Unifi Switch Flex | USW-Flex

Product Information

Port managed PoE switch with (1) 802.3at/bt (PoE+/PoE++) input port and (4) 802.3af (PoE) Gigabit Ethernet ports No 802.1X (Not a huge deal because I can enable multi-host on the upstream switch, which limits the danger-zone to just the other client ports on the switch.) I just finished an evaluation of the UniFi Switch Flex (PoE in & out) and Flex Mini (PoE in only). They're both great little 5-port switches for what they are, but there are a few feature limitations to be aware of. The first 2 limitations are non-negotiables in my use cases:

You can find a step by step set of instructions on how to go about telling the controller that this switch is powered by an injector below. Passive 24V and 48V PoE — Ubiquiti’s standard, mostly used on EdgeMAX, AirMAX, and older UniFi devices A common complaint with the first generation models are their loud fans. It is possible to replace them with quieter Noctua fans, or you can throw it in a network closet and forget about it. If you just need basic L2 switching and PoE, the first generation models are still worth considering, especially if budget and availability are more important than future software support.EdgeSwitches are older, more traditional managed switches, with command line (CLI) and individual web interfaces for configuration. EdgeSwitches also have optional integration with the UISP software controller. The newer UISP-branded switches are tied closely to the UISP software, have no web interface, but still offer a CLI for manual configuration. I cover EdgeSwitch and UISP hardware briefly below, but I cover them in more detail in my UISP Switch review.

The main point I’m trying to make here is that if you expect a UniFi switch to be your only layer 3 device, you’re going to be disappointed. Adding layer 3 at the switch level usually doesn’t make sense in small to medium sized networks, and I wouldn’t recommend relying on UniFi layer 3 switches in general. If you’re working on a large multi-building network with high requirements, UniFi may not be the best fit. I’ll cover this in more detail if I ever get around to finishing my USW-Enterprise-8-PoE review. One limitation of the regular second generation switches is their limited PoE budget. PoE budget refers to the total amount of power available for all PoE devices. Since the non-pro 2nd generation models are fanless, they also have smaller power supplies, and a smaller PoE budget. The UbiquitiUniFi Switch USW-FLEXis a configurable Layer 2 Gigabit switch with auto-sensing 802.3af PoE. It offers five RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet ports, providing 1 PoE input and 4 PoE output links to your devices. The USW-FLEX will now allow for a 46W total power output rather than the 8W when using the default settings. Do not have a serial console port. All management has to be done over Ethernet in-band. (EdgeSwitches still have console ports!)PoE passthrough is when a PoE device can receive power and also pass PoE to another downstream device. A common example would be a 24 port PoE switch, feeding an In-Wall-HD access point, with a video camera connected to the In-Wall-HD. The key part is that all three devices are drawing their power from the 24-port PoE switch. In situations like that, you need to be especially careful about what PoE support your switch or voltage and amperage of your PoE injector. The USW-Flex-XG is a 2nd gen model, with one 1 Gbps and four 1/2.5/5/10 Gbps RJ45 Ethernet ports. No PoE. Most UniFi switches operate at layer 2, meaning they can handle VLANs but cannot act as a router. The 2nd generation pro and enterprise UniFi switches have some layer 3 features such as static inter-VLAN routing and DHCP, but they require a separate router or firewall for everything else. UniFi L3 switches can’t compete with a true enterprise product from a vendor like Cisco or Juniper. UniFi switches are a fraction of the price and don’t require licensing, so they compete in different markets. As with all network design and purchasing decisions, what matters most is your budget and your use case.