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Ubiquiti Unifi Dream Machine 802.11ac Wi-Fi Router & 90 Day Subscription to The Sizzle - $509 Delivered

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Ubiquiti Unifi Dream Machine 802.11ac Wi-Fi Router & 90 Day Subscription to The Sizzle - $509 Delivered
Go to Deal
Store Repdecryption @ The Sizzle on 23/01/2020 - 09:03 thesizzle.substack.com (1989 clicks)
Last edited 23/01/2020 - 11:14

I've arranged a one-off bulk order of the Ubiquiti Unifi Dream Machine (UDM) with official Australian distributor to bring the price down to a low $509 including credit card fees & delivery anywhere in Australia.

I will also chuck in a free 90 day paid subscription to my email newsletter, The Sizzle (worth around $15) - heaps of OzBargainers are subscribers and if you're into tech you'll like it too.

Timeline for the bulk buy is as follows:

  • 30th Jan @ 11:59pm - bulk buy orders close
  • 31st Jan @ 9am - order placed with distributor
  • 4th Feb - UDMs arrive with me & I get them ready for shipping
  • 6th Feb - courier collects UDMs
  • 7th, 10th, 11th Feb - deliveries start arriving

If you have any questions, check out the order page's FAQ or ask away in the comments - I'm happy to assist!

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closed Comments

  • kulprit on 23/01/2020 - 09:19
    +4

    Can I have a UDM Pro please :) Wish they'd release it out of early access.

    • Store Repdecryption @ The Sizzle on 23/01/2020 - 10:32
      +2

      Even when Ubiquiti decides to sell it, it'll be pretty expensive. Probably overkill for most people - hence why I didn't wait and decided to go for a bulk buy on the UDM.

      • skwashd on 23/01/2020 - 11:35

        Based on the early access pricing it will probably come it at close to 700AUD. Not a cheap piece of kit, but they pack a lot into the case. It is better value than the current USG Pro.

        The UDM only has a single WAN port. The Pro only offers 2 WAN ports. I've gone back to pfSense for my gateway so I can have the redundancy I want.

        • kulprit on 23/01/2020 - 11:54

          Yeah we are building a new house and I've got 16 ports around from the central rack.

          So ideally grabbing a gen2 fanless 16 Poe, then a udm Pro will get me to 24 ports.

          I don't want the NVR (using surveillance station) or the controller (happy to run in docker), but buying a current USG seems silly. Could then just get a 24 port switch though.

          Currently planning 2 nano hd ceiling mounted, 1 on each floor.

          • JimmyF on 23/01/2020 - 13:48

            @kulprit: The new gen 2 24 port Poe switches are fanless. Just saying :)

            • kulprit on 23/01/2020 - 19:44

              @JimmyF: I thought the 16s were as well?

              • JimmyF on 23/01/2020 - 19:52

                @kulprit: yes they are too. Was more just pointing it out in case you didn't know already and wanted to go a single 24 port poe switch that was fanless :)

                Fanless 24 port poe switches isn't that common! so I was happy with the gen2 range came out.

                • kulprit on 23/01/2020 - 20:15

                  @JimmyF: Thanks. Yeah definitely waiting for a Gen 2. Just writing it what to do about getting the right number of ports and what router if I don't want a usg

  • johndory on 23/01/2020 - 09:45
    +4

    can you unlock one of your more recent sizzles so we can see what your on about

    • Store Repdecryption @ The Sizzle on 23/01/2020 - 10:32
      +8

      Unlocked the latest week of Sizzle issues - enjoy :)

  • Click_It on 23/01/2020 - 09:55

    2 questions (I'll be moving soon, into another FTTN area so I understand the modem bridge mode requirements)

    So let's say I buy the Unifi Dream Machine - The house I will be looking for is 4-5 bedrooms + self-contained granny flat (my office).

    1. For a larger size home what access point(s) are recommended to add to this device?

    2. Is the impact of no WiFi 6 something to be concerned about? I'd plan to have this for 5+ years. I don't want to go OTT on my gear but don't want to be stuck with a slouch either (which I don't think this will be)

    Suggestions would be much appreciated.

    • zfa on 23/01/2020 - 10:07

      1. Just add on any other Ubiquiti AP and adopt it into the built-in controller - e.g. Unifi AC Lite, Pro Nano HD etc.

      2. This is one of the reasons I'm not into the UDM. When and if I need Wifi6 APs I won't be using the inbuilt AP (or maybe I will but it won't be Wifi6) so seems a waste to have it. I normally pass off my tech cast-offs to friends and the inlaws etc but with this I can't. I think this is more for those that don't care about having sepearates for upgradability and ability to swap things out but rather like havnig a single device in a nice form factor. It's like a lifestyle product for wifi.

      • Click_It on 23/01/2020 - 10:13

        Good answers thanks! I do like the idea of the single device after having a bits and pieces set up for years, but given the 5+ time frame, lack of WiFi 6 is a concern.

        So my next question: (You can PM me if you don't feel its appropriate to chat here)

        1. If I don't buy this, which WiFi 6 Mesh alternatives might you recommend? (I don't mind spending a bit more)
        • zfa on 23/01/2020 - 10:23

          Tbe completely honest I've not even looked into Wifi6 APs yet. I'm going to let the technology settle down a bit and probably won't even look at it myself until I'm on the verge of getting my first wifi6 client devices. I don't really shuffle enough data around at home, nor use latency sensitive stuff on wireless, to benefit from it and my NBN isn't exactly setting any records here no matter how quick I make my internal network.

        • bindok on 23/01/2020 - 11:21

          ASUS rt-ax92u

    • thefud on 23/01/2020 - 10:28

      I am in a similar boat. We are building a 30 sq house at the moment and I want to use a mix of the following to achieve coverage with a low visual footprint (no WAP on roof):
      - USG
      - Cloud Key
      - 8 Port Switch ( might sub out to unmanaged, non Ubiq)
      - 3x UAP-AC-IW for coverage and additional Ethernet points in the home theatre, living room and rumpus room

      Cost of this approach is around $1000 and allows to add CCTV later at additional cost of storage media and cameras.

      Would we be better to sub out the USG, one IW-AP and Cloud Key for one of these?

      • Store Repdecryption @ The Sizzle on 23/01/2020 - 10:45

        It would be cheaper to buy the UDM instead of the USG (which is a bit old now), 1x access point and a Cloud Key. Bit neater too if you aren't going to have a rack anywhere in your house. I have a similar sized house and use 3x access points to cover the joint. So a single UDM plus two UniFi APs of your choice will get the job done. That leaves 2x spare ports on the UDM's switch, so you might still need a cheap 8-port gigabit switch ($30-$40 for an unmanaged one) to handle extra hardwired devices.

        • thefud on 23/01/2020 - 11:02
          +1

          I need one for my house any way. Purchased. Thanks OP.

        • Smigit on 23/01/2020 - 12:12

          Solution being cheaper depends on the cloud key they are after by and large. USG is fairly regularly around $160, UAP-AC-IW looks to be around $160 and the gen 1 key is $110ish.

          UDM will be cleaner and perhaps more importantly, more robust, given both the cloud key (gen 1) and USG are older devices. From what I can see the UDM also has a battery to shut the controller down cleanly which is important, the gen 1's are known to corrupt themselves with unexpected shutdowns. Thats solved in the gen 2 keys but thats an extra $180 on top of a gen 1 key price at which point the UDM will be the cheaper option.

          Personally I'd go the UDM for the performance and built in battery.

      • justtoreply on 23/01/2020 - 11:19

        30 sq?

        One 8m ethernet cable will do your whole house :p

        • thefud on 23/01/2020 - 11:21

          Perimeter - I don't really understand why builders quote this figure either. Area is 280 square meters … so 10 x 8m Ethernet cables? :)

      • Berek on 23/01/2020 - 11:34

        Please note.
        If you’re going to add more ap’s you will NEED a POE switch or POE injectors. Then it starts to become messy. No idea why they didn’t include 60w Poe on the ports or even just one or two.

        • thefud on 23/01/2020 - 11:43

          Factored in - when I was referring to - 8 port switch, I was referring to one with POE on each port for future CCTV.

        • mattkenny on 23/01/2020 - 14:20

          I heard heat dissipation was an issue with trying to stuff a PoE switch into the dream machine form factor. They tried it but had issues by the sounds of it.

          I just wish the USG would be updated to have the same CPU this thing gets. I instead opted for a standalone pfsense router ($200 mini pc the size of a NUC), with a separate nanoHD AP. Not as seamless, but easy enough to configure the vlans, etc on each device separately.

      • nathanos on 23/01/2020 - 15:45
        +1

        With what you're after, you definitely want to go with the UDM.

        I'd be cautious about buying the UAP-AC-IW: https://community.ui.com/questions/Announcement-EOL-for-some…

        As for your APs, I'd really recommend the NanoHD units as they are quite compact and if you really want to you can buy a recess mount so they're even more hidden. https://unifi-nanohd.ui.com/

        If you're dead against ceiling mounted APs, then you might consider the new FlexHD which are mini Coke can sized APs that you can strategically place around your house on bookshelves or coffee tables, or mount them on the wall etc. https://unifi-flexhd.ui.com/

        If you're going down the Unifi path, I'd highly encourage you to stay within the brand for all your networking devices as it makes it a lot easier to manage and doing things like VLANs a lot easier.

        For 8 port switches, there are two varieties you'd want to consider - the US8 and the US8-60W. The US8-60W has 4 ports POE and 4 normal ports and is powered by a brick. The US8 has 1 POE port and 7 normal ports. The US8 comes with a power brick, but the added advantage is that you can also power it via POE passthrough from port 1. This is very useful for those who have centrally cabled their house and want to run a switch in their theatre or lounge rooms without having to run a power brick to a power point. https://www.ui.com/unifi-switching/unifi-switch-8/

        If you are considering CCTV, the Unifi Protect product is actually quite a good system with a very user friendly phone app that simply works. Only issue here is you'll need to go for the CloudKey Gen2+ or wait for the UDM-Pro which I'm guessing will come out sometime in the next few months. The UDM-Pro is basically a rackmount version of the UDM, but it excludes the Access Point and replaces it with Unifi Protect and a 3.5" hard drive slot for camera storage.

    • Store Repdecryption @ The Sizzle on 23/01/2020 - 10:40
      +1

      The UniFi FlexHD or UniFi nanoHD are the best access points to add for most people - but any of the UniFi access points will work fine.

      In my personal opinion, Wi-Fi 6 will take a while to gather steam on the vendor side and even then the advantages are relatively limited for home use. Most of the wi-fi 6 benefits are designed for high density deployments like offices. Here's some more info on the benefits wi-fi 6 will bring.

      • Click_It on 23/01/2020 - 11:07
        +1

        Thanks for your reply!

      • whats up skip on 23/01/2020 - 12:23

        I disagree on the WiFi 6. I think it will be a major advantage as houses have more and more IoT devices on WiFi. WiFi 6 allows allocation of small bandwidth streams for IoT devices, while concurrently allowing larger streams for devices that need it. The problem is going to be the lack of WiFi 6 in IoT devices and there seems to be no chipsets even announced.

        One other thing that puts me off these all in one devices is the inability to locate the WiFi Access Point in the best location. Placement is really important for obtaining the best performance from WiFi particularly 5GHz.

    • Store Repdecryption @ The Sizzle on 23/01/2020 - 11:05
      +2

      Regarding getting internet access to the granny flat - you might appreciate Ubiquiti's UniFi Building-to-Building Bridge - uses a 60GHz radio to create a short distance bridge between two buildings. Not sure when it's going on sale here, but it's a pretty tidy solution if running a cable between the main premises and the granny flat isn't feasible.

      • Click_It on 23/01/2020 - 20:12

        That's good to know! I haven't sold and started looking yet to know but given I'll be renting I'd say this will be a great addition.

    • willyroo on 23/01/2020 - 12:36

      I don't want to go OTT on my gear but don't want to be stuck with a slouch either

      The UDM is likely to be a bit of overkill - it's a great device however you'll get more coverage for your $$ with:
      * A USG - street price around $185
      * 1 or 2 (dependent on ceiling locations and accessibility) UAP-AC-Lite or UAP-AC-LR

      This setup will be better than almost any wireless router (ie router and WiFi in the same unit) for most larger homes. All the above devices, like the UDM, are run from the Unifi Controller.

      • Store Repdecryption @ The Sizzle on 23/01/2020 - 12:39

        The UDM has a built-in UniFi Controller - that's what makes it so cost effective versus purchasing stuff separately.

        • willyroo on 23/01/2020 - 12:43

          I'm cheaper with a USG and 2 x APs - with the same controller software. Sure the UDM is all in one with some additional features, however for most home and SOHOs :)

          • Chandler on 23/01/2020 - 14:20

            @willyroo: You're not including the price of what you're using to run the controller.

            The USG also doesn't have enough ports to run 2 x APs, unless you're running them on separate subnets (which does require some configuration to have them talk to each other). All your clients would then also need to be connected over wireless.

            The UDM is basically a 4-in-1

            • Router (USG)
            • Switch (USW)
            • Wireless Access Point (UAP)
            • Controller server (UCK)

            My current configuartion has a USG with a UAP plugged into WAN2 (configured as LAN) and a RPi plugged into LAN1 running the UniFi controller (under HASSio).

      • tp0 on 23/01/2020 - 12:40

        The UDM has the advantage of having a built in Cloud Key to run the controller. Under your proposal you ideally need a server or always on PC to run the controller from (I know you don't have to, but it helps a lot).

        Some people also need more than two LAN ports. If you want them managed like they are on the UDM that's an additional expensive as well.

        The AP in the UDM is more comparable to a Nano or FlexHD.

        • willyroo on 23/01/2020 - 12:45

          Under your proposal you ideally need a server or always on PC to run the controller from (I know you don't have to, but it helps a lot).

          Let's agree to completely disagree on this one :) - for most of us using the USG / AP combo, it's a fantastic way to run a pretty sophisticated home/SOHO network.

        • zfa on 23/01/2020 - 13:06
          +1

          For info, if you've got a Gmail / Google account (most people, I'd say) you can run the Unifi Controller in the free tier instance of Google Cloud Compute. We get charged a little bit here for egress traffic to AU but I've never paid over about 4c in a month when I have had to pay for that.

          Downside is it's non-local so you can't access it when you're offline (can still access it via the app on your phone or something of course). Upside is it's free (the Ozbargainer in me) and it can manage multiple sites so, for example, my instance also manages the setup of a couple of friends and my brother.

          • Smigit on 23/01/2020 - 13:42

            @zfa: Out of interest how do you secure the cloud instance? I’ve looked at some tutorials on moving a controller to the cloud and every single one had a controller admin panel that was public facing and only protected via user name and password. No second factor or anything like that to properly secure the controller. Personally, that’s put me off cloud hosting a controller so I stuck it on an old Raspberry Pi instead. Controller has some access anyway via Unifi Cloud but the access to the account at least has two factor on it.

            Do you do anything to additionally secure the system?

            • zfa on 23/01/2020 - 13:50

              @Smigit: That's a good point. Firstly you should use a non-standard admin account name and good password just like on everything that might even be publicly accessible.

              What I do is the following:

              • My network devices are configured to talk to the static IP GCP provides me with (in my case I have my local DNS server return the backend IP when a lookup is made for unifi.mydomain.com, but you could just use the IP directly if you wanted. I only did what I did because I have a DNS forwarder onsite which can do what I want - you could do this with pi-hole or directly with dnsmasq, dnscrypt-proxy etc).

              • mydomain.com has it's DNS hosted at Cloudflare and I enable proxying (orange-cloud) there for the unifi subdomain - anyone accessing unifi.mydomain.com therefore passes via Cloudflare (unless they know the backend IP directly, as per step 1).

              • I have a firewall rule at Cloudflare to enable javascript challenge on access and a few bits about bots etc. One could alternatively use Cloudflare Access here to ensure only truly authorise people can access it. You don't want to be too tight though as you do want to actually get access when out and about just in case. A JS challenge for all, and a hard block any access not in AU would be sufficient in most cases.

              • Based on all traffic coming into GCP having to pass through Cloudflare or come directly form your home IP you could (I don't) tighten the firewall at GCP to only allow access from the Cloudflare IP address ranges and your home IP (if static, otherwise use a suitable range such as your telco's ASN, or even just all Australia). As I say, I don't bother with that bit as not many folk will hit upon my instance anyway and it's got that first line of defence - good user/password anyway. But it may be wise if you're paranoid.

              EDIT:

              For the uninitiated, a JS challenge is a check Cloudflare performs to say whether access is valid or not by running some js in your browser. It stops bots and bad actors getting access. Cloudflare Firewall are very clever, you can have slightly-spammy people 'challenged' and very spammy blocked completely. You can challenge/block based on IP, referer, ASN, country, an internal Cloudflare spam score, if the access is a known bot etc. Very useful for protecting any home web services.

              Cloudflare Access can enforce authentication before proxying traffic - so you could only allow access if someone logged in via their GMail, say, first.

    • Diji1 on 23/01/2020 - 15:30
      -2

      into another FTTN area

      Thank Telstra, who are 60 billion dollars better off after hijacking the NBN fibre plan so that your fixed line internet is shit. Remember, tax payers pay for the NBN and then pay off the NBN while giving pointless middlemen the profits.

      And the morons who voted for Malcom Turnbull.

      • JimmyF on 23/01/2020 - 19:54

        That wasn't Telstras doing, that was crabott and the turdbull.

  • cloudie9 on 23/01/2020 - 09:58
    +1

    Too bad while most of the manufacturers went for wifi 6, ubiquiti still stuck at wifi 5.

    • Store Repdecryption @ The Sizzle on 23/01/2020 - 10:46
      +1

      Ubiquiti were slow to the 802.11ac game as well - they tend to be more conservative with their adoption of new wi-fi standards and don't implement it until it's reliable (they got burned on their first 802.11ac device).

    • Smigit on 23/01/2020 - 13:46

      It’s disappointing. Their Amplifi device announced November last year has WiFi 6.

  • rkeniger on 23/01/2020 - 10:02
    +4

    I highly recommend The Sizzle, btw, I've subscribed for years and it's awesome.

    • Store Repdecryption @ The Sizzle on 23/01/2020 - 10:46

      Thank you :)

  • steff on 23/01/2020 - 11:32

    Hi OP,

    Looking at the application diagram on page 2 of the PDF you linked to, just wondering if this is a good (secure) way to access and store files to a FreeNAS? Thanks

    • Store Repdecryption @ The Sizzle on 23/01/2020 - 11:36
      +1

      If you already have a FreeNAS device, just plug it in to the ethernet port on the UDM and off you go. It's really no better or worse than any other similar spec router for this purpose. Your wi-fi clients might get a benefit from the more robust wi-fi, and you might be able to leverage UniFi's more advanced feature set to lock it down/restrict access better than a consumer level router.

  • gbhushan on 23/01/2020 - 11:40

    Pardon my ignorance - but is it better than Velop or netgear Orbi? I am plannint to get Mesh wifi in my home and stumbled across this post. Looks interesting - hence the questions.

    • kulprit on 23/01/2020 - 11:50

      This isn't a mesh system, so a bit different. This item is a router and access point (plus NVR and controller). Which is a first for unifi.

      If you want mesh and ubiquiti then look at the amplify line.

    • Store Repdecryption @ The Sizzle on 23/01/2020 - 11:51

      This isn't a mesh wi-fi unit as such, but it does have wireless uplink feature for additional access points that can link back to a wired access point.

      Support document: https://help.ubnt.com/hc/en-us/articles/115002262328-UniFi-U…
      Video: https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/514469

      • daven1985 on 23/01/2020 - 19:43

        The mesh/wireless uplink feature does work amazingly, I run it at home.

  • abb on 23/01/2020 - 11:57
    +2

    So… it's a WiFi router… What does it do for me better than one for half the price (or less)?

    I know Ubiquiti makes good gear, I just don't see a product description here that justifies the price.
    Even reading the PDF all I can see is 1.7GHz processor and Deep Packet Inspection, which your average home router won't have (or probably have much need for?)

  • cheapbloke on 23/01/2020 - 12:02

    How much is the savings? What is the RRP? You may want to add this to the description.

    • Store Repdecryption @ The Sizzle on 23/01/2020 - 12:25

      RRP is $599, sometimes goes on sale on eBay for around $535.

    • whats up skip on 23/01/2020 - 12:26
      -3

      Retailers are not supposed to make reference to RRP. They are only supposed to make reference to savings compared to what they were selling it before. Really RRP is not relevant.

      • nedski on 23/01/2020 - 12:29
        +1

        Scorptec has it currently for $549.

        https://www.scorptec.com.au/product/Networking/Modems-&-Rout…

        Not trying to undo your deal guy. I appreciate the effort. Just trying to understand what these things usually go for.

        • Store Repdecryption @ The Sizzle on 23/01/2020 - 12:30
          +5

          That's alright, $509 with free postage and no payment fees is still a decent chunk cheaper than $549 :)

  • crichz on 23/01/2020 - 12:21

    Does this model support VPN Client mode?

    • Store Repdecryption @ The Sizzle on 23/01/2020 - 12:29

      Not at the moment - Ubiquiti have said it's on their roadmap, but VPN client support (i.e: connecting to a VPN network so all your WAN traffic goes through a VPN) isn't on the UDM right now.

  • autolux on 23/01/2020 - 13:32
    -4

    Wouldn't touch a Ubiquiti device if they paid me to take it…

  • UncleCheapSteam on 23/01/2020 - 13:36

    can i use it as the router for FTTC?

    • Store Repdecryption @ The Sizzle on 23/01/2020 - 13:40

      Yes - you need to place your ISP provided VDSL modem into bridge mode and then connect it to the WAN port on the Dream Machine.

  • 881jz on 23/01/2020 - 13:58

    $501.50+ $11.90 shipping or free pickup if in VIC.never used devicedeal though. https://www.devicedeal.com.au/ubiquiti-unifi-dream-machine-a…

  • dischucker on 23/01/2020 - 14:30

    I’m confused by this line in the FAQ:

    Does the price include GST?
    No.

    Isn’t it illegal to sell or advertise a product without GST?

  • MAB on 23/01/2020 - 15:57

    Whats the advantage of this, over say Google Wifi 3 router mesh system?

    • dischucker on 23/01/2020 - 17:47

      Unifi is an ecosystem of devices that gives you a lot of control over how your network operates. For most home users this control is not worth the learning curve and complexity but for those of us who need the control, it allows you to configure virtual LANs, powerful firewall rules and QOS, etc. It really shines when setting up lots of smart home devices where you want to segregate dodgy Chinese devices from the rest of your home network (using vLANs).

      Furthermore, although the Unifi access points (ACs) can operate in a mesh configuration, most people use Ethernet to connect the multiple APs to their router/switch.

  • Mudflap on 23/01/2020 - 16:26
    +1

    ordered, thanks OP

  • Wilkshire13 on 23/01/2020 - 16:49
    +1

    Credit where it is due, this sale price is just over distributor prices, so it works out in the purchaser's favour. You bet to be getting a decent deal on these for 100+ devices otherwise you would be struggling to breakeven. Good on ya!

  • 4tran on 23/01/2020 - 19:28

    Is this the same router? If so, damnn..

  • garethds on 23/01/2020 - 19:32

    Now cheaper and free shipping
    https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/514605

  • Store Repdecryption @ The Sizzle on 23/01/2020 - 19:40
    +24

    I've decided to cancel the bulk buy after getting undercut by Wireless1 - the 9 people that ordered will have their money refunded tonight.
    I didn't end up making any money, but at least I got the price down for everyone to enjoy :)

    • nedski on 23/01/2020 - 22:00

      Thanks for trying though!

    • Master Bates on 23/01/2020 - 22:25

      Thanks for your efforts decryption. I’m unlikely to purchase one myself, but have been enjoying the conversation in this post.

  • sintro on 23/01/2020 - 23:04
    -1

    $500 for a router is too expensive anyway what are they thinking.

    • kaleidoscope on 24/01/2020 - 08:57
      +1

      when you say like that sure… but this is not what you think. its a router / firewall/ cloud key, unifi controller, mimo wifi accesspoint and managed ports all in one solution. If you were to get those individually it would far exceed the cost.

      The cheapest security gateway they have (usg) does a decent job for standalone unit but if you enable ips it limits the throughput below 100Mbps where in this unit its around 800+Mbs.

  • Rod AUS on 23/01/2020 - 23:45

    WiFi 6 is here, we need to get rid of old stuff now, fast!

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