Ubiquiti Launches Three New UniFi Cloud Gateways – UDR7, UX7 & UCG-Fiber with Wi-Fi 7 & 10G!

Ubiquiti has recently introduced three new UniFi Cloud Gateways: the UniFi Dream Router 7 (UDR7), UniFi Express 7 (UX7), and UniFi Cloud Gateway Fiber (UCG-Fiber). These devices bring significant advancements over the existing UniFi range, particularly in terms of performance, connectivity, and support for the latest technologies.

Key Features and Enhancements:

  1. UniFi Dream Router 7 (UDR7):

    • Wi-Fi 7 Integration: Offers tri-band Wi-Fi 7 with 6-stream capability, including support for the 6 GHz band, providing faster wireless speeds and reduced latency.
    • 10G Connectivity: Equipped with a 10G SFP+ WAN port and three 2.5 GbE LAN ports, one of which supports PoE, facilitating high-speed wired connections.
    • Enhanced Performance: Features a quad-core ARM Cortex A53 1.5GHz CPU and 3GB RAM, ensuring efficient handling of multiple UniFi applications simultaneously.
    • Integrated UniFi Applications: Supports the full suite of UniFi applications, including Network, Protect, Talk, and Access, allowing for comprehensive network management and surveillance capabilities.
    • Compact Design: Maintains a desktop form factor with an integrated power supply and includes a microSD slot for storage expansion.
  2. UniFi Express 7 (UX7):

    • Versatile Functionality: Can operate as a cloud gateway, a wired access point, or extend coverage as a mesh node, offering flexibility in deployment.
    • Wi-Fi 7 Support: Provides 6-stream 6 GHz Wi-Fi 7, ensuring high-speed wireless connectivity.
    • 10G WAN Port: Includes a 10 GbE RJ45 WAN port and a 2.5 GbE LAN port, accommodating high-speed internet connections.
    • Compact Design: Features an ultra-compact desktop form factor, making it suitable for space-constrained environments.
  3. UniFi Cloud Gateway Fiber (UCG-Fiber):

    • High-Speed Connectivity: Equipped with two 10G SFP+ ports and one 10 GbE RJ45 port, facilitating high-speed fiber and Ethernet connections.
    • Integrated PoE Switch: Includes a 2.5 GbE PoE+ capable switch, allowing for direct connection and powering of devices like access points and cameras.
    • Storage Support: Offers M.2 NVMe storage support, enhancing performance for applications like UniFi Protect.
    • Comprehensive UniFi Application Support: Capable of running the full suite of UniFi applications, providing a centralized solution for network management and security.
    • Desktop Form Factor: Designed for compact desktop deployment, making it suitable for various environments without the need for rack mounting.

Comparative Overview:

Feature/Model UniFi Dream Router 7 (UDR7) UniFi Express 7 (UX7) UniFi Cloud Gateway Fiber (UCG-Fiber)
Wi-Fi Standard Wi-Fi 7 (6-stream, 6 GHz) Wi-Fi 7 (6-stream, 6 GHz) N/A
WAN Ports 1x 10G SFP+, 1x 2.5 GbE 1x 10 GbE RJ45 1x 10G SFP+, 1x 10 GbE RJ45
LAN Ports 3x 2.5 GbE (1x PoE) 1x 2.5 GbE 1x 10G SFP+, 4x 2.5 GbE (1x PoE+)
Form Factor Desktop Compact Desktop Desktop
UniFi Application Support Full Suite Network Full Suite

Advancements Over Regular UniFi Range:

  • Enhanced Wireless Performance: The integration of Wi-Fi 7 in the UDR7 and UX7 models offers improved speeds, reduced latency, and access to the 6 GHz band, surpassing the Wi-Fi 6 capabilities of previous UniFi devices.
  • Multi-Gigabit Connectivity: The inclusion of 10G ports across the new models addresses the growing demand for higher bandwidth, a significant upgrade from the 1G ports commonly found in earlier UniFi products.
  • Versatile Deployment Options: The UX7’s ability to function as a cloud gateway, wired AP, or mesh node provides flexible solutions for various network setups, enhancing the adaptability of the UniFi ecosystem.
  • Integrated Application Support: The UDR7 and UCG-Fiber’s capability to run the full suite of UniFi applications allows for centralized management of networking, security, and IoT devices, streamlining operations compared to the more limited application support in the regular range.

These new UniFi Cloud Gateways cater to users seeking advanced networking solutions with high-speed connectivity, modern wireless standards, and comprehensive application support, marking a significant evolution from the existing UniFi offerings.

  • Get the UDR7 if you want Wi-Fi 7, full UniFi features, and multi-gig speeds.
  • Get the UX7 if you need a basic but high-speed UniFi Wi-Fi 7 router or mesh extender.
  • Get the UCG-Fiber if you need fiber-based networking, PoE support, and an advanced firewall/VPN solution.

UniFi Dream Router 7 (UDR7) vs. UniFi Dream Machine (UDM) – What’s New?

The UniFi Dream Router 7 (UDR7) is a significant upgrade over the UniFi Dream Machine (UDM) in several key areas, particularly Wi-Fi 7, Multi-Gig networking, VPN, and security features. Below is a full comparison of what has changed:


📌 Feature Comparison: UDR7 vs. UDM

Feature UDM (Old) UDR7 (New) Upgrade?
Wi-Fi Standard Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) ✅ Huge leap
Wi-Fi Speeds Up to 1.7 Gbps Up to 5.7 Gbps (6GHz) ✅ 3x Faster
Wi-Fi Bands 2.4GHz, 5GHz 2.4GHz, 5GHz, 6GHz ✅ Tri-band
MU-MIMO 4×4 2×2 (DL/UL MU-MIMO per band) 🔺 Different approach
LAN Ports 4x 1GbE 3x 2.5GbE (1 PoE+), 1x 10G SFP+ ✅ Multi-Gig support
WAN Ports 1x 1GbE 1x 10G SFP+, 1x 2.5GbE RJ45 ✅ Multi-Gig WAN
VPN Support Limited WireGuard, OpenVPN, L2TP, Teleport VPN ✅ Full VPN support
IDS/IPS Throughput Limited 2.3 Gbps ✅ More security without slowdowns
Firewall Basic Layer 7 Stateful Firewall with Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) ✅ Advanced security
PoE Support ❌ No 1x PoE+ (15.4W) ✅ PoE for APs or cameras
UniFi Protect (NVR) ❌ No Yes (64GB microSD included, expandable) ✅ Built-in NVR
Storage Expansion ❌ None microSD slot for additional storage ✅ Extra storage
Integrated Bluetooth Yes Yes ➖ Same
Power Consumption 26W 26W (excluding PoE) ➖ Same
Processor Quad-Core ARM Cortex-A57 @ 1.7GHz Quad-Core ARM Cortex-A53 @ 1.5GHz 🔻 Downgrade in CPU but more efficient
RAM 2GB 3GB ✅ More RAM for handling devices
Weight 1.1 kg (2.3 lbs) 1.1 kg (2.4 lbs) ➖ Same
Enclosure Polycarbonate Polycarbonate ➖ Same
Management Apps UniFi Network UniFi Network, Protect, Access, Talk, Connect ✅ Full UniFi Suite

🔍 Key Improvements in the UniFi Dream Router 7 (UDR7)

1️⃣ Wi-Fi 7 for 3x Faster Wireless Speeds

  • Tri-band (2.4GHz, 5GHz, 6GHz) vs. UDM’s Dual-band
  • MU-MIMO & 320MHz Wi-Fi 7 bandwidth for ultra-fast wireless

2️⃣ Multi-Gig Networking (10G & 2.5GbE)

  • 10G SFP+ WAN port & 2.5GbE LAN ports (UDM only had 1GbE)
  • Great for fiber internet & high-speed networks

3️⃣ Built-in VPN & Security Upgrades

  • WireGuard, OpenVPN, L2TP, and Teleport VPN
  • Stateful Layer 7 Firewall & IDS/IPS with Deep Packet Inspection (DPI)
  • Ad blocking & UniFi CyberSecure option (20,000+ security signatures)

4️⃣ Integrated UniFi Protect (NVR)

  • 64GB microSD for recording up to 5 HD or 2 2K cameras
  • Expandable storage via microSD slot

5️⃣ Power-over-Ethernet (PoE+)

  • 1x PoE+ (15.4W) port to power an access point or camera

⚖️ Should You Upgrade?

Use Case Best Choice
Need Future-Proof Wi-Fi & Faster Internet 🏆 UDR7 (Wi-Fi 7 & 10G support)
Already Happy with 1GbE & Wi-Fi 5 🚫 No upgrade needed (UDM is fine)
Want Built-in VPN & Network Security 🏆 UDR7 (WireGuard, L2TP, OpenVPN)
Need UniFi Protect for Security Cameras 🏆 UDR7 (Built-in NVR)
Home User with Basic Needs 🔹 UDM is still good

🏁 Final Verdict

  • The UDR7 is a major upgrade if you need Wi-Fi 7, 10G networking, VPN, security, and built-in UniFi Protect.
  • If you’re happy with Wi-Fi 5, don’t need high speeds, and don’t use UniFi Protect, your UDM is still a solid option.
  • For businesses or power users needing fiber and more PoE, the UCG-Fiber might be a better choice.

💡 Would you like a visual infographic to summarize the changes? 🚀

UniFi Express (UX) vs. UniFi Express 7 (UX7) – Key Differences & Upgrades

The UniFi Express 7 (UX7) is a major upgrade over the UniFi Express (UX), bringing Wi-Fi 7, Multi-Gig networking, higher device capacity, and improved security. Below is a full comparison of what’s changed:


📌 Feature Comparison: UX vs. UX7

Feature UniFi Express (Old UX) UniFi Express 7 (New UX7) Upgrade?
Wi-Fi Standard Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) ✅ Major upgrade
Wi-Fi Speeds 5 GHz: 2.4 Gbps
2.4 GHz: 573 Mbps
6 GHz: 5.7 Gbps<br>5 GHz: 4.3 Gbps<br>2.4 GHz: 688 Mbps ✅ 2.5x Faster
Wi-Fi Bands 2.4GHz, 5GHz 2.4GHz, 5GHz, 6GHz (Tri-band) ✅ More capacity
MIMO 2×2 MU-MIMO 2×2 MU-MIMO across all bands ➖ Same
LAN Ports 1x 1GbE 1x 2.5GbE LAN ✅ Multi-Gig LAN
WAN Ports 1x 1GbE 1x 10GbE RJ45 WAN ✅ 10GbE support
Managed UniFi Devices 4 30 ✅ Huge upgrade
Max Simultaneous Users 50+ 300 ✅ 6x More users
IDS/IPS Throughput Limited 2.3 Gbps ✅ More security without slowdowns
Firewall Layer 7 Stateful Firewall Advanced Stateful Firewall with DPI ✅ More security features
VPN Support OpenVPN, WireGuard, L2TP Full VPN Suite: WireGuard, OpenVPN, L2TP, Teleport VPN ✅ More VPN options
Security Features Ad blocking, IPS/IDS IPS/IDS (20,000+ signatures with CyberSecure) ✅ Enterprise-grade security
Power Consumption 10W 22W 🔺 Higher power usage
Power Method USB-C (5V DC/3A) USB-C (5V DC/5A) 🔺 More power required
Processor Dual-Core ARM Cortex-A53 @ 1GHz Quad-Core ARM Cortex-A53 @ 1.5GHz ✅ Faster CPU
RAM 1GB 3GB ✅ 3x More RAM
Weight 302g (10.7 oz) 422g (14.9 oz) 🔺 Heavier
Software Features UniFi Network UniFi Network + Full SD-WAN & VPN Suite ✅ Better software
Enclosure Polycarbonate Polycarbonate ➖ Same

🔍 Key Improvements in the UniFi Express 7 (UX7)

1️⃣ Wi-Fi 7 for Faster Speeds & More Devices

  • Tri-band (2.4GHz, 5GHz, 6GHz) vs. Dual-band on UX
  • MU-MIMO & 320MHz channels for ultra-fast wireless
  • 5.7 Gbps on 6GHz vs. 2.4 Gbps on UX’s Wi-Fi 6

2️⃣ 10GbE WAN + 2.5GbE LAN for High-Speed Networking

  • Old UX: 1GbE WAN & 1GbE LAN (Limited to Gigabit speeds)
  • New UX7: 10GbE WAN + 2.5GbE LAN (Great for fiber internet)

3️⃣ Increased Device Capacity (From 4 → 30 Managed Devices)

  • UX7 can manage more UniFi devices (switches, APs, cameras)
  • Supports 300 simultaneous users (Old UX maxed out at 50)

4️⃣ Enterprise-Level Security Features

  • IPS/IDS with 20,000+ signatures (CyberSecure subscription)
  • Ad Blocking & Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) for advanced filtering
  • More robust Layer 7 Firewall capabilities

5️⃣ Full VPN Support for Secure Remote Access

  • WireGuard, OpenVPN, L2TP, Teleport VPN (UX only had OpenVPN & WireGuard)
  • Site-to-Site VPN with Site Magic for SD-WAN setups

⚖️ Should You Upgrade?

Use Case Best Choice
Need Wi-Fi 7 for Faster Speeds 🏆 UX7 (Massive improvement)
Need Basic Wi-Fi 6 with 1GbE Networking 🚫 Old UX is fine
Want 10GbE Internet Support 🏆 UX7 (Old UX lacks Multi-Gig)
Need More Security & Advanced Firewall 🏆 UX7 (IDS/IPS & DPI)
Just Want a Basic, Cheap UniFi Router 🔹 Old UX ($149)

🏁 Final Verdict

  • The UX7 is a massive upgrade with Wi-Fi 7, 10GbE, better security, and higher capacity
  • If you need a basic router or mesh node, the older UX is still a good option
  • For future-proofing, security, and high-speed networking, UX7 is a clear winner

UniFi Cloud Gateway Max (UCG-Max) vs. UniFi Cloud Gateway Fiber (UCG-Fiber) – Key Differences & Upgrades

The UniFi Cloud Gateway Fiber (UCG-Fiber) is a significant upgrade over the Cloud Gateway Max (UCG-Max), offering 10G networking, higher throughput, more device capacity, and integrated PoE. Here’s a complete comparison:


📌 Feature Comparison: UCG-Max vs. UCG-Fiber

Feature Cloud Gateway Max (Old UCG-Max) Cloud Gateway Fiber (New UCG-Fiber) Upgrade?
WAN Ports 1x 2.5GbE RJ45 1x 10G SFP+ & 1x 10GbE RJ45 ✅ 10G WAN support
LAN Ports 4x 2.5GbE RJ45 1x 10G SFP+ & 4x 2.5GbE RJ45 ✅ More connectivity
IDS/IPS Throughput 2.3 Gbps 5 Gbps ✅ Over 2x faster security performance
Max Managed UniFi Devices 30+ 50+ ✅ Supports larger networks
Max Simultaneous Users 300+ 500+ ✅ Handles more clients
PoE Support ❌ No PoE ✅ 30W PoE+ (1 port) ✅ Powers devices
NVR Storage 512GB NVMe SSD (Upgradeable) Up to 2TB NVMe SSD ✅ More storage capacity
Processor Quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 @ 1.5GHz Quad-core ARM Cortex-A73 @ 2.2GHz ✅ More powerful CPU
RAM 3GB 3GB ➖ Same
VPN Support WireGuard, OpenVPN, L2TP Full VPN Suite + 20 Site-to-Site Tunnels ✅ More VPN capacity
Firewall & Security Stateful Firewall, Ad Blocking, IDS/IPS Same but with 55,000+ IDS/IPS Signatures ✅ Improved threat detection
Multi-WAN Load Balancing ✅ Yes ✅ Yes ➖ Same
Power Consumption 16.1W 29.4W (Excluding PoE output) 🔺 Higher
Power Method USB-C (5V DC/5A) DC Jack (54V DC/1.1A, Adapter Included) 🔺 Requires different power source
Weight 460g (Without SSD) 675g (Without SSD) 🔺 Heavier
MAC Address Table 2,000 entries 4,000 entries ✅ More network scalability

🔍 Key Improvements in the UniFi Cloud Gateway Fiber (UCG-Fiber)

1️⃣ 10G Networking for Future-Proof Speed

  • 10G SFP+ & 10GbE RJ45 WAN vs. 2.5GbE WAN on UCG-Max
  • Great for Fiber ISP connections and high-speed networking

2️⃣ 2x Faster IDS/IPS & Higher Security

  • UCG-Fiber: 5 Gbps IDS/IPS vs. 2.3 Gbps on UCG-Max
  • 55,000+ IDS/IPS Signatures for better cyber threat protection

3️⃣ Larger Device & User Capacity

  • UCG-Fiber: 50+ managed UniFi devices & 500+ clients
  • UCG-Max: 30+ devices & 300+ clients

4️⃣ PoE+ Support for Directly Powering Devices

  • UCG-Fiber has a 30W PoE+ port for UniFi APs or cameras
  • UCG-Max does not have PoE

5️⃣ More Storage for UniFi Protect & Logs

  • Up to 2TB NVMe SSD (UCG-Fiber) vs. Max 1TB (UCG-Max)

⚖️ Should You Upgrade?

Use Case Best Choice
Need 10G WAN & LAN speeds 🏆 UCG-Fiber
Running a network with 300+ users 🏆 UCG-Fiber
Want built-in PoE for APs or cameras 🏆 UCG-Fiber
Basic 2.5GbE networking needs 🚫 UCG-Max is fine
Looking for a budget UniFi Cloud Gateway 🔹 UCG-Max ($279) vs. UCG-Fiber ($279, but more features)

🏁 Final Verdict

  • UCG-Fiber is a major upgrade with 10G networking, PoE, more capacity, and faster IDS/IPS
  • For small networks that don’t need 10G or PoE, UCG-Max is still good
  • If you’re planning for future high-speed networking, UCG-Fiber is the best choice

 



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