Do you like wired routers that deliver flexibility and don’t take too much space? If yes, the Ubiquiti EdgeRouter X has got you covered! Considering its small dimensions, this router can be placed pretty much anywhere in your home or office without taking up too much space from your shelf, or desk. The Ubiquiti EdgeRouter X is developed by Ubiquiti Networks and is considered one of the most inexpensive networking solutions from the American computer manufacturer. Similar to other Ubiquiti routers, EdgeRouter X has attracted a lot of attention because it offers a great combination of awesome features at an affordable price. Most of the features present on this router are usually found on more expensive brands.

With Ubiquiti having a different topology as part of their USP, you can use the EdgeRouter X together with single or multiple access points to provide Wi-Fi to different devices in small homes or offices. The EdgeRouter X can usually be mounted in a corner while an access point can be placed on the ceiling or even in the center of the room, providing better overall coverage for everyone using the Internet. For instance, if you have a small business and can’t afford any network downtime, you would require a dual-WAN router to balance the load, or simply act as a contingency plan in case one connection has an error. The EdgeRouter X can be modified to perform such a process by allowing you to select which two ports are going to be WAN. All EdgeRouter model use the same operating system (EdgeOS), but differ in the available hardware feature-set. Some of the differences are the built-in Switch-Chip and the ability to power other devices using Power over Ethernet (PoE). See the section below for more information.Ubiquiti’s EdgeRouter X has a simple and compact rectangular case, so small it can be easily mistaken for a switch. Another interesting feature is its other, metallic case which is a substantial upgrade over the plastic case of the other EdgeRouter variant of Ubiquiti. The EdgeRouter X is integrated with EdgeOS, this means it’s got all the wonders of a robust and advanced router because it allows its users to configure its functionality in different ways.

Other EdgeRouters that do not include a switch-chip are able to achieve a similar functionality by the usage of bridged ports. However, interface bridging is done in software and this will affect the performance of the device. See our Hardware Offloadingarticle and Creating a Bridged Interface for more information. Why shell out more money when you can spend less and still get more out of your wired router? Indeed, the Ubiquiti EdgeRouter X ideally provides you with the best of both worlds. EdgeRouters that include a hardware switch-chip are able to place multiple physical ports in the same LAN, similar to how a network switch functions. This allows devices on the same network to communicate with each other through the EdgeRouter without sacrificing any performance. The devices below include a hardware switch-chip: The router is part of Ubiquiti’s EdgeMAX platform. EdgeMAX combines carrier-class reliability with enterprise-level features in a compact and affordable unit. When it comes to shape, the EdgeRouter X is different from the usual consumer-level router in terms of design and functionality, utilizing a more traditional method from the exterior point of view.Other differences between the routers are the amount of interfaces (including SFP/SFP+ slots) and the available resources. The ER-4 for example, has a 4-core 1GHz CPU with 1GB of available RAM, whereas the ER-X has a 2-core 880 MHz CPU with 256MB of available RAM. In sum, the EdgeRouter X of Ubiquiti Networks has become a product of the company’s innovation initiatives. Overall, this is an excellent router, it’s got a plethora of features and is superbly flexible and customizable, thanks to its powerful EdgeOS software. One of the most notable benefits of purchasing the EdgeRouter X is its incredibly low pricing, and its compact, advanced features which make it an unparalleled alternative in the market. There are many different EdgeRouters that support Power over Ethernet (PoE). The PoE standard on most EdgeRouters is 24V Passive PoE, which is available on the following models: Having said that, do you have any firsthand experience with this router? What aspect of the EdgeRouter X do you think needs improvement? Let us know in the comments below!

Connect the Ethernet cable from the Ethernet port on your PC to the port labeled eth0 or PoE In on the EdgeRouter X. If you are using PoE, connect your PC to the PoE adapter or switch If you’ve already bought this Ubiquiti router, you may follow this simple step-by-step guide to get started: If you want to cover a bigger area, you can integrate several access points as well as cables installed all over your place. By using this setup you can upgrade numerous devices, while keeping costs as low as possible.

Other Features

As of the v1.9.1 EdgeOS firmware release, all EdgeRouter models support some type of hardware offloading. Please see our Hardware Offloading article for more information.