cover
LEVIN C.

LEVIN C.

Joined on 11/25/06

0
0

Product Reviews
product reviews
  • 19
Most Favorable Review

Awesome product

Ubiquiti Networks Standard 48 PoE (Gen1) (US-48-500W (500W))
Ubiquiti Networks Standard 48 PoE (Gen1) (US-48-500W (500W))

Pros: I cannot recommend this switch highly enough. We had already successfully deployed a few Unifi APs so when we put in a VOIP phone system we decided to consolidate our Unifi infrastructure by purchasing this unit as our core switch. From a POE perspective, we've had no issues mixing Unifi and non-Unifi equipment. While our previous NetGear web-managed units worked fine for a while, there is really no comparison to fully-managed hardware, especially when we can now manage all of our switches from a single point also. The VLAN integration with the Unifi APs is now seamless, and we now have more visibility into our wired connections as well. I especially appreciate the detail that Ubiquiti has put into the Controller and mobile app (the fact that you can walk around and initiate firmware updates is an especially awesome feature). While Unifi may not replace the infinitely-configurable switches in large enterprises, it does pretty much everything a small business would need, with management tools that are easy (dare I say fun?) to use.

Cons: Make sure it is located away from quiet work areas as the fans are fairly loud when it gets warm.

Overall Review: Requires the Unifi controller. We run it in a Debian VM.

Most Critical Review

Works OK at home, not so much for business.

ZyXEL NWA1123-AC Plenum Rated Dual-Radio Ceiling Mount AC1200 Gigabit PoE Access Point (AP)/Repeater
ZyXEL NWA1123-AC Plenum Rated Dual-Radio Ceiling Mount AC1200 Gigabit PoE Access Point (AP)/Repeater

Pros: EDIT 3/17/2017 - We've replaced these with Ubiquiti UAP-AC-PRO access points (see cons below) so I've taken off some eggs. Original Review - We have successfully used these in a small business/residential setting and they work OK: - A good set of enterprise features at a reasonable cost. - AC supports newer devices. - Supports multiple SSIDs on independent VLANs. - Antenna design enables good coverage for multiple floors.

Cons: Edit 3/16/2017 - Unfortunately we had to replace the two units we purchased because of network dropouts. After replacing them with Ubiquiti UAP-AC-PRO units, the issues went away. I've taken these ZyXEL NWA units home where they're working adequately in a non-business environment. We are still unsure if the issue was related to the NetGear GS108PE POE switch but the new Ubiquiti units seem happy with the POE provided by that switch. Original Review - As mentioned by other users, the screens can be somewhat confusing, and require flipping back and forth between them to get all of the options set up correctly. The speed on these devices is adequate but not stellar.

Overall Review: Edit 3/16/2017 - We thought that these units were going to work, but Ubiquiti's products seem to work better for our needs at a very similar price point. Original Review - We were on an extremely tight budget and these devices had just enough enterprise features to fit our need. If we were a larger business we would definitely go with a "mesh" approach. Make sure appropriate site surveys are done, especially in the 2.4GHz band.

Works with Raspberry Pi

Team 16GB microSDHC UHS-I/U1 Class 10 Memory Card with Adapter, Speed Up to 80MB/s (TUSDH16GUHS03)
Team 16GB microSDHC UHS-I/U1 Class 10 Memory Card with Adapter, Speed Up to 80MB/s (TUSDH16GUHS03)

Pros: I keep buying Raspberry Pi's so I keep needing micro-SD cards. These seem to work great.

Cons: None

Works well for a large church

Honeywell RTH9580WF Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat w/ Customizable Color Touchscreen
Honeywell RTH9580WF Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat w/ Customizable Color Touchscreen

Pros: We purchased a bunch of these for a large church. The app and website works as advertised, enabling complex schedules to be pushed to the units. The best feature of this thermostat is the "half-lock" security setting that enables non-privileged users to set temporary holds that automatically fall back to the schedule after a designated period of time. We looked at several options, including EcoBee, and this unit fit the bill.

Cons: The security PIN is a hardware-coded PIN that cannot be changed. This means our staff have to carry around a list of PINs for each thermostat if they need to log in locally. For the most part they just use the app now though. Note that these units DO NOT support remote sensors (see below).

Overall Review: As with all IoT devices, make sure these are on an independent Wi-Fi network for security purposes. Honeywell makes a nearly identical RedLINK unit that supports more complex HVAC hardware and configurations, at an increased cost. Make sure you have thoroughly researched your HVAC hardware prior to purchase, and have a professional installer look at your system if you are unsure.

Good SIP phone once configured

YEALINK W52P Business HD IP DECT SIP Cordless Phone
YEALINK W52P Business HD IP DECT SIP Cordless Phone

Pros: Configured to use on an Allworx VOIP system, although it kept failing to register due to a mis-configuration on the Allworx side. I wish there was better registration error reporting on both ends but we got it work eventually The DECT range between the phone and the base is surprisingly good, even through walls.

Cons: Small size is problematic for some users.

I buy these like candy...

Netgear ProSafe Plus GS105E 5-Port Gigabit Ethernet Switch, GS105E-200NAS
Netgear ProSafe Plus GS105E 5-Port Gigabit Ethernet Switch, GS105E-200NAS

Pros: With rebates, the web managed switches sometimes cost the same as the unmanaged switches, and I can't seem to resist buying them for a cheap VLAN solution. The newest ones have a web-based firmware, which is an improvement over the PC-based programming software.

Cons: Not the fastest switch, but adequate for home and small business.

Overall Review: I run the ProSafe line in a small business where we do simple network segmentation using VLANs and they work as expected.