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Ubiquiti launches UniFi OS Server for self-hosting

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Re: Ubiquiti launches UniFi OS Server for self-hosting

#51
post #9
post #5

This looks to be an executable that deploys podman containers for you, that is bizarre, and makes me question why it's called Unifi 'OS'?

Yes, a virtual appliance or system image a la Home Assistant OS would seem like a better fit...

That would make it impossible to deploy it next to other services on an existing machine... why would you want less flexibility?

Re: Ubiquiti launches UniFi OS Server for self-hosting

#52
post #2

After many (many!) years I finally got around to my childhood dreams of building a home network rack, centered around the Unifi stack. I've got the new 10 gig switch, the dream machine SE, a bunch of cameras, and I've been very impressed with their stuff. The experience "just works" and feels like they take inspiration from Apple. The whole camera setup can be "closed" by shutting off outside access, this self-hostin…

I did this in 2023 and my experience has been the same. Had 0 problems other than Sonos being, well, Sonos.

Recently set up CCTV at my parents’ with a Cloud Gateway Max, set up a site to site VPN in 3 clicks and now I can support remotely and their Sony smart TV can see my Jellyfin server.

Re: Ubiquiti launches UniFi OS Server for self-hosting

#53
post #46
post #2

After many (many!) years I finally got around to my childhood dreams of building a home network rack, centered around the Unifi stack. I've got the new 10 gig switch, the dream machine SE, a bunch of cameras, and I've been very impressed with their stuff. The experience "just works" and feels like they take inspiration from Apple. The whole camera setup can be "closed" by shutting off outside access, this self-hostin…

My general impression is that it “Just Works” if you don’t do anything remotely interesting with it. Want to create a VLAN with no Internet connectivity? Better test that it actually has no Internet connectivity because the setting doesn’t actually work. Want to use the firewall? Better test all the rules — it’s amazingly buggy. Want to change a WiFi setting without WiFi going down for a minute or two? Good luck — Un…

This. They make excellent access points and their lite beam/air fibre products are great.

But UniFi has serious limitations when it comes to anything beyond the basics. An off the self Asus all in one home router actually has more features and capabilities.

Re: Ubiquiti launches UniFi OS Server for self-hosting

#54
post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The idea that Ubiquiti pushes out buggy software as production-ready and that we're all their beta testers is a pretty common meme on their subreddit.

You can easily turn off automatic updates. I check the forum before I update. Haven’t had any issues for 10+ years.

You're correct, but the running gag is that every version released as production is a beta.

It's been awhile since I used Unifi, but regardless of the label they put on their binaries, things felt like beta. That doesn't mean I had issues per se, or things I couldn't work around. But it may be missing things, almost certainly missing promised features, rough around the edges, etc.

Re: Ubiquiti launches UniFi OS Server for self-hosting

#55
I set up a small Ubiquiti setup with Pi-hole, then moved into a home serviced by AT&T Fiber, which comes with an all in one fiber modem and WiFi hub. I started using it before I could unpack, then did a little research on how I could disable WiFi, DHCP, and/or DNS in order to use my own equipment. The WiFi isn't great in all parts of the house so I planned on setting up APs at strategic points. But of course laziness, fear of stuff breaking and my family getting mad at me, and WiFi entrenchment has stopped me from using any of the equipment I bought. I would one day love to switch back over, but I just don't see it happening soon.

Re: Ubiquiti launches UniFi OS Server for self-hosting

#56
post #2

After many (many!) years I finally got around to my childhood dreams of building a home network rack, centered around the Unifi stack. I've got the new 10 gig switch, the dream machine SE, a bunch of cameras, and I've been very impressed with their stuff. The experience "just works" and feels like they take inspiration from Apple. The whole camera setup can be "closed" by shutting off outside access, this self-hostin…

If only the system would cope with power outages I would agree. My viewports refuse to reconnect to the cameras and need multiple forgets/adoptions to come back to life. The (wired) cameras themselves take hours before they show up again, except for the (WiFi) doorbell. During this period I can see the all online via the managed ubiquiti switches.

I've been using unfi protect/capture (I self hosted capture for a long time) for years and have never had a forgotten adoption any they almost never go down. I do have everything on UPS now but I never saw the issue before that either.

That said I've only used the wired bullet cams so maybe other models are not so nice.

Really the only downside I've seen is about 5ish years ago, all the bullet cams I bought would die after about .75 -> 3 years. All died with the same issue and I had 100% failure rate with any bought during that time frame. Ubiquiti replaced the ones that died during the warranty period but most died just after that expired.

The ones bought before or after that have been great so the issue was solved but I have a nice stack of dead ones that would work great as fake cameras, especially as their IR leds still light up.

Re: Ubiquiti launches UniFi OS Server for self-hosting

#58
># src: Mirano Verhoef ># Go into root >su - > ># Install all required dependencies apt update ; apt upgrade ; apt install podman -y ; cd ~ ; mkdir 4.2.23 ; cd 4.2.23 ; wget https://fw-download.ubnt.com/data/unifi-os-server/8b93-linux... ; chmod +x 8b93-linux-x64-4.2.23-158fa00b-6b2c-4cd8-94ea-e92bc4a81369.23-x64 ; ./8b93-linux-x64-4.2.23-158fa00b-6b2c-4cd8-94ea-e92bc4a81369.23-x64 install

This is some of the jankiest install installations I've seen in a long time. Not even using && to stop on an error, just plowing ahead for more errors to stack up.

Re: Ubiquiti launches UniFi OS Server for self-hosting

#59
This is awesome because of how un-Apple-like it is. With Apple, they leverage the ecosystem and force you to buy everything to make a cohesive experience. Want to have cellular on your Mac? We expect you to buy an iPhone and a laptop and tether.

If you want to have unifi WAPS without the UCG - this enables that. It's awesome that they do that, even though right now, it's the cohesiveness of the Unifi ecosystem that is a big driver in their success.

Re: Ubiquiti launches UniFi OS Server for self-hosting

#60
post #2

After many (many!) years I finally got around to my childhood dreams of building a home network rack, centered around the Unifi stack. I've got the new 10 gig switch, the dream machine SE, a bunch of cameras, and I've been very impressed with their stuff. The experience "just works" and feels like they take inspiration from Apple. The whole camera setup can be "closed" by shutting off outside access, this self-hostin…

There's one big gotcha with Unifi cameras, where you have to cloud-connect your Unifi system if you want "AI" detections[1] (anything other than simple motion detection). I'm hoping they fix it some day[2], but for now I just have motion detection on my Unifi hardware. If this is a problem for you, make sure you understand the tradeoffs here before you commit to a Unifi system. [1] https://old.reddit.com/r/Ubiquiti/c…

Still dont understand why this is such a big issue, and I have been reading threads about it for a year now.

Just turn on cloud access, accept the t&cs and then turn it off again. If you are really scared then you can isolate that device in a vlan or DMZ temporarily.

I run many commercial and residential networks, and this is definitely a non issue for me.

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