /first internet connection?

At home and office I have Zen O, virtualized Pfsense, Backup Svr. Only the WAN side of Pfsense is mapped to the internet. Lan is physically a different NIC same box to the external switch local lan distribution, here is where my bare bones installs reside. Pfsense has snort, pfblocker. 

This is a cheap network single box setup where the local lan has very decent layers compared to many other SOHO instances with set it and forget it one time configurations on some weak, firmware outdated hardware.

On a fresh bare bones Linux install inside my local lan aka Config Vlan which is quarantined prior to any SOHO prod lol.

It comes down to how you do things as a hacker rather than how everyone else stumbles around in the dark, deploying fresh *nix install instantly onto the internet.

GGs

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Undisclosed #1

02/19/19 05:16am

Originally wanted to have some fun with Ubiquiti as I know most IPVM enterprise trunk slammers dislike technology they cannot call on for support when it comes time to make it work. I had some funny pics.

I hope John H. Removes my thread as IPVM members just got exposed as GUI clickers with thoughtless understanding and comprehension of WHY or HOW things work.

However, if you want the pain make this public...so my reddit army can easily dispose of all you windows based 1998 firewall disabling cronies with numb syndrome.

#Ethan Ace

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Shannon Davis

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed #1 | 02/19/19 12:56pm

You know who will get the last laugh is us when all the Cisco fan boys and their need for Cisco everything because they drank the Cisco kool-aid and when the owner of the company gets the bill to rip all the crappy Cisco security products out because they are no longer supported and once again Cisco failed at the security market. 

I get it Cisco networking gear is the best but that stops at the networking equipment.

Jump all over Reddit with the mindless drones of Cisco homers.

You have your point about Ubiquiti and most of us will agree yes it is crap but it is cheap and gets the job done in some situations. Yes their tech support is non existent but I would imagine most have never really had to use it.

The difference here is real integrators don’t want to trap our customers into a technology that if they stop paying support then they stop getting what they paid for. Where is my video, oh Mr customer write us a check for, wait just leave it blank and we will fix everything. 

I know the power of the command line, I used to administer an IBM RISC 5000 with AIX machine years ago as well as AS400. Integrators don’t have the luxury of working on just a few systems in their job. Margins are way too tight. If we could segment out different sections of the install and service process like IT groups do now we could become the masters of our domains but that is impossible. There is nothing more fun than having a meeting with 10 people just to get an IP address then another meeting to know which port I can plug into. Then it’s our fault because they didn’t set the VLAN up correctly.

We try and hire good IT help to make our installs go better but the second you tell them they will also have to pull cable, work outside and not sit at a desk they typically run for the hills with their command line tucked between their tails. 

U1 I’m sure your very good at your job and we or at least I know you are trolling right now but we get sick and tired of the IT folks come on here and bash the IT ignorance of Integrators when the same IT folks don’t have the ability to admit when they are wrong when the dumb technician is on the phone with them trying to get their camera working and it was clearly something the IT guy did to fix the issue when you hear the fast and furious keystrokes on the other end. Please for once own up to the mistake because I’m the end no one cares you don’t know everything as we just need to get the job done so we can move onto the next.

Sometimes I miss sitting at my desk working on my two systems. Maybe if there would have been YouTube back then I still would be.

 

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Undisclosed #1

In reply to Shannon Davis | 02/19/19 01:50pm

I agree with what your are saying and feeling, even with me trolling the Ubiquiti. I am not trying to make any points, just one lining some data out there for those that bite. It must be frustrating for integrators just starting off installing equipment when they go and buy a bunch of stuff off the shelf at ADI then rush out to install it, then get hit with some configuration issues. The customer starts to tap their feet saying wtf, then realize all money they saved getting low guy and low product. Ubiquiti does have support it's you, me and the person that bought the stuff in the first place. Yes they have had many issues, you can go over to their forums and see all the screaming and yelling, however it is not as bad as the youtube comment section. Integrators should not be buying Ubiquiti camera systems at all if they have no familiarity with the rest of the Ubiquiti product lines. People can scream proprietary and non-Onvif or the fact they do not open a call center for a nationwide deficiency of quality security installation technicians. Ubiquiti does have certifications and training, I am sure there are hundreds of qualified security technicians looking for a new challenge. It is never too late to dive into the Linux world, it has carried me all over the place and still I enjoy every corner in the CLI. For those security technicians that want to learn, are you not tired of going to some manufacturer training only to be lodged up in the same class with a bunch of idiots that were randomly selected to get their certs, most likely because some sales rep finally sold a milestone system or your company just got a Lenel VAR? The boot camps barely qualify the system they created. It has been over a 16 years since I last sat in one of these classes looking at JCI, Convergint and Siemens technicians. Friday came, end of the week and it was time to test and our instructor was amped on getting us all out of their early. The computers were all XP with bare bones images that got refreshed whenever the next software company rented the room for training. There was about 18 of us in the class with the majority being a very arrogant Convergint. One simple shutdown batch file targeted the arrogant people's machines while another one kept getting launched  the access control's file path and then task kill the access control executable. They started troubleshooting, one guy said SQL was corrupt! the next thought he was running out of ram. Eventually the arrogant team and the instructor put humpty dumpty back together again. Suspicion was made but who did it? From one computer to the next and eventually the instructors laptop it self launched the .bat. Default admin no pass was the best invention ever, it was Bill Gates saying, Bazinga! 

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Shannon Davis

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed #1 | 02/19/19 04:38pm

It's all good my friend. The one problem with the security industry is once your in it is hard as hell to get out unless you are willing to take a big pay cut. If I knew then what I know now about the AIX system, which at the time figured it was a dinosaur that I figured would be gone by now I would have stayed in the IT department finished the last class to become a certified AIX administrator and now make $125K + keeping my system running which takes very little work. 

Oh well hind sight is 20/20.

Be good.

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Undisclosed Manufacturer #5

In reply to Shannon Davis | 02/19/19 06:42pm

We try and hire good IT help to make our installs go better but the second you tell them they will also have to pull cable, work outside and not sit at a desk.

I agree with much you had to say except this part. There should be no reason to have a real IT person who knows what they are doing pulling cable or hanging around outside. I don't mean that to be elitist, but to me it's poor allocation of resources. Like asking your accountant/controller to receive in inventory on pallets, scan them into inventor and stock them on the shelf (though I know for some very smaller businesses that may have to be the case).

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Shannon Davis

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #5 | 02/19/19 06:47pm

I agree with you wholeheartedly but it's tough in this day and age to have a full time IT person on staff that all they do is the IT portion of our business. Sure some companies can but I would guess a large portion can't.

Also after looking at what typed it really didn't make sense either. Did that one on my phone and didn't proof read as well as I normally do. When we post an ad for either a service technician or installer, no matter the site, I would guess 75% of the people applying have an IT background. That part is great if they are also willing to do the other work involved. But as you stated as well they really don't want to do that work. If we were to hire an IT tech just for those skills to do our networking, programming and server setup then they wouldn't be out in the field running cables. 

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Undisclosed Integrator #6

In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #5 | 02/19/19 07:04pm

I am the IT guy, which is why I spend most of the time doing CAD work.

They'd probably also have me pull cables if they could, but I'm not in the union.

Networking and server installation/maintenance are a very small part of my job.

Yeah, we're a small company.

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Undisclosed #7

In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #5 | 02/20/19 02:06pm

My IT guys are happy to pull a few cables but they do it so badly that it’s just not a good idea to let them.

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Undisclosed #3

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Shannon Davis | 02/19/19 03:27pm

I used to administer an IBM RISC 5000 with AIX machine years ago...

lol, then you know that as long as command-line interfaces have existed, there’s some whiz kid trying to replace them with some custom shell of menus that  was ‘simpler’.

you must remember smitty, don’t you?

 

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Shannon Davis

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed #3 | 02/19/19 07:34pm

The last time I worked on this system was back in 1998.

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Undisclosed #3

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Shannon Davis | 02/19/19 08:56pm

The last time I worked on this system was back in 1998.

Also, your memory might be repressed, SMIT was a pretty god-awful way of administering Unix.

After a change in IT management, its use was mandated; mainly because of its standardized logging.  

You could make it work, if you spent enough time with it.  But techs don’t want to learn somebody else’s arbitrary scheme, and in the process, forget the actual command-lines and switches.  Then what do you do for work?

But really, IMO, the name killed it.  We were kids; and “SMIT” and “smitty” were just too easily adapted into various similar sounding words, in a constant stream of hilarity.

or so we thought...

 

 

 

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Shannon Davis

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed #3 | 02/19/19 09:38pm

Could be. I do remember some type of interface but I don't remember the name of it though or that it even had a name.

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Luis Carmona

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Shannon Davis | 02/20/19 03:32am

Hummingbird Exceed X-Windows?

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Undisclosed #3

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Luis Carmona | 02/20/19 03:50am

“X-Window” singular :)

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Undisclosed Integrator #2

In reply to Undisclosed #3 | 02/19/19 10:59pm

you must remember smitty, don’t you?

No, but it looks like a more sloppy version of Norton Commander.

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Undisclosed #7

In reply to Shannon Davis | 02/20/19 02:03pm

Amen.

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John Bazyk

Command Corporation
IPVMU Certified | 02/19/19 01:14pm

I love UBNT. We have used a lot of their products and never had to use tech support. We use them because we are not an IT company and don't need to be when deploying their products. We've done everything from simple PtP wireless to mesh networks covering large parks. Putting cameras, public wifi, and a corporate LAN all using the USG Pro 4 and Cloud Key is very easy to deploy and manage remotely. Deep Packet Inspection makes setting up firewall rules for what kind of traffic is allowed on what network is also easy. Setting up VLANS for wifi and LANs is easier on UBNT than on almost any other platform IMO. It took me forever to find a distributor who could sell it to me for less than I can buy it on Amazon. That's my only complaint. 

End of the day, I am fairly well versed with Linux and know my own around enough. But I don't want to waste my time learning more or trying to train our customer service people to learn it when we can just setup UBNT networks.  

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Undisclosed Integrator #4

02/19/19 06:07pm

Act I.

Security Integrator: "Hey IT guy, I need help with some issues I'm having with some equipment that doesn't seem to want to connect properly."

IT Guy: "Stupid integrator! Being of superior knowledge in all things LINUX/UNIX and command line, I will call you simple and dumb for selling equipment that you don't fully know how to program down to line code!!!"

Security Integrator: "Oh ok... but really I just needed some help figuring out the configuration."

It Guy: "Don't touch my network!!! Why would you sell anything if you don't know how to program it!!!"

This has been another presentation of why IT guys are the coolest and all Integrators need to quit trying to work and sell products. 

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Shannon Davis

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #4 | 02/19/19 06:11pm

Maybe just maybe if IT would have gotten on board in the beginning and been part of the process there would not be so much tension during the install process. 

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Undisclosed Integrator #4

02/19/19 06:27pm

I definitely agree with that. Only problem is, in the 12 years I've been in the industry, IT never wants to be bothered with the physical security aspect of things. They always seem to act like Integrators are coming in on their turf and just bring problems. I have tried to work with IT departments/companies during pre-install meetings. Half the time they don't show up, and if they do they talk down to you and tell you nobody will touch their system. Only they can. Of course I am perfectly fine with that. I don't want them touching my security equipment, but like you said, if they would just work along side us instead of trying to lord it over us like we are cave people with rocks and sticks, the installs would go much more smoothly. I have managed spec jobs that called for certain equipment, and then we were chastised for installing that equipment. 

It isn't just an Integrator problem. My wife is an executive and she feels talked down to by her companies IT people. It's almost like at IT school they issue you a bad attitude.

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Damon Beckwitt

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #4 | 02/19/19 08:00pm

I've had the exact opposite experience.  IT in almost every company we work with has been more than cooperative.  We simply go in with the attitude that they're a partner in the process, and they give us what we need.  It helps to speak their language.

 

 

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Undisclosed Integrator #4

02/19/19 08:26pm

Wish it was the same for me. I've done 10+ years of projects from basic installer to project management and it's always been the same. The only time's it hasn't been an issue is when the IT company was a third party company and I only dealt with them over the phone remotely. Those guys were always pleasant to talk with and would get back to you quickly on issues. The worst were employees of the client. They were the sole member, or one of 2 or 3 IT employees in a department, that felt nobody had the right to access "their" network. Most of the time we were merely asking for a port to plug into on their ISP or Switch. You'd think we were asking for their first born. I understand they need to know details for their firewalls and to make sure it can be integrated without causing issues within the network, but there is a professional way of going about it. More likely than not the client would be notified their IT was being a hassle and then later that day we would be given a port number and IP to static with. They'd set up a VLAN for us, unblock the needed ports and we would move on with our lives. But that was only after a lot of push back and aggressiveness that isn't needed.

Like another comment stated, if they would just sit down with us in the beginning things might be different.

We are getting off Ubiquiti though... I'll respond with another reply to the original article on those!

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Cary Menage

IPVMU Certified | 02/20/19 12:03am

Any Unix/Linux Guru IT guy should love UBNT, they have a rich Linux CLI, and you can do much more in the command line then just the web interfaces, in regards to routers anyway (I have only configured routers, but suspect same is true with their switches and Wireless AP's) For example, if you want to employ OpenVPN for the Edgemax, you will need to go into CLI. They have really good "How to" documents on their website to talk you through.

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DC Long

02/20/19 07:07am

The new Protect product is evolving rapidly and upgrading the system is easy. All  UnifiNVRs hit the dust bin this week. Old NVR's were terrible,  Protect is stable so far. Cam's are just adequate.  This would be a hit if Protect was Onvif compatible, The should charge a one time fee per Onvif cam. 

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Michael Miller

02/20/19 02:16pm

Those of you using the new UNIFI Protect VMS from UBNT looks like they are locking the VMS to the hardware. 

 

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Bob Brislin

IPVMU Certified | 02/21/19 05:35pm

Some of the command line programming in the US Switches is not retained on power cycle. If you ever have to go down the IPTV rabbit hole, I'd suggest something else for switches. They do not do Multicast IGMP very well as can be seen by the abundance of threads on the community forums.

I also had to throw away the dumb Cloud-Key thing. It was a cool idea to have a little device plugged into the a switch that acts as a controller and remote gateway. It just wouldn't stay awake for more than a week at a time. A small PC (NUC or something) works way better.

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Veli-Pekka Ketonen

02/21/19 07:20pm

I’m from Ubiquiti technical marketing.

Some readers commented about Ubiquiti camera performance. We do closely follow how our products perform against competition. Here is a recently published comparison. https://www.ui.com/why-protect/

Our own G3 Flex video quality results are well aligned with the earlier IPVM G3 Flex test. https://ipvm.com/reports/ubnt-flex

G3 Flex camera performed very well in both these tests. Competitors in IPVM test cost 25%-70% more than G3 Flex ($79).

In our tests, we used UniFi Protect with Cloud Key Plus as NVR. This setup offers the full range of image quality and adaptive bitrate configuration options for our cameras.

Also, we offer 24/7 chat support. If the issue is not resolved, we open a ticket get more help. Chat support alternative is not yet very well known.

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Michael Miller

In reply to Veli-Pekka Ketonen | 02/21/19 09:08pm

I like how you leave out how proprietary the cameras and software are. 

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DC Long

02/21/19 09:29pm

Protect will have to wait in some installation till motion is implemented. Wasted resources and $$ recording with remote cams stream 24x7. Bandwidth is precious in many areas and the disk seems to fill fast.   When do Ubiquity ONVIF 2 cams ship?  The should have parallel line to sell network infrastructure.

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DC Long

02/21/19 09:32pm

How many Software engineers do some of these surveillance companies have?  Ubiquity should leverage the know how. 

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Undisclosed #1

In reply to DC Long | 02/25/19 01:55am

Go, Go! Go!...my little 16P UBNT switch that could. 

#when the AV guys wanted CISCO!

end result is the ability to surmise the cisco equation/recommendation and drop in a brand you trust to get the job done. I dropped all the fast leave traffic and can idle these multicast streams shown at less than 10Mbps! 

Only the Sony Ipela revolts with the Christie Nodes (still troubleshooting Ipela Multicast vs. Anon RTSP login).

Anyone can learn UBNT, just like any other product. Just dive in, you will see.

 

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Birger Kollstrand

02/28/19 10:59am

Allthough Unifi cams are not ONVIF, they are open in the sense that you can pull the RTSP stream directly from them.

Ref. https://help.ubnt.com/hc/en-us/articles/221314008-UniFi-Video-How-to-Perform-RTSP-Directly-From-the-Camera

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John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Birger Kollstrand | 02/28/19 01:06pm

We covered this here: Ubiquiti Open IP Cameras Tested. As we noted then:

However, there are two key limitations typical of RTSP:

  • No configuration from VMS: Unlike ONVIF or direct integrations, RTSP does not allow any configuration of the stream from the VMS. All configuration must be done in the camera.
  • No VMD: No camera side VMD is supported. Continuous recording is necessary unless server side VMD is used.

Those limitations are generally significant enough to avoid using RTSP only unless some specific application / niche camera is needed.

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Undisclosed #7

In reply to John Honovich | 02/28/19 01:09pm

What’s wrong with using server side VMD?

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John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed #7 | 02/28/19 01:13pm

It's not 'wrong', just many people prefer to use camera side VMD. We have a newer post but I can only find the old one this minute, e.g., Camera vs Server Side VMD 2012

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Undisclosed #3

IPVMU Certified | In reply to John Honovich | 02/28/19 05:32pm

A newer but more general article is Ranking Video Analytic Architectures

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Undisclosed Manufacturer #8

08/06/19 12:45am

Is there anything lacking in Netgear Switches that Ubiquity fulfills?

Both seem to offer good networking solution to video surveillance market including switches, wireless products and cloud based management. 

NOTICE: This comment has been moved to its own discussion: Is There Anything Lacking In Netgear Switches That Ubiquity Fulfills?

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