OPNsense Forum
English Forums => General Discussion => Topic started by: Visseroth on January 30, 2023, 07:41:00 pm
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I had a idea that could potentially draw more attention to OpnSense, or really any company that produces a router that would compete with other routers out there.
It has been my experience in the past few years that the Unifi (or even Edge) routers produced by Ubiquiti simply are inadequate. They are under powered and in some cases over priced. Over time they continue to get slower which requires the administrative staff to buy replacements to keep the network speed functioning at 100% of it's capability.
So, in short here's my thoughts....
Ubquiti equipment is getting pretty popular (at least here in the states) and OpnSense is building a reputation for having the most up to date router, why not add to that a package which would allow a OpnSense router take commands from a Ubiquiti controller? Obviously not all the commands but enough to allow it to integrate with a Ubiquiti network to some degree?
This would allow for some kind of remote management and monitoring with integration with other highly used network equipment.
Anyhow, what are your thoughts? Obviously I don't think it should be part of the core of the system, though I suppose it could be as a option that is turned on but I think it could give you guys another edge on the competition.
Heck this model could be used with other network equipment out there too.
Some kind of base integration allowing the OpnSense router to in some way communicate with the already established equipment there by making it easier to manage, deploy and monitor.
It's a thought! What do you think?
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Getting popular?
It's been popular for a while and now most people I know are getting rid of it because they learned how to network themselves and want control of their network instead of having the equipment control itself.
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This will probably never happen.
Ubiquity is proprietary and their stuff works only because they control the whole range of devices. Unless the protocol is reversed engineered is will be impossible.
The target audience is not always the same, see reaction Demusman.
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Well it was a thought, and mind you I wasn't thinking there would be full integration, maybe even a read only integration, I don't really know as it was strictly speculation regarding a idea as both Netgate and OpnSense (to my knowledge) have remote management issues. Now while remote management is also a feature, it is also a vulnerability just as every added feature to any forward facing device is. The trick is to weigh the benefit vs risk and while for some the benefit may be worth the risk, for other it is not.
Either way, it is what it is, just a thought, an idea to maybe spark a thought and/or a idea in someone else with the skills to do such tasks.
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It would need someone with development skills to have a need/want to do it for themselves and the community. But those people would most likely replace Ubiquity with OPN rather than having both.
That leaves OPN devs. There is no upside for the OPN devs (that I can see) to devote time and effort for an integration of no value to OPN or the OPN community at large, only the few who want to have OPN and Ubiquity.
Maybe I just don't get it, but I fail to see why we would want to have both in a network.
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While I use Ubiquity APs, I couldn't imagine using their switches, routers, cameras, etc. They are too expensive and too limiting IMHO.
IMHO they are designed for the "Apple" crowd - people who are willing to give up flexibility for simplicity and pretty interfaces.... who would rather pay top dollar for a system that integrates together without much effort than actually learn how to build their own system. Those are not the same people who are interested in OPNsense.
I understand it might be a way to attract disgruntled Ubiquity users to OPNsense, but I think those people are going to find their way to this type of solution (OPNsense, pfSense, Open WRT, etc) regardless. I'd rather see development resources go towards things that will make OPNsense stand out against it's other "competitors" in way that will affect a larger group of users vs spending a lot of resources creating this type of integration that would satisfy a very small subset of users.
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While I use Ubiquity APs, I couldn't imagine using their switches, routers, cameras, etc. …
What would you use?
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I agree with dumbo, What would you use?
You say Ubiquiti equipment is expensive but a typical layer 3 Ubiquiti switch is about $1,000 and a comparible Cisco switch is about $2,000.