Ubiquiti UniFi (UDM-SE) Dream Machine Special Edition 10G Cloud Gateway with NVR

Bought it and been using it for some time.

Pro's

-Setup my Open VPN server on it easy as (Not sure why some claim not supported. I mean its there next to wireguard and L2TP options)
-Easily segregated VLAN's for IoT, guests, home and management quite easy. Blocked a few countries.
-Fast
-Intuitive
-Auto detects wifi interference on channels & swaps over
-Easily adopt other devices.
-Can turn off cloud access for increased security. (Use VPN)

Con's
-Lacking in is frequent security updates
-Bandwidth limiter is per connection, rather than overall, so limiting something at 100Mbps does little if u got 10 users.
-Limited amount ...view more Bought it and been using it for some time.

Pro's

-Setup my Open VPN server on it easy as (Not sure why some claim not supported. I mean its there next to wireguard and L2TP options)
-Easily segregated VLAN's for IoT, guests, home and management quite easy. Blocked a few countries.
-Fast
-Intuitive
-Auto detects wifi interference on channels & swaps over
-Easily adopt other devices.
-Can turn off cloud access for increased security. (Use VPN)

Con's
-Lacking in is frequent security updates
-Bandwidth limiter is per connection, rather than overall, so limiting something at 100Mbps does little if u got 10 users.
-Limited amount of countries can be blocked.
-No advanced traffic monitor on gui.
-Got to switch between classic & new view mode to get more options.
-Debugging needs CLI for useful info.
-Obviously lack of patching vulnerabilities often or hunting for them explains lower price.
-I mean to offer this at low one of prices eans u cutting cost somewhere. But great improvement over expensive retail stuff like Netgear, D-Link or Asus which look cool but do little..
-Some "performance features" cause more trouble than they add value.

I was thinking of getting the UDM Pro, but the lack of PoE held me back, so I was excited to see the UDM SE become available in NZ, and even more so because of the 2.5 Gbps WAN port! (There's also the SFP+ WAN port, but I have no plan for > 2 Gbps Internet connection at this time, and using an RJ45 to SFP+ transceiver can create heat issues.)

Unfortunately, the caveat is that the uplink from the switch component to the router component is limited to 1 Gbps, so you won't get full use of the 2.5 Gbps WAN connection even with a 2 Gbps hyperfibre plan, unless you connect another switch using the SFP+ LAN port. I ended up doing that as it turne...view more I was thinking of getting the UDM Pro, but the lack of PoE held me back, so I was excited to see the UDM SE become available in NZ, and even more so because of the 2.5 Gbps WAN port! (There's also the SFP+ WAN port, but I have no plan for > 2 Gbps Internet connection at this time, and using an RJ45 to SFP+ transceiver can create heat issues.)

Unfortunately, the caveat is that the uplink from the switch component to the router component is limited to 1 Gbps, so you won't get full use of the 2.5 Gbps WAN connection even with a 2 Gbps hyperfibre plan, unless you connect another switch using the SFP+ LAN port. I ended up doing that as it turned out that I needed more than 8 ports anyway.

Nonetheless, as a single network appliance replacement for a Unifi security gateway and cloud key (with disk storage), while offering the option of up to 2.5 GbE WAN connection, is excellent. If I didn't need so many ports, the switch with PoE would have still been alright, even with the disappointing uplink.

I have two of the Non-SE versions and lacking POE is a real problem for small office or home office setups. Not having a hard drive was a bit of a surprise as well.
This version, although being probably a little poor value for money, fixes those two big issues. The extra speed is a nice bonus.
Setup and configuration is as easy as any other Unifi kit. I have two of the Non-SE versions and lacking POE is a real problem for small office or home office setups. Not having a hard drive was a bit of a surprise as well.
This version, although being probably a little poor value for money, fixes those two big issues. The extra speed is a nice bonus.
Setup and configuration is as easy as any other Unifi kit.

I set one of these up yesterday on Spark Gigabit Fibre. It took about 1 minute to configure the connection, basically chose advanced for Internet setup, add the VLAN 10 and the PPP settings and it was online and doing an update. Then I setup the supplied Unifi AC Lite A/P's and again - An absolute breeze - Plug/Patch them into the POE and the web interface popped up it had found an AP and I configured the first to configure the Wifi network and then plugged in and adopted the others. Ignoring physical relocation and patching the Router and 3 AP's were up and running in about 5 minutes. I run Unifi controller on a Windows server at my place...view more I set one of these up yesterday on Spark Gigabit Fibre. It took about 1 minute to configure the connection, basically chose advanced for Internet setup, add the VLAN 10 and the PPP settings and it was online and doing an update. Then I setup the supplied Unifi AC Lite A/P's and again - An absolute breeze - Plug/Patch them into the POE and the web interface popped up it had found an AP and I configured the first to configure the Wifi network and then plugged in and adopted the others. Ignoring physical relocation and patching the Router and 3 AP's were up and running in about 5 minutes. I run Unifi controller on a Windows server at my place and its a pain doing the software updates at times but assuming this puppy does them all automatically as scheduled it should be fairly set and forget. Got very good throughput on ethernet. Overkill for this site as in terms of VPN or NAT rules etc he just doesn't need any but it should be very reliable and stable. The only time my Unifi AP's need a reboot is when doing the occaissional firmware update.

If you are like me and have done your homework, then you will know what this Dream Machine does.
I work from home in a rural setting, and I have two WAN feeds; Starlink is the primary, and the Spark 4G LTE router is the secondary.
Having two WAN feeds, you can choose failover only, or distributed load balancing. If it is distributed, you can select the ratio (EG: 67% Starlink, 33% 4G).
You can also decide which device (single device or VLAN) will transverse through WAN1 or WAN2. (EG: work laptop and games PC via Starlink, smart TVs via 4G).
I personally think that the price was on the high side, but it gives me everything I need: a smar...view more If you are like me and have done your homework, then you will know what this Dream Machine does.
I work from home in a rural setting, and I have two WAN feeds; Starlink is the primary, and the Spark 4G LTE router is the secondary.
Having two WAN feeds, you can choose failover only, or distributed load balancing. If it is distributed, you can select the ratio (EG: 67% Starlink, 33% 4G).
You can also decide which device (single device or VLAN) will transverse through WAN1 or WAN2. (EG: work laptop and games PC via Starlink, smart TVs via 4G).
I personally think that the price was on the high side, but it gives me everything I need: a smart switch, router, POE, dual WAN, SPF+ connections, storage space for video feeds and more.

VLANs, Port forwarding, PoE, 10GB uplinks, NVR it’s got it all. I wish I had just bit the bullet earlier and invested in this router. Though the router is more on the expensive side, it provides a great experience for home networking with extensive controls all presented with a clean and sleek UI. The Bluetooth to phone connectivity makes it super easy to set up and if you miss-configure something and block yourself out of your own network, being able to Bluetooth into the device makes restoring your previous configuration super easy. Would highly recommend this router and definitely worth checking out some YouTube tutorials to get up to...view more VLANs, Port forwarding, PoE, 10GB uplinks, NVR it’s got it all. I wish I had just bit the bullet earlier and invested in this router. Though the router is more on the expensive side, it provides a great experience for home networking with extensive controls all presented with a clean and sleek UI. The Bluetooth to phone connectivity makes it super easy to set up and if you miss-configure something and block yourself out of your own network, being able to Bluetooth into the device makes restoring your previous configuration super easy. Would highly recommend this router and definitely worth checking out some YouTube tutorials to get up to speed with using it efficiently.

Bought this to support the new hyperfibre.
Its a breeze to set up using the Unifi iOS app.
The UDM-SE comes preloaded with their unifi controller software and connects to your mobile over bluetooth. Once set up, you can use the app or browser from a PC/Mac through wifi.
I use this to manage 4 different VLANS for my home network. Highly recommended if you are upgrading to hyperfiber. Bought this to support the new hyperfibre.
Its a breeze to set up using the Unifi iOS app.
The UDM-SE comes preloaded with their unifi controller software and connects to your mobile over bluetooth. Once set up, you can use the app or browser from a PC/Mac through wifi.
I use this to manage 4 different VLANS for my home network. Highly recommended if you are upgrading to hyperfiber.

The Ubiquiti UniFi UDM-SE is perfect for home users seeking a powerful router. With a sleek design and 10G Ethernet, it delivers fast speeds for streaming, gaming, and remote work. Its built-in security features keep your network safe, and the UniFi app makes setup easy. Supporting multiple networks allows for efficient device management. While it’s pricier, the reliability and user-friendly functionality make the UDM-SE a worthwhile investment for any home network. Highly recommended! The Ubiquiti UniFi UDM-SE is perfect for home users seeking a powerful router. With a sleek design and 10G Ethernet, it delivers fast speeds for streaming, gaming, and remote work. Its built-in security features keep your network safe, and the UniFi app makes setup easy. Supporting multiple networks allows for efficient device management. While it’s pricier, the reliability and user-friendly functionality make the UDM-SE a worthwhile investment for any home network. Highly recommended!

Would recommend to everyone looking for a router

Don't waste your money on the overpriced "gaming" routers

Reliable
No Uptime Problems
Easy to use UI

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Already looking at scaling up with more switches and APs in the near future, this product has sold me on the Ubiquity Eco System. Would recommend to everyone looking for a router

Don't waste your money on the overpriced "gaming" routers

Reliable
No Uptime Problems
Easy to use UI

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Already looking at scaling up with more switches and APs in the near future, this product has sold me on the Ubiquity Eco System.

This is an excellent piece of equipment. I use this for my home setup and nothing could be easier. The speed is better, the control is outstanding, and linking other UniFi products is simple. There is no steep learning curve and the UI is very intuitive. People have put a lot of work into the UX of it. The nvr size is perfect for a home or small business and the POE offered can run a few AP's and cameras without issues. I wish i had gotten this sooner!! This is an excellent piece of equipment. I use this for my home setup and nothing could be easier. The speed is better, the control is outstanding, and linking other UniFi products is simple. There is no steep learning curve and the UI is very intuitive. People have put a lot of work into the UX of it. The nvr size is perfect for a home or small business and the POE offered can run a few AP's and cameras without issues. I wish i had gotten this sooner!!

Well built and easy to setup. Everything in one nice box. Well built and easy to setup. Everything in one nice box.

Ubiquiti gear is amazing, solid performance, easy to install and you can’t really go wrong. Their support can take a while sometimes, but what vendor doesn’t?

Ubiquiti really shines when you start adding components like cameras, doorbells, sensors and the likes. No monthly subscription fees either like eufy or ring. Ubiquiti gear is amazing, solid performance, easy to install and you can’t really go wrong. Their support can take a while sometimes, but what vendor doesn’t?

Ubiquiti really shines when you start adding components like cameras, doorbells, sensors and the likes. No monthly subscription fees either like eufy or ring.