Ubiquiti has released yet another gateway in its UniFi product line. The new UniFi Gateway Max (UXG-Max) is a multi-WAN gateway, designed for high throughput with full 2.5 GbE support.
It, however, doesn’t come with UniFi OS, so you will need a CloudKey or Hosted controller to run and manage this gateway.
In this article
In this article, we are going to take a look at the specs of the new UniFi Gateway Max and how it compares to the recently released UniFi Gateway Ultra and UniFi Gateway Lite.
UniFi Gateway Max
The UniFi Gateway Max is a powerful, but compact, multi-WAN gateway. What stands out the most about this gateway is that it has a 2.5 GbE WAN port and four 2.5GbE LAN ports. This makes it the ideal gateway for fast WAN connections.
Ubiquiti has recently also released the UniFi Cloud Gateway Ultra. When you look at both devices, you will notice that they have the same form factor and look almost identical. But there is a big difference between the two.
In the UniFi product line, we have Gateways and Cloud Gateways. The Cloud Gateways run on UniFi OS and come with the UniFi network app. The normal gateways, don’t run UniFi OS. This means that you will need either a CloudKey or a (locally) hosted UniFi network server.
So when you want to use the UXG Max, you will need to run the UniFi Network app on a different device. If you have multiple sites, then a hosted controller is often the best solution.
Specifications
| CPU | Quad-core ARM® Cortex®-A53 (IPQ5322) at 1.5 GHz |
| Memory | 2 GB |
| Display | None |
| Max IPS/IDS Throughput | 1.5 Gbps |
| WAN Ports | 1x 2.5 GbE RJ45 |
| LAN Ports | 4x 2.5 GbE RJ45 |
| Power method | USB C (5V / 3A) |
| Max Power Consumption | 9.6 Watt |
| Dimensions | 142 x 127 x 30 mm |
When we look at the specification then you will see that the throughput is limited at 1.5 Gbps with IPS and IDS. These features are great but are not needed in every scenario.
Good to know is that you can re-map one of the LAN ports as a secondary WAN port, offering you a multi-WAN solution. This is great for fail-over when you need to guarantee a high uptime.
The UXG Max doesn’t come with a display. We only see that on the Cloud Gateways and some switches.
If we look at the usability of this device, then it’s good to notice that there are only a few UniFi switches and access points (only enterprise models) available that are capable of using the 2.5 GbE connection.
How does the UniFi Gateway Max Compare
The UniFi Gateway Max is mostly suited for small and medium businesses that need the high throughput that the gateway has to offer. So how does it compare to the recently released Gateway Lite and Cloud Gateway Ultra?
UniFi Gateway Max vs UniFi Cloud Gateway Ultra
The Cloud Gateway Ultra was released only a month ago and has the same form factor as the UGX-Max. It also offers a 2.5 GbE WAN connection, but it can only utilize 1 Gbit of it.
If we compare both devices, then you will see that the specifications are almost identical. The biggest difference is of course that the Cloud Gateway Ultra can run the UniFi network app, allowing you to manage your UniFi network.
| UniFi Gateway Max | UniFi Cloud Gateway Ultra | |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Quad-core ARM® Cortex®-A53 at 1.5 GHz | Quad-core ARM® Cortex®-A53 at 1.5 GHz |
| Memory | 2 GB | 3 GB |
| Runs UniFi Network app | No | Yes |
| Routing Performance with IDS and IPS | 1.5 Gbps | 1 Gbps |
| WAN Port | 2.5GbE RJ45 Port | 2.5GbE RJ45 Port |
| LAN Ports | (4) 2.5GbE RJ45 Port | (4) 1GbE RJ45 Port |
| Price | $199 | $129 |
This way you won’t need to run the UniFi Network app locally or buy a CloudKey which is of course a big advantage. The downside however of running UniFi OS is that the Ultra is a bit slower than the Gateway Max.
We have seen the same difference between the UniFi Express and the Gateway Lite, where the Express is just a bit too limited when you want to run IDS and IPS as well.
UniFi Gateway Max vs UniFi Gateway Lite
The UniFi Gateway Lite was released at the end of 2023 and is, as the name implies, the smaller and lighter version of the Gateway Max.
Both Gateways require either a CloudKey or a hosted UniFi Network server to configure and manage the devices.
| UniFi Gateway Max | UniFi Gateway Lite | |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Quad-core ARM® Cortex®-A53 at 1.5 GHz | Dual-core ARM® Cortex®-A53 at 1 GHz |
| Memory | 2 GB | 1 GB |
| Runs UniFi Network app | No | No |
| Routing Performance with IDS & IPS | 1.5 Gbps | 1 Gbps |
| WAN Ports | 2.5 GbE RJ45 Port | 1 GbE RJ45 Port |
| LAN Ports | (4) 2.5 GbE RJ45 Port | 1 GbE RJ45 Port |
| IDS and IPS Threat detection | Yes | Yes (limited to only 11 features) |
| Price | $199 | $129 |
If we look at the specifications, then we can clearly see that the Gateway Max is more powerful than the Lite. The difference in the routing performance with IDS and IPS turned on isn’t that big, but important to note here is that the Gateway Lite only supports a limited set of IDS and IPS features.
Also, the Gateway Lite only has one LAN port, so it doesn’t offer multi-WAN support.
Which Gateway should you use?
The UniFi product line of gateways has expanded a lot past 6 months. We have now 4 new (Cloud) gateways to choose from, so which one should you buy?
When you need to choose a new gateway you should consider the following questions:
- Is your internet connection faster than 1Gbps?
- Are you managing multiple network locations?
- Do you need a multi-WAN connection?
If you need to manage multiple locations, often the case with small and medium business environments. Then it’s easier to use the Gateway Lite or Max and a hosted UniFi Network server. This way you have one central place to manage all your UniFi devices.
When your internet connection is 1 Gbps or lower, then the Cloud Gateway Ultra or Gateway Lite are more than enough.
If you need a multi-WAN connection to support fail-over or load balancing, then you should pick either the Cloud Gateway Ultra or the Gateway Max.
Learn more about the different UniFi Controllers in this article.
Wrapping Up
The new UniFi Gateway Max is a great gateway when your internet connection speed exceeds 1 Gbps. However, the lack of affordable 2.5 GbE capable switches makes the use case a lot more limited. At the moment, the only non-rack mounted 2.5 GbE capable switch is the UniFi Enterprise 8 PoE.
This switch costs almost $500, which is quite a lot compared to the Gateway Max. I really hope that Ubiquiti will soon release a switch with at least a 2.5 GbE uplink port.
I hope you liked this article, if you have any questions, just drop a comment below!
Hi, I have a ftizbox (router) at home right now with incoming vlan6 for internet and vlan4 for iptv, from my ISP. Does the Unify Gatway Max support multicast routing? Will I need any extra configurations to get iptv working over the same line that brings internet to my living room? Or will it just be plug and play and work straight out of the box for my internal network? My wife will do bad things to me if the TV stops working after replacing/upgrading 🙂
I recommend to use the fritzbox for the IPTV an the UniFi Gateway for the rest.
By default itsn’t possible, but there are some workaround like this one: https://github.com/fabianishere/udm-iptv
I know the upcoming questions normally won’t be asked here but, maybe a stupid question like this will answer a lot of Unify starting people like me there questions.
I want to replace all my old equipment for Unify equipment.
And I want to order the gateway max or ultra in combination with 2 U6 enterprise access points for my 3-storey house.
Questions:
Which gateway best to choose?
Which switch best to buy low cost but with option for a third access point?
Example: switch ultra 60w or 210w or an other one due to 2.5Gbps and PoE.
With Unify netwerk installed on a windows device do I still need a cloud key?
Has anyone other suggestions for a setup like this?
Because a rack mount or dream machine pro (se) is overkill in our or in somebody else’s his situation.
Also I want an upgrade for my house for the upcoming years.
We still have a 1Gb line now but in the upcoming year it will also be upgraded.
Or should a 1Gb line be enough for a house hold of 9 with 2 or 3 devices per person. And 2 gaming consoles and 2 tv’s and 1 small Eufy camera system. So load balancing is really needed in my situation.
I would go with the Cloud Gateway Ultra, this way you don’t need an extra console or run the UniFi Network app on a server.
The switch Ultra 60w is more than enough for the 3 access points.
If you have UniFi Network installed on Windows, then you don’t need a cloud key. (you can even use the UniFi Gateway Max then)
Dream Machine Pro is a reasonable option if you want to use UniFi Protect as well.
1Gb should be more then enough. I worked with 50mbps for years in a household of 4.
I think you have the wrong price for the Max in the table under UniFi Gateway Max vs UniFi Gateway Lite.
That should indeed be $199 instead of $129. Thanks for pointing out!
Can the cloudkey+ be connected directly to one of the LAN ports of the USG-MAX without a switch?
Yes, that is possible.
I wonder what the WireGuard throughput will be?
My current internet connection isn’t fast enough to fully test it.