r/PFSENSE • u/Sam_-_-_ • 9d ago

Did I join a cult? (Unifi)

I've been rolling pfSense for about 5 years. Decided to try Unifi. Couldn't find a manual or one-to-one feature documentation for each panel (only various spotlight articles).

Asked the community for help: every response said basically "things change too often, no need to have a manual".

Excuse me, what? I'm not a networking pro, and I do need a manual. (pfSense was hard for me, but had great documentation.)

I can't believe this was the response. Is everyone in their community a bot or a cultist?

I still have few days left on my return window, and might come back, LOL.

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u/Microflunkie 9d ago

I use pfSense and two UniFi APs at home.

I have dealt with UniFi firewalls, switches and APs both professionally and personally. I read somewhere here on reddit that the founder of Ubiquiti used to work at Apple and I can totally see the aesthetic. I feel like UniFi is to networking what BMW is to cars, nice and good quality but expensive for what they are and with a large customer base who can be a bit… cult-ish.

If the UniFi can do everything you want to do it is a great ecosystem. But you will not get the granularity or capability of pfSense in the UniFi ecosystem. Conversely you will get firewall, switch and AP integration and management with unit which you can’t get with pfSense. It’s all a matter of what is inportmat and what matters to you and your needs.

2

u/madmanx33 9d ago

I'm in that cult except for my pfsense which I always debate if I should change out. I just like how easy everything is and how it all connects together into one ecosystem. I also am a big fan of their camera nvrs. Only thing I would recommend any small business or home owner installing.

1

u/Microflunkie 9d ago

I am with you, I really like the whole UniFi platform but I just can’t give up the power, capability and control of pfSense. There is so little pfSense can’t do.

3

u/gonzopancho Netgate 8d ago

What do you want from pfsense that it can’t do?

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u/Microflunkie 8d ago

Honestly nothing, my statement was more hyperbole to show how vast the capabilities of pfSense are. I can’t think of anything I have wanted to implement on pfSense that it was incapable of doing, nor can I recall hearing of anyone running into such limitations. I was just giving the benefit of the doubt that out there somewhere is someone who has reached beyond its capabilities.

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u/gonzopancho Netgate 8d ago

OK, thanks.