My Intro to TP-Link Omada 101 

I started with Omada a few years ago because of cost and availability of Ubiquity equipment. It works, it's cost effective too and I've deployed about six system so far never having any major problems and all are still running.

You can run the Omada controller as a Docker container, you don't need the physical controller if you don't want.

Been running Omada for just over a year. As a network professional, I've been an Ubiquiti fanboy for a long time, but like to be familiar with options. So far, the wireless gear and switches have been rock solid. The routers are comparable to the lower-end Unifi offerings. They hold up well enough for light users, but pale in comparison to "real" off-the-shelf routers, much less something like PFsense. However, the hardware controllers are trash. I've tried both hardware controllers and they are inexplicably buggy. But the software controller has worked flawlessly. And the cloud access to it hasn't let me down, yet. Since learning it and working out the kinks, I've installed several Omada setups (from 1 to 160 access points) and I've received no complaints (well, out of the ordinary). Unless somebody has a predetermined preference or use case requiring more horsepower, Omada brings a lot of performance vs. cost to the table.

I have ran both Omada and UniFi for over a year together. UniFi at home and Omada at my cabin. They both serve their purpose and I can tell you they are similar and enjoy both of them. I feel the UniFi is extremely expandable and has protect/phone and more that can be intergrate and I love it for my house. At the cabin I didn’t need all this and the Omada served as way to have the core of what was needed, allowed for network expansion for coverage as well as using a similar interface.

I really like the look at the omada line up I really wish I heard about them before changing 3 networks over to unifi also hopefully one day they bring out a rack bracket but maybe just 3D print one to hold them together

I have this basic setup and I got to tell you I love it.

Had a slight freak out thinking someones in my computer! Then yeah realized you got the same wallpaper as me! It's soooo cool!

Really looking forward to seeing the rest of this Omada series!

Awesome Video love the hardware centric videos the best! When are you going to tackle the new Plex server I am really looking forward to the Loki upgrade

No wireguard? thats the future of VPN. Incredible performance.

As far as the controller, I’m also “basic”. I regularly administer servers for work, super familiar with a love using Docker daily. But personally, I actually love the simplicity of just having a dedicated hardware controller. But YMMV. My setup isn’t yet complicated enough to warrant taking advantage of the benefits of removing hardware and consolidating things into a single server with virtualization and etc. For me having the dedicated hardware adds a bit of “set it and forget it” simplicity since then you’re not thinking about making sure the host server is online, the docker service is running, the container is running, the container is up to date, etc. Sure you still need to make sure the controller is updated, but still. Seems easier to me. 🤔

Great video! I might buy one now. Completely off-topic, did you film this on your iPhone 13 pro?

Does Omada give you a VPN option that you can assign certain devices to? It'd be nice to assign an Apple TV 4K to one for example. I know pfSense can do it, but kinda scared of setting that up with Ubiquiti. Would like to see all the options the VPN can do on it. These things look like mini switches heh. Great video as always!

There is zero issue with running Cat 5e at the length they give in the box. I cant understand why people wanna constantly bang away at that. 10g will pass with no issue up to 45m. Ive got North of 30 Omada systems right now in the field (oldest system is 2 years old). Very good, reliable stuff. All working with the free cable between components. Dont whine about the free cable. Its fine. Youll be ok....

I think there is a docker that has the Omada controller software built in s you no longer have to use the hardware controller. I have seen people download it on their unraid servers and on their main machine.

You may call it "prosumer" or "high-end" but at a $100, it can't be beat and works like a charm...

I can't speak to the router, but I use Omada stuff behind a pfsense firewall and I am happy with it. Been using it for about 2 years now.

When I decided to switch from Spectrum to my municipality's new fiber internet, I decided to go with a better setup. I bought the router you have, the controller and their 5 port POE switch to run the 3 TP Link access points in my house. It's been almost a year now and have had no issues whatsoever. My previous cable ISP, I had to reboot every couple of weeks. I actually got the Edge Switch 10? first as I was thinking of using them but their other equipment was never available. No regrets with TP Link. Does more than I need it to be but if I ever decide to expand my network, good to know this can handle what I might want to do.

not going to lie the mowing the lawn bit earned my sub

I'm running the controller in a docker on my Unraid server. For now only using the ER605v2, really hoping to get my hands on the TL-SG3428MP and a EAP610 very soon to expand my setup. Really love the ecosystem and the full 1Gb WAN I pay for

I use omada at home and i love it, never had issues with it!

I would love to see the mobile wan back up using the USB port. I've been looking for something like that.

Glad to finally see you make a video about real tech again..........and not batteries.

iperf3 tests: firewall & routing please does it have some DPI or IDS/IPS?

can you check the VLAN if will pass through the MESH network

Im sure that you can 3d print something to make it rack mountable as well.

does it need a static ip for the internet? how about a dhcp internet connection will it work?

I’d like to see what your VPN speeds are with this

I use all Omada stuff for my home network, and I run the controller in Docker on my unRAID server. For the money, you really can't beat it.

Oh, I just bought the old ER605 model. If I knew there was already a new revision with a USB port.

forgive my ignorance but what does this device do ? is it a hardware solution for plug and play vpn setup ? or is it hardware designed to run software that provides vpn

how it different from regular router ?

❤ thank you very much🎉

Whats the model of those tplink sir?

I have ER605 but no usb port. Why's that?

I have been trying to find out if the is a way to connect my external 4TB USB drive to the network. My router doesn't have a USB port. The internet is telling the only practical way is by using a huge NAS. I just want 1-2 USB ports with the network device. Let me know if anyone has a solution.

hi, perfect video. Omadacontroleller is the same GUI that Ubiquiti use only with other icons ^^

can confirm those candies are delicious

Why do they make you purchase a hardware controller? Why not build it into the switch? Or even give you a option to buy it then flash the firmware on the router with it? Sure I'm not getting something but don't understand why they make it a 2nd device when that's not needed.

I personally wouldn't consider this router/firewall for business use. One of my main requirements is the ability to run multiple lans/subnets across it's interfaces. Those appear to be link layer switch ports instead of accessible interfaces.

Love the tplink gear with lifetime warranty. But i only run pfsense anymore.

Do you want to try the mikrotik hexs router

7:05 -->😄Thanks for that too!

Hahahaha!! I love the dumb humor in this video!! Lmao

It's not a toilet paper holder but it is something that should be flushed

The rack mount is really a missed opportunity imho. At least TP-Link could have made it so that it was separate available piece. Maybe a bracket where that router and the controller can be mounted together on a 1U bracket or something. Only thing that's vague to me is if IGMP Snooping is supported.

How do I setup with Omada if I have a Wi-Fi/modem combo from my ISP? Do I replace it? Do I set it up in bridge mode? Or do i not need to the Omada router and use my ISP modem?

I run the EAP's, big fan of them

Got the router, controller, 2 switches and 2 AP's running in the house. I actually switched from being a Mikrotik fan over to TP-Link. Go figure!. Its very stable but...be warned when you go and adopt your hardware to your controller. The controller does not do EVERYTHING that the individual pieces do. I am hoping that TP-Link will eventually add in all the functionality to the controller so I can keep everything integrated and not have to go stand alone. Thats a pain. If you go from stand alone to controller...you lose the settings...if you want to go back to stand alone, you lose the settings...There has been some minor bugs with DHCP reservations and others things that TP-Link is still growing through...Probably not much different when it comes to growing pains that Ubiquiti is going through. Pricepoint...I love it...full roaming...I love it...Stability...I love it. Support....gotta beat up TP-Link once in a while on the forums to get them to move.

I have the omada controller dockered on a raspberry pi to control my router and ap. My er605 doesn't have a USB port though!

Cool 👍

Is this wifi router?

Is there an ongoing cost/licensing on a monthly or annual basis for Omada and Cloud management?

Desktop background...I have the deep field JWST picture.

I luagh cause I just the modem dew.days.before you posted this..

I didn't see holes for ears so you would just put on a shelf in your rack.

With side projects my wife says I never finish anyth... 🤦‍♂️🤣

Should probably consider a better provider, or not using a VPN service at all if you're just using Nord because of their claims of privacy. VPN services are only really any good for bypassing geofilters, and providers like Nord where they expect you to install their own app and their own driver could be stripping SSL.

Go the Blue Heeler

This is a great ecosystem..my only issue is no mdns

Won't be my friend for too long ...doing that, sticking things into where it doesn't belong !

if you build it, they will come... I thought about vpn router, but chose to use a pi instead. wouldn't mind a better firewall though, can't use pi for that as it doesn't have the bandwidth capabilities.

3:30 Forbidden black liquorish included in box ;)

You need to ugprade that thing to a newer OpenWRT right away, that thing is running OpenWRT 14 with a 3.x kernel and that is VERY INSECURE!

Just use a mikrotik. Cheap, very powerful, it's a literal swiss army knife

print a rack mount ;)

I wish I would've found this before trying stupid Decos 😑

Jason, For the cost of everything that you need. Would it not be better to just get a Unif Gateway Pro and be done with it ? P.S. I love my Gateway Pro.

this stupid thing this controller must be embedded inside any AP then then router is the VPN gate for this whole system but TPlink prefers to put it separate for some reason.!

The problems are their APs are huge and hideous

5:00 minutes into the rant. Yawns, writes this comment, and leaves at 5:46 mark

TP-Link copies Unifi OS even down to the icons... Thier hardware is garbage and thier software has all the same problems that last years version of the Unifi OS had. Check how often TP-Link updates firmware. Check how easy it is to get support from TP-Link. Almost no firmware updates and zero support. Cash that check they gave you, finish the videos you agreed to and run, dont walk, run.

sticking with my PFSense

He thinks he is funny ..... why?

They're basically the same TP-Link basically copied the unifies old interface and there's way less products on TP-Link Armada and the access points don't look good and they're too big but it's not bad it's still a good service and everything like that is still good

First

ubquity is junk

You made this video boring

Looks cheap compared to UniFi

lets go brandon!

First, S*c* it Nate.

supported a imageline product... what a joke, and also tNice tutorialer save function is a joke... even the save function in "Microsoft Word" is better...

Useless...1Gb network isn't good enough today, 2.5Gb, 5Gb and10Gb are already there and more futur proof! Wifi 6/6E/7, Cat6/6E cable and IEEE 802.3bz equipements is what we need. My provider offer fiber internet access up 1,5Gb and I have a 10Gb port on the HH4000 modem/router they rent me. You can get 2.5Gb switch and network card for pretty cheap today and you don't need to dump all your 1Gb equipement tomorrow they still work. New purchase mean "upgrade" getting 1Gb equipement is not an upgrade...