Choosing the right Wi-Fi 7 router can be a daunting task. There are so many models out there, which is the best ecosystem to buy? Earlier this year I migrated my entire network to UniFi and have never looked back.
A UniFi system may seem complicated, but it doesn't have to be that complicated. You can certainly build a fairly complex system using Ubiquiti hardware, but the Dream Router 7 that I worked with makes building your home network very simple.
UniFi 7 dream router itself is quite simple, although very powerful. To begin with, this is a 2×2 MU-MIMO Wi-Fi 7 router with a coverage area of ​​up to 1,750 square feet. On the rear panel there is a 4-port 2.5 Gbps Ethernet switch, the top port supports Power over Ethernet. At the bottom is a 10 Gbps SFP+ connector, which can be used to log into the WAN or simply connect other network equipment.
All of these features are pretty standard on most Wi-Fi routers, but under the SFP+ port things get interesting. There you will find a microSD card slot which is used for the built-in NVR (Network Video Recorder) feature found in this router.
UniFi Dream Router 7 is a complete gateway in the UniFi ecosystem. This means it supports all the apps UniFi has to offer: Network (standard networking features), Protect (network video recorder for security cameras), Access (door access control), Talk (VoIP communication) and Connect (display control). That's right, this $279 router can do all of those things.
I mentioned “standard” networking, but UniFi's networking capabilities are far superior to most regular routers. The reason I like the UniFi system is that it offers a fully managed network, VLAN and all. I can create multiple networks and control access to each network with much more granular control than regular main and guest networks.
I actually have a separate IoT VLAN that all my smart home devices connect to, which is separate from my regular “trusted” computer VLAN. If one of these devices gets hacked, I won't worry because none of the devices on my IoT VLAN will be able to communicate with each other or with any other network entity in my home.
At the end of the day UniFi Dream Router 7 is the most capable Wi-Fi 7 router you can buy right now. From a built-in NVR to a managed network, this is the only purchase I've made this year that I don't regret at all.
9/10
- Brand
-
Unifi
- Range
-
1750 square feet
The Unifi Dream Router 7 is a complete networking device that offers NVR capabilities, fully managed switching, built-in firewall, VLAN and more. With four 2.5G Ethernet ports (one with PoE+) and a 10G SFP+ port, the Unifi Dream Router 7 also has dual WAN capabilities if you have two ISP connections. It includes a 64GB microSD card for storing IP camera data, but it can be upgraded to provide more storage if needed. With Wi-Fi 7, you can achieve theoretical network speeds of 5.7 Gbps when using a 10G SFP+ port or 2.5 Gbps when using Ethernet.
