MikroTic 433 vs Ubnt Router Station

[vilag]

Hello,

I have already installed a wireless network including several Nano Station 5 and NS 5 L as well, several of NSs are configured as access point and almost every suscriber of Internet service has already installed NS 5 L. On the node side, we have already installed a Linksys router configured as primary DHCP server linked directly on ADSL modem using ethernet interfaces at both ends. As our network was increasing considering users, bandwitdh, etc., we thougth as a natural way to improve, to replace on our main node, two Nano Station 5 configured as AP for a router station, installing panel antennas. Our local supplier suggested to us to install a MicroTik router but considering as radio module, Ubiquiti radio products ...... we also are buying Pico Station as a very small last mile solution at 2.4 Ghz, but we are not totally sure and we have some kind of uncomfortable feelings to accept to install on our network (so far 100% Ubnt) MicroTik products .... they mentioned router station 433 model from MicroTik and sent to us documentation about software configuration, etc. ........ but again: we are not totally sure that we are well supported/directioned from technical decision point of view, we can not see what are the main differences between routers from MicroTik compare against router station from Ubnt, and looks like the soft configuration of MK will be a "painfull" experience considering that we are very familiar with AirOS intuitive software and we think that will be the same thing considering router stations from Ubnt. For last, we want to mention that we are considering to upgrade our network because we need to include bandwidth management capabilities before we decide to include new users/suscribers, despite that we are very happy with the actual network infrastructure performance.
Since this will be a very important decision for us and our new WISP small company, we'll appreciate your comments and suggestions in order to take the best decision available today.

Thanks in advance,
-Guillermo.
phone: +54 2474 425364
e.mail: vilgui@hotmail.com
Argentina

[rmichael]

Mikrotik does bandwidth management well but it's all done through console interface. Since you're used to GUI I think you should consider DD-WRT which can run on linksys or routerstation. I use it at a couple of hotspots and it keeps P2P traffic under control.

[jasperman]

Guillermo,

Did you already buy those RouterStations? If so, please tell me where did you get them. I can't find a local supplier.
AFAIK most of them are selling Microtik and have agreed with them not to sell RouterStations.
Others are making good money from MT selling AND training and don't even want to sell RS.

[milank]

Hi Vilag,

from the hardware's point of view, the Router Station (not even mentioning the Pro version, which is not available/sold yet at least for me) beats (has more features than) RB433AH, with the first being sold for less than half the price of the second!

But it is only hardware, without the known AirOS configuration interface: you have to either use/improve the supplied OpenWRT firmware, which is basically a "Linux command line" without any WWW interfaces, or use a more "advanced" commercial solution as the mentioned DD-WRT.

I personally prefer RS to RB just for the flexibility of software choice and functions, but for a user who does not know Linux well, the Mikrotik software package (available only to RBs) or at least the simpler DD-WRT with RS would be an advantage.