Mikrotik RouterOS vs Ubiquiti EdgeRouter EdgeOS

Forums › LAN (ethernet/Wifi/routers/Bluetooth) › Mikrotik RouterOS vs Ubiquiti EdgeRouter EdgeOS

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#1533344 15-Apr-2016 07:39

Both are good units. Both require a bit of networking know-how to get going. It seems like you know enough about networking to read a few websites.

I have not used an Edgerouter Lite but it does have some cool traffic monitoring stuff inbuilt where you can have pretty graphs.

I actually up-voted the Mikrotik because I have one, and it has been rock solid. I have got a RB2011 but the RB3011 unit is out now, and its dual core and a lot faster than the RB2011. I think the edgerouter lite is already dual core and has a decent CPU. If you buy a router, get a dual core one especially if you have a lot of clients connected to it or have a 200Mbps+ plan.

But I got a VDSL modem in bridge mode, and when I can get UFB I just get rid of the modem and plug it straight into the ONT. May have to alter the .1q settings, but the unit has been solid. I think its been up since I moved house about 7-8 weeks now, solid unit.

bj99

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#1533380 15-Apr-2016 08:25

I have a Mikrotik RB951G-2HnD for sale if you're interested.

http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=77&topicid=195309

MadEngineer

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#1533429 15-Apr-2016 09:40

http://demo.mt.lv/

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mdf

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#1535078 18-Apr-2016 16:00

Thanks for the help everyone. Mikrotik seems to have the edge in numbers, though EdgeRouters have the definite advantage of geographic convenience (thanks @michaelmurfy and @sideface).

On the plus side, it seems as though I won't make the wrong call picking one over the other. I'll probably get whichever comes up on sale first. The to do list has recently exploded with tasks with observable outputs, meaning that more cerebral pursuits need to go on the back burner lest observations about how much time is spent on the computer become more pointed.

Sideface

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#1535091 18-Apr-2016 16:23

mdf:

Thanks for the help everyone. Mikrotik seems to have the edge in numbers, though EdgeRouters have the definite advantage of geographic convenience (thanks @michaelmurfy and @sideface).

On the plus side, it seems as though I won't make the wrong call picking one over the other. I'll probably get whichever comes up on sale first. The to do list has recently exploded with tasks with observable outputs, meaning that more cerebral pursuits need to go on the back burner lest observations about how much time is spent on the computer become more pointed.

... "tasks" as in cutting the lawn, painting the house ?

Sideface

MadEngineer

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#1535152 18-Apr-2016 18:51

For a Mikrotik fanboy perspective, here's mine:

Mikrotik:

+ Much more satisfying albeit steep learning curve
+ Interface gives access to all options through your mouse, be it the webinterface or the utility ("Winbox")
+ Configuration changes can be seen visually instantly
+ Cheap
+ Results in Google are easier to find: first result is often the exact page in the manual
+ Feels like the device can do anything - a real swiss army knife. Can even run virtual machines
- Support can be hit & miss - you can try your luck in the forums but I've had no difficulty using their support email address
- Hardware acceleration isn't quite there yet, especially at the lower end. However, see fasttrack

Ubiquiti:

+ Can feel like a more refined and polished product.
+ Webinterface is simple, pretty
+ Console is more like IOS
+ Wireless is reportedly/arguably better out of the box? (Mikrotik users will say they have things easier here with more control/better tweakability)
+ Easier setup of multiple devices
- Only one desktop wireless router which is only 100Mb (fine if you're happy with seperate devices)?
- Advanced config is done through console
- http://www.binaryheartbeat.net/2015/09/ubiquiti-airos-56-virtual-ssid-step-by.html download config, edit, upload, reboot???

You're not on Atlantis anymore, Duncan Idaho.

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#1535160 18-Apr-2016 19:28

MadEngineer:

Ubiquiti:

+ Can feel like a more refined and polished product.
+ Webinterface is simple, pretty
+ Console is more like IOS
+ Wireless is reportedly/arguably better out of the box? (Mikrotik users will say they have things easier here with more control/better tweakability)
+ Easier setup of multiple devices
- Only one desktop wireless router which is only 100Mb (fine if you're happy with seperate devices)?
- Advanced config is done through console
- http://www.binaryheartbeat.net/2015/09/ubiquiti-airos-56-virtual-ssid-step-by.html download config, edit, upload, reboot???

The EdgeRouter doesn't have WiFi - you use a separate AP (like an UniFi for example).

There is also a configuration guide in the WebUI to make configuration easy (not requiring the console), you can configure essentially the whole router w/ advanced configuration (except IPv6) via the Web UI however some users find the console to be quicker (and it is in-fact very powerful being Vyatta which is a very polished product). With each firmware update there are some excellent new features added and Ubiquiti are also very good at listening to feedback from their forums (with each release they thank customers who have bought up bugs, or potential improvements publicly).

This is one of the main reasons I converted from Mikrotik but both are great products. I also just like devices with full access to the Linux shell and especially so being Debian based :)

Michael Murphy | https://murfy.nz
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MadEngineer

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#1535161 18-Apr-2016 19:30

Yeah i was talking about the AirRouter

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mdf

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#1535164 18-Apr-2016 19:42

Sideface:

... "tasks" as in cutting the lawn, painting the house ?

Mate, we're in the process of moving, so I've got to do lists for *two* houses. Old house has just been painted, but there is still a lot of moving stuff to do. As for the new place: re-cladding the garage, en-workshopping the garage (inspired by @mcraenz's blog), windows, re-insulating, re-lining, networking, and installing some access points. To start.

Thanks Geekzone for the inspiration and advice. I think.

michaelmurfy

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#1535177 18-Apr-2016 20:13

MadEngineer:

Yeah i was talking about the AirRouter

Thats now old - it isn't the bleeding "Edge" (bad pun was bad). You do really need to try out an Edgerouter though ;)

sultanoswing

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#1535250 18-Apr-2016 23:08

I was looking at Mikrotiks late last year - IMHO they're great looking devices for the money (poweful, flexible etc). The main thing that put me off was their limited implementation of OpenVPN standard e.g. no UDP. If this is important to you, then you may want to consider alternatives (Ubiquiti, pfSense etc...).

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UHD

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#1535272 19-Apr-2016 00:13

@michaelmurfy EdgeRouter Lite or EdgeRouter X for moderate UFB usage? I see the Lite has more RAM, does the X have hardware packet acceleration?

michaelmurfy

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#1535275 19-Apr-2016 00:26

UHD:

@michaelmurfy EdgeRouter Lite or EdgeRouter X for moderate UFB usage? I see the Lite has more RAM, does the X have hardware packet acceleration?

The X has no offloading capabilities - pretty-much a competitor to the lower-end Mikrotik routers. I would recommend going straight for the Lite since it can route 1Gbit with no sweat. When you get it don't use a bridge on the ports else you'll automatically disable offloading in the process and use a switch instead.

JamesL

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#1535280 19-Apr-2016 00:54

There's new hwnat offload for ERX in the 1.8.5 alpha:

New features

[Offload] Add "Hardware NAT" function for the ER-X platform (i.e., ER-X, ER-X-SFP, and EP-R6 models), which can significantly improve packet forwarding performance while reducing CPU utilization. Currently this supports IPv4 traffic including VLAN, PPPoE, bridging, etc., and we are also looking into adding IPv6 support. At the moment this is disabled by default and can be enabled by:

But I'd go for the ERL as well

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#1535336 19-Apr-2016 09:07

Ah, that is interesting to know. I am using an old 8 port ProCurve for switching at home, will that work with TCP offload or do I need a managed switch to take advantage? I do like the PoE forward of the X as I am using a UAP and it would be nice to simply power both with a single PoE injector.

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