In short
A UniFi Cloud Gateway is chosen on four criteria: internet line speed, number of devices and sites, whether it will record cameras with UniFi Protect, and whether it is rack-mounted or sits on a desk. Cloud Gateway Ultra, Max and Fiber cover small and medium sites; Dream Machines, large sites; and Enterprise Firewalls, critical networks.
Current Cloud Gateway range
| Model | How Ubiquiti describes it | Where it fits |
|---|---|---|
| UniFi Express 7 | Super-compact, mesh-scalable 10G gateway | Homes and small premises. Runs UniFi Network only. |
| Cloud Gateway Ultra | Ideal for small-to-medium networks | Offices and shops that only need networking. |
| Cloud Gateway Max | The complete UniFi experience for small-to-medium sites | Sites that also want cameras or door access. |
| Cloud Gateway Fiber | Desktop 10G gateway with integrated PoE switch | Fast fibre lines with a few PoE devices. |
| Dream Router 7 | 10G gateway with integrated WiFi 7 and PoE switch | Homes and small offices wanting everything in one device. |
| Dream Wall | Designed for limited space | Premises without a comms cabinet. |
| Dream Machine Pro, SE and Pro Max | For large-scale deployments; the SE adds a PoE switch | Businesses with a rack, many cameras or several networks. |
| Cloud Gateway Industrial and Dream Router 5G Max | Multi-WAN with SIM and integrated 5G | Sites without fibre, building sites and remote locations. |
| Enterprise Firewall | For the most demanding networks | Head offices with high availability. |
Four questions to choose
- How fast is the line? With 1 Gbps fibre or faster, a model with 2.5 or 10 GbE ports and the capacity to inspect traffic at that speed is advisable.
- Will it record cameras? UniFi Protect needs storage: a gateway with a drive or a separate UNVR recorder.
- How many devices and networks are there? Each model supports a maximum number of UniFi devices and users.
- Where will it be installed? Desktop, wall or 19-inch rack, with or without a fan.
Common firewall functions
Traffic inspection uses capacity: real speed with IDS/IPS enabled is lower than the device’s nominal speed. We take this into account when sizing.
- Zone-based firewall and VLAN-separated networks.
- Intrusion detection and prevention (IDS/IPS).
- WireGuard and OpenVPN server for remote work.
- Site-to-site VPN with IPsec or OpenVPN, and Site Magic to join UniFi sites.
- Several internet lines with automatic failover.
- On high-end models, a second standby gateway that takes over if the first fails.
Common mistakes
- Choosing a model without storage on price and then finding it cannot record cameras.
- Leaving the operator’s router in front without bridge mode, causing double address translation.
- Not allowing enough PoE ports for access points and cameras.
- Installing a fan-cooled rack unit in a quiet work area.
Our recommendation by type of site
This is a guide. The final model is decided with the contracted line, the number of cameras and expected growth.
| Site | Starting point |
|---|---|
| Home or small office | Dream Router 7 or UniFi Express 7 with additional access points. |
| Small office or shop | Cloud Gateway Ultra, or Max if there will be cameras. |
| Office with fast fibre | Cloud Gateway Fiber. |
| Business with rack and cameras | Dream Machine Pro, SE or Pro Max. |
| Critical site | Enterprise Firewall with a second unit on standby. |