From OpenWrt to UniFi: A Practical Perspective #

My OpenWrt Experience #

Since 2022, I’ve been using OpenWrt—a powerful platform for deep networking control. Many users, frustrated with ISP-provided devices, turn to OpenWrt for its flexibility and the ability to repurpose existing hardware. It offers granular control over routing, DNS, firewalls, and security.

OpenWrt lets you manipulate every detail of your network, but that level of control comes with responsibility. Running it on generic hardware, like a Raspberry Pi 4 with a TP-Link UE300 USB Ethernet adapter, requires attention to drivers, kernel modules, patches, and firmware updates. Companies like GL.iNet handle this internally on their devices, but for a DIY setup, every update or change can behave differently.

Challenges with Home Setup #

Even with experience, maintaining a stable network on generic hardware can be tricky. Random freezes, subtle interactions between switches, access points, and routers, and occasional device failures are part of the reality for some setups. These aren’t flaws in OpenWrt — they reflect the challenge of running a fully open system on diverse hardware.

Using OpenWrt on consumer-grade devices like Raspberry Pis and small routers was rewarding but demanding. Firmware updates, USB NIC quirks, and driver issues often required manual intervention. Each update felt like a new adventure — sometimes it improved things, other times something subtle broke and needed debugging. Success often depended on a bit of luck, and even with the new OpenWrt Upgrade Tool (OWUT), the system still feels like a naked platform needing an extra layer to make it fully stable.

My goal was stability and low power use, but combining USB network interfaces and multiple VLANs on a Pi made it fragile. Kernel updates could easily disrupt drivers, and the system needed reboots more often than I liked. Simply, I didn’t want an underpowered router to run OpenWrt; rather, I needed a Pi 4–like power device that could handle 1 Gbps SQM without issues. It took me more time to realize that the USB Ethernet was also a reason for the unexplained freezes.

One day, during an update, I completely bricked my setup and lost all internet access — not even enough to download a new OpenWrt image. I had to use mobile data just to recover. That experience made me realize how critical a stable gateway has become, especially when working from home.

By the end of 2024, I knew I needed a more dependable system — perhaps OpenWrt on x86_64 — but ultimately, I followed a simple principle:

The internet is there to use, learn, and improve — not to spend hours tinkering just to stay connected.

Why UniFi Made Sense #

The introduction of Zone-Based Firewall (ZBF) with UniFi Network 9.0.108 convinced me to switch to UniFi, even though UniFi still has limited IPv6 support and lacks some advanced features that OpenWrt provides out of the box. I ordered the UCG Ultra on 31st December 2024, and the price point was another convincing factor — even if I wanted to buy a Pi 5 with an Ethernet HAT and case, it could cost more than the UCG Ultra.

UniFi doesn’t replace the power of OpenWrt — it complements it. I moved to the UCG Ultra, but UniFi offers solutions from the UCG Ultra all the way up to enterprise-grade Fortress Gateways. These devices provide a stable, integrated gateway out of the box, reducing the need for constant tinkering.

UniFi keeps evolving with regular updates—every 6–8 weeks, UniFi OS and the UniFi Network application improve stability, features, and security. The UCG Ultra delivers stable connections, IDS/IPS protection, geofencing, and excellent visibility and management. Remote access works seamlessly via Teleport, regardless of IPv4, IPv6, or CGNAT. UniFi Network keeps gaining more IPv6 support with each release, making it increasingly capable for modern networks.

While OpenWrt supports SQM (Smart Queue Management) with Cake, UniFi gateways handle traffic prioritization using hardware acceleration and built-in QoS. North-south traffic between WAN and LAN is efficiently managed by the UCG Ultra’s 6.2W Quad-core ARM® Cortex®-A53 processor at 1.5 GHz, delivering high performance without manual configuration. Bandwidth shaping, latency control, and traffic prioritization happen automatically at the hardware level.

The recently introduced Object Oriented Networking in UniFi Network Application 9.4.19 feels like a high-level declarative visual programming language, allowing users to configure entire workflows with just a few clicks. Unlike OpenWrt, which requires deep knowledge and an understanding of how all network elements interact, UniFi simplifies complex configurations while still giving technical users the freedom to explore advanced features.

Finally, UniFi’s updates come at no additional cost and without any subscription, making it easier to maintain a secure and up-to-date network. These updates can even be scheduled, for example, on Sunday at midnight (3:00 AM) to minimize disruption.

OpenWrt Finds Its Role #

OpenWrt now operates alongside UniFi, handling specialized tasks that UniFi doesn’t fully address, such as advanced VPN configuration and IPv6, along with granular firewall rules. For instance, a Raspberry Pi 5 serves as a dedicated VPN gateway, utilizing WireGuard to securely connect multiple VPSs, creating a seamless, local network experience. Resource-intensive backups are routed through OpenVPN, capitalizing on the Pi 5’s hardware encryption capabilities, with OpenWrt’s advanced firewall rules ensuring meticulous network control.By offloading VPN responsibilities from UniFi to OpenWrt, the system harnesses its advanced features, optimizing performance and flexibility. In this way, OpenWrt has now found its strong position in my home networking.

Conclusion #

The transition to UniFi has provided a stable, high-performance network that “just works,” offering intuitive management and robust performance. This shift highlighted aspects I hadn’t fully appreciated during my initial experience with OpenWrt. Now, especially, all updates are smoother, and I never encounter situations like a deadlock with no internet.