Ubiquiti UniFi Switch USW-Flex-Mini 5-Port Managed Gigabit Ethernet Switch with USB-C Power Adapter

Great unit for the price, especially if you've bought into the UniFi Network ecosystem. A note of caution however is these units are a COMPLETE pain in the ... to configure if your controller is remote. This is discussed at length in the UniFi forums so be informed before purchase, we needed to connect the unit directly to the network where the controller resided AND select 'Override inform host with controller hostname/IP' before it would adopt and do it's firmware upgrade. No SSH access so you can't do a 'set-inform' sadly. Great unit for the price, especially if you've bought into the UniFi Network ecosystem. A note of caution however is these units are a COMPLETE pain in the ... to configure if your controller is remote. This is discussed at length in the UniFi forums so be informed before purchase, we needed to connect the unit directly to the network where the controller resided AND select 'Override inform host with controller hostname/IP' before it would adopt and do it's firmware upgrade. No SSH access so you can't do a 'set-inform' sadly.

Amuses me other reviewers are complaining that it's not a hardcore-enough switch with SSH etc.

For this price it's perfect. It's extremely lightweight, compact, runs cool - and has two ways of powering itself - power over ethernet, or (wait for it) USB-C. As far as I can tell this is the only USB-C powered gigabit switch you can get (in NZ) for under $100.

Oh yeah and it's also managed and integrates with the Ubuiqiti ecosystem. Good luck finding better value than this. Amuses me other reviewers are complaining that it's not a hardcore-enough switch with SSH etc.

For this price it's perfect. It's extremely lightweight, compact, runs cool - and has two ways of powering itself - power over ethernet, or (wait for it) USB-C. As far as I can tell this is the only USB-C powered gigabit switch you can get (in NZ) for under $100.

Oh yeah and it's also managed and integrates with the Ubuiqiti ecosystem. Good luck finding better value than this.

By: Bandit 01/11/22

Verified Owner

Cheap and works okay, but UniFi quality is really slipping. Initially it appeared that remote adoption wouldn't work at all. A workaround was to adopt it using a local controller before moving it to a remote controller.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3Yx33fZ9Qs Cheap and works okay, but UniFi quality is really slipping. Initially it appeared that remote adoption wouldn't work at all. A workaround was to adopt it using a local controller before moving it to a remote controller.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3Yx33fZ9Qs

I'm a network engineer by trade with years of experience on Ubiquiti products, and this is the worst UBNT product I've ever used..... The L3 adoption process is just completely broken, even after writing up custom Linux DHCP servers with custom options & following all the guides my L3 adoption just plain failed. With no SSH access, you can't do the standard "set-inform" comman and sit back... Honestly just use this as a dumb L2 switch. UBNT has been slipping for a few years, but this is a really sad bottom. I'm a network engineer by trade with years of experience on Ubiquiti products, and this is the worst UBNT product I've ever used..... The L3 adoption process is just completely broken, even after writing up custom Linux DHCP servers with custom options & following all the guides my L3 adoption just plain failed. With no SSH access, you can't do the standard "set-inform" comman and sit back... Honestly just use this as a dumb L2 switch. UBNT has been slipping for a few years, but this is a really sad bottom.

VLAN tagging is severely limited in its functionality on this product which you only find out about once you try to configure it. You can only configure a port to be either a single network (untagged) or all networks. You can't configure a port to let only some (tagged) network(s) through. VLAN tagging is severely limited in its functionality on this product which you only find out about once you try to configure it. You can only configure a port to be either a single network (untagged) or all networks. You can't configure a port to let only some (tagged) network(s) through.

I needed ethernet jacks at 15m and 30m from the router.
So I bought two of these switches.
Then I ran a ethernet cable from the router to the first switch and then from the first switch to the second switch.
It all works perfectly and required no configuration. I needed ethernet jacks at 15m and 30m from the router.
So I bought two of these switches.
Then I ran a ethernet cable from the router to the first switch and then from the first switch to the second switch.
It all works perfectly and required no configuration.

This switch worked really well for me and just worked for its intended purpose.
In saying that it was a pain to adopt into the UniFi Network ecosystem and required me to hit the forums where I found it was a common problems and also held the answer to the issue.

If you just want to connect and use as a switch, no issues

Setting up the ports as vlans was a bit more work but fine once it was adopted into the UniFi Network system. This switch worked really well for me and just worked for its intended purpose.
In saying that it was a pain to adopt into the UniFi Network ecosystem and required me to hit the forums where I found it was a common problems and also held the answer to the issue.

If you just want to connect and use as a switch, no issues

Setting up the ports as vlans was a bit more work but fine once it was adopted into the UniFi Network system.

Great product, just worked immediately with no configuration required. I used mine off a port on a Ubiquity Gateway Router Great product, just worked immediately with no configuration required. I used mine off a port on a Ubiquity Gateway Router

Super small form factor, and with a design and finish that you don't mind being on show (unlike some switches!) Easy to adopt into my UniFi instance, and I powered it using PoE+ which was really straightforward. Provides the stated throughput speeds for the devices connected to it. Would definitely recommend this where you need a small switch that is a good price and easy on the eye, and if you're already in the UniFi ecosystem it's a no-brainer. Super small form factor, and with a design and finish that you don't mind being on show (unlike some switches!) Easy to adopt into my UniFi instance, and I powered it using PoE+ which was really straightforward. Provides the stated throughput speeds for the devices connected to it. Would definitely recommend this where you need a small switch that is a good price and easy on the eye, and if you're already in the UniFi ecosystem it's a no-brainer.

Nothing sophisticated here - I liked it as it was USBC powered which suited my setup and was a good price. Simple and just worked. Didn't like the power supply port being on the front - tricky for cable management but worked just fine. Nothing sophisticated here - I liked it as it was USBC powered which suited my setup and was a good price. Simple and just worked. Didn't like the power supply port being on the front - tricky for cable management but worked just fine.

These are great little switches, use little power and enable the use of vlans for the tech enthusiast. These are great little switches, use little power and enable the use of vlans for the tech enthusiast.

Great little switch, no need for a power cord if you are plugging into a PoE switch too, perfect for under your desk to run a printer or extra machine you're working on. Plenty of 3D printable brackets around too. Great little switch, no need for a power cord if you are plugging into a PoE switch too, perfect for under your desk to run a printer or extra machine you're working on. Plenty of 3D printable brackets around too.