Question 1

can this router be powered by POE input? (means works without power line)

Accepted Answer

Per ER-X quick-start guide, p. 4:
"The EdgeRouter X can be powered by either method:
• Power adapter
• 24V passive PoE on the eth0/PoE In port
Passive PoE output on port eth4/PoE Out works as a passthrough and depends on the input power source. If the included Power Adapter (12V, 0.5A) is used, there may not be sufficient passthrough to power another device because the EdgeRouter X can consume up to 5 watts on its own..."
They recommend the 24V PoE input as a viable option for passive PoE passthrough to eth4/PoE-out.
Bottom line: 24V PoE in via eth0/PoE-in can power the ER-X as long as it provides at least 5W.
(In my installation, I'm running the ER-X with a power adapter.) --CW

Question 2

Is there any QOS or bandwidth allocation mechanism available on this device?

Accepted Answer

Yes, but I don't believe the GUI has the option yet; you'll have to use the command line interface. Unbt recently posted a tutorial for QOS VOIP. NewEgg won't let me post the link, so you'll have to search for it: Edgemax QOS VoIP.

Question 3

I have a night owl security  and can't use wifi  , only  ethernet will work  is this the right Router to stream video ?

Accepted Answer

Most routers cab accommodate this task but often require adjustments to the settings for remote connectivity. I use this specific unit for roles like this.

Question 4

What is the throughput from lan to wan when using NAT?

Accepted Answer

My throughput shot up from 60-70% of my theoretical bandwidth limit to around 95% when I put it in place of my old wifi-router combo unit.  A remarkable improvement in latency and performance.

Question 5

Does the Ubiquiti ER-X EdgeRouter support any DDNS services?  If so how robust or limited is this?  I'm trying to say away from ad based for fee based DDNS providers.

Accepted Answer

It does support many DDNS services, since it is just a debian, you can add your own if needed. I use duckdns org DDNS.

Question 6

Is this router able to tunnel traffic through third-party VPN services?

Accepted Answer

Yes, although I have never used it that way nor have I used or set up any VPN service.  I've seen mention of the capability in the manual.

Question 7

This can solely run on POE from a layer 2 POE switch? Also, how many of those could i daisy chain POE if so?

Accepted Answer

Yes, however you would first need to make sure the PoE switch supports 24 volts. Ubiquiti's own equipment of course supports it. These routers use a non-standard voltage such as 48 volts. As far as daisy chaining devices goes I don't recommend it. Each PoE port is really designed to power just one device. The port can only supply so much power. Same goes for the PoE port on the router itself. Let's say my PoE injector can supply 20 watts of power. The router is going to take about 5 watts, this leaves 15 watts. However the next device in line, say a high power access point, needs 20 watts to be powered up correctly. That doesn't leave enough power for the second device in line. With all that said, I guess I am running my router daisy chained to my access point using a PoE injector in line with my WAN connection to power both the router and access point. You just have to be mindful of power consumption.

Questions & Answers