Unifi Dream Router 7 Review: The Homelabber's Dream Router

Unifi launched the Dream Router 7 connected February 25th, and I placed my bid the pursuing day. Delivering the afloat Unifi exertion stack, alongside Wi-Fi 7, the Dream Router 7 transformed my full location networking setup—though determination is 1 happening I privation it did better.

Price and Availability

The Unifi Dream Router 7 costs $279 and is disposable straight from Unifi's web store.

All Unifi Features successful One Compact Package

Not each Unifi gateways are created equal. The Unifi Express 7, for example, lone runs Unifi Network and nary of the brand's different applications, similar Protect, Talk, oregon Access.

The Unifi Dream Router 7, connected the different hand, is full-featured and tin grip immoderate and each Unifi tasks. This means that you'll beryllium capable to tally not conscionable Unifi Network, but besides Protect, Talk, Connect, and Access with the Dream Router 7.

It besides supports 30+ Unifi devices, portion the Express 7 supports 30 and the archetypal Express lone supported four.

One of the main reasons that I wanted to power to Unifi for my location web was the information that it's afloat managed apical to bottom. Through the Unifi Network app connected the Dream Router 7, alongside its managed web power connected the back, I'm capable to make VLANs and blase firewall rules connected my network.

This is genuinely 1 of the main reasons that I decided to propulsion the trigger connected the Dream Router 7. I'm capable to make aggregate networks and VLANs truthful that mode my IoT devices tin beryllium abstracted from my main computers, protecting them from a imaginable intrusion oregon hack.

All-in-all, the Dream Router 7 is 1 of the champion ways to get into the Unifi ecosystem, since it delivers everything you'll request to dive deep. Plus, it comes with a 64GB microSD paper pre-installed for Protect recordings, which tin beryllium easy upgraded to much retention if necessary.

A Wi-Fi 7 AP With 6GHz Support

With different Cloud Gateways retired there, similar the Cloud Gateway Fiber, you mightiness beryllium wondering wherefore I chose the Dream Router 7 alternatively of a abstracted Cloud Gateway and Access Point. The reply is simple: price.

The Cloud Gateway Max is $199, and the Cloud Gateway Fiber costs $279. Both of these units connection multi-gig networking, Protect, and more, conscionable similar the Dream Router 7.

However, the Dream Router 7 comes with a much almighty U7 Pro entree point built-in. The Dream Router 7 delivers 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz Wi-Fi 7 to your web with 2x2 MU-MIMO support. The U7 Pro does the same, but with little antenna summation and max transmit powerfulness than what the Dream Router 7 has to offer.

The happening is, the U7 Pro costs $189, truthful adjacent a Cloud Gateway Max with a U7 Pro would outgo $388, and the Cloud Gateway Fiber with a U7 Pro would tally $468. The Dream Router 7, connected the different hand, costs conscionable $279. That's astatine slightest $100 disconnected a Cloud Gateway with entree constituent setup for akin wide performance.

This is 1 of the cardinal reasons I picked the Dream Router 7, though the Express 7 did tempt maine a spot since it besides has the aforesaid wireless specs arsenic the latest Dream Router. However, its deficiency of enactment for Protect and different Unifi apps did propulsion maine toward the Dream Router 7.

However, a drawback present is that the Dream Router 7 can't beryllium utilized arsenic an entree constituent if you get different Cloud Gateway from Unifi, similar the Dream Machine SE.

The Dream Router 7 Is Designed for Multi-Gig Networking

The Dream Router 7 is Unifi's all-in-one strategy that's designed with multi-gig networking successful mind.

On the backmost of this all-in-one router, you'll find 4 2.5Gb Ethernet ports and 1 10Gb SFP+ port. Ethernet larboard 4 is marked for WAN, and the different 3 arsenic LAN. While you tin alteration the WAN from larboard 4 to larboard 3 oregon 5 (or usage 2 of them unneurotic for dual WAN), the apical 2 Ethernet ports are LAN only.

Port one, however, sets itself isolated by offering 15W PoE+ truthful you tin usage it to powerfulness an entree point, camera, oregon thing other that needs PoE close from the Dream Router 7.

I emotion that there's some 2.5Gb and 10Gb networking built-in here, and I really usage it successful my web already. While my WAN is lone Gigabit, I person my servers connected to the Dream Router 7 implicit 2.5Gb Ethernet with the Unifi Flex Mini 2.5G switch, which is powered by the built-in PoE port.

This allows maine to entree my retention servers astatine multi-gig speeds connected my Wi-Fi 6E and 7 devices astir the house. I've really tested this utilizing OpenSpeedtest moving connected my server, and was capable to execute 2.1Gb/s download wirelessly connected my OnePlus 13R, which supports Wi-Fi 7. My iPhone 15 Pro deed astir 1.4Gb/s download connected Wi-Fi 6.

Since the SFP+ larboard tin relation arsenic either WAN oregon LAN, some Google Fiber and United (a section fibre company) volition let maine to plug the fibre coming into my location straight into the Dream Router 7, bypassing immoderate supplied modem. With Google Fiber offering an 8Gbps plan, and the Dream Router 7 supporting up to 10Gbps connected the SFP+ port, I'm acceptable for immoderate networking needs whitethorn travel my mode successful the future.

The SFP+ larboard besides allows you to uplink different devices to the Dream Router 7 astatine 10Gbps. A batch of Unifi's different devices enactment 10Gb SFP+, including the UNAS Pro, UNVR, and galore of their switches. Linking them to the Dream Router 7 astatine 10Gbps means you'll beryllium capable to bask the fastest transportation imaginable betwixt the two, allowing for little latency and faster information transfers wherever possible.

Unifi Protect Integration Makes the Dream Router 7 Ideal for Home Security Too

While the Dream Router 7 handles my full web with ease, it does much than that. It's besides a NVR (network video recorder) to grounds and show cameras astir your home.

Unifi sells their ain Protect-branded cameras, which integrate seamlessly with the Dream Router 7. However, successful a caller update, Unifi besides allowed for immoderate ONVIF-compatible camera to beryllium brought into Protect. You won't get AI detection with ONVIF cameras, but they'll inactive grounds conscionable the same.

Either way you go, the Dream Router 7 tin easy grip keeping your location harmless with its built-in NVR. It'll officially enactment up to 5 HD cameras, 2 2K, oregon 1 4K. In reality, you tin person much than this successful your setup, but there's conscionable a accidental of imaginable show nonaccomplishment if you spell supra the authoritative limit.

The included 64GB microSD paper volition grounds connected question detection only, though swapping it retired for a larger capableness thrust tin nett continuous signaling if you'd similar that.

With the 1 PoE+ larboard connected the Dream Router 7, you tin adjacent tally a azygous camera without immoderate further hardware, which is rather nice. Any much than that and you'll either request PoE injectors oregon a abstracted switch.

I've personally gone the way of buying a 48-port 500W PoE Unifi power secondhand. While these switches tin tally astir $850 new, I was capable to wage $250 used, and it's been a large bargain for my location arsenic I already person aggregate entree points and cameras moving connected it.

No 4x4 Radios Is the Only Drawback

I perfectly emotion the Dream Router 7, and I'm precise gladsome that it's replacing my aging Amplifi Alien Wi-Fi 6 router. However, I americium a small disappointed successful the deficiency of 4x4 radios connected the Dream Router 7.

The archetypal Unifi Dream Router, which is nary longer being offered present that the Dream Router 7 is out, had 4x4 MU-MIMO for some 2.4GHz and 5GHz. The Dream Router 7 steps backmost to 2x2 MU-MIMO for 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz.

Why Unifi did this downgrade I'm not sure, and I privation they hadn't. Having 4x4 delivers acold amended sum capabilities erstwhile compared to 2x2, and it would person truly pushed the Dream Router 7 to different level.

Should You Buy the Unifi Dream Router 7?

The Unifi Dream Router 7 is 1 of the champion Wi-Fi routers connected the marketplace close now. Most different Wi-Fi 7 routers with 6GHz enactment are successful the $200 to $300 scope (with some Wi-Fi 7 systems going for upward of $2,000), but fastener you into buying identical models to adhd other entree points. Likewise, astir of these are lone routers, without the quality to grip the other things that the Dream Router 7 can, similar acting arsenic an NVR.

The Dream Router 7, connected the different hand, works with each of Unifi's full lineup of products, caller and old. I person my Dream Router 7 powering an older AC Pro entree point, and I conscionable picked up an AC Lite entree constituent for $25 shipped to further grow my network. Yes, those are older standards and won't springiness maine Wi-Fi 7 speeds, but I don't request Wi-Fi 7 speeds successful the areas I'm installing them in.

If you're looking for a solid, all-in-one networking setup that's robust, has a large ecosystem of products, and a supportive community, past look nary further than the Dream Router 7. I purchased excavation the time aft it came out, and I've not regretted it a azygous time, and I don't deliberation you volition either.