UBIQUITI Access Point U6 LR Long-Range

Description

UBIQUITI Access Point U6 LR Long-Range

U6-LR is a high-performance Access Point leveraging advanced WiFi 6 technology to provide powerful wireless coverage to enterprise environments. It delivers an aggregate radio rate of up to 3.0 Gbps with 5 GHz (4×4 MU-MIMO and OFDMA) and 2.4 GHz 4×4 MIMO radios. The U6-LR seamlessly blends into any environment, and is capable of being mounted in indoor and semi-outdoor environments (IP54 rated).

The Ubiquiti U6-LR (Unifi 6 Long Range) is one of the best WiFi 6 access points that the manufacturer has developed so far and, alongside the U6-Lite, the U6-Pro and the newer U6-Enterprise, Ubiquiti manages to cover the entire market spectrum, allowing for an easy transition for any SMB (or SME) that may want to make the switch to the newer WiFi standard.

But, while Zyxel, EnGenius and TP-Link have released powerful WiFi 6 access points a couple of years ago, proudly showcasing the best that the standard could offer, Ubiquiti didn’t really care about its competition. So it took its time, only recently making available a 2.5GbE WiFi 6 access point. The Ubiquiti U6-LR still offers a 1Gbps port and, considering the price tag of the device, it makes a lot of sense. To be fair, the entire series is surprisingly affordable, but U6-LR supports 160MHz channel bandwidth, OFDMA, 4×4 MU-MIMO and the support for the excellent UniFi controller.

So, it essentially undermines any of its competitors, right? It can, but there’s a catch. The support for OFDMA is only limited to the 5GHz band, so, if you do have WiFi 6 client devices, the performance on the 2.4GHz network is not going to be that impressive. Most likely, the small networks won’t really notice a difference (when compared to the WiFi 5 access points), but the larger, denser ones will need OFDMA on both radio bands. I know that people are very fond of the UAP-AC-Pro and even the smaller nanoHD, so let’s check the Ubiquiti U6-LR as well and see if it really has a place up there, next to the best.

Design and Build Quality

While the Ubiquiti nanoHD marked the transition towards smaller and more compact access points, it seems that the U6-LR made a step back, being both larger than the UAP-AC-Pro and far heavier. It’s nothing dramatic, since at its 8.66 x 1.89 inches (or 22.0 x 4.8cm), it still remains fairly compact for a WiFi 6 access point (unless we take the ECW220S into account). The reason why it’s heavier than any UAP from previous gen (1.76lb) is because the manufacturer went with a new antenna approach and there is a thick metal plate for heat management.

Fast Wi-Fi

The UniFi 6 Long-Range Access Point supports 802.11ax Wi-Fi, delivering up to 2.4 Gb/s speeds on the 5 GHz frequency and 600 Mb/s through the 2.4 GHz signal with four-stream MU-MIMO and OFDMA technologies helping to ensure fast and reliable connections to devices.

Flexible Mounting

This access point is IP54 rated for indoor and semi-outdoor environments and includes wall and ceiling mounting kits.

PoE Powered

The U6-LR is powered with 802.3at PoE when connected to a compatible switch or a separately purchased power adapter.

UniFi Network Controller

• Single interface network management.
• Intuitive and comprehensive device configuration, control, and monitoring.
• Remote firmware upgrading.
• Manage network users and guests.
• Personalize the design, architecture, and privacy of guest hotspots.

Specification

Mechanical

• Dimensions:Ø220 x 48 mm (Ø8.66 x 1.89″)
• Weight:  800 g (1.76 lb)
• Enclosure Material: Plastic
• Mount Material: SGCC Steel
• Weatherproofing: IP54

Hardware

• Processor Specs: Dual-Core® Cortex® A53 at 1.35 GHz
• Memory Information: 512 MB
• Management Interface: Ethernet
• Networking Interface: (1) 1 Gbps Ethernet RJ45
• Button: Factory Reset
• LED: RGB
• Power Method: PoE+, Passive PoE (48V)
• Power Supply: UniFi PoE Switch – 48V, 0.5A PoE Adapter (Not Included)
• Supported Voltage Range: 44 to 57VDC
• Max. Power Consumption: 16.5W
• Max. TX Power: 2.4 GHz 26 dBm – 5 GHz 26 dBm
• MIMO: 2.4 GHz 4 x 4 – 5 GHz 4 x 4
• Throughput Speeds: 2.4 GHz 600 Mbps – 5 GHz 2400 Mbps
• Antenna Gain: 2.4 GHz 4 dBi – 5 GHz 5.5 dBi
• Mounting: Wall/Ceiling (Kits Included)
• Operating Temperature: -30 to 60° C (-22 to 140° F)
• Operating Humidity: 5 – 95% Noncondensing
• Certifications: CE, FCC, IC

Software

• Wi-Fi Standards: 802.11a/b/g – Wi-Fi 4/Wi-Fi 5/Wi-Fi 6
• Wireless Security: WPA-PSK, WPA-Enterprise (WPA/WPA2/WPA3*) – *Supported With Upcoming Controller Versions
• BSSID:8 per Radio
• VLAN: 802.1Q
• Advanced QoS: Per-User Rate Limiting
• Guest Traffic Isolation: Supported
• Concurrent Clients: 300+

Supported Data Rates (Mbps)

• 802.11a: 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 54 Mbps
• 802.11b: 1, 2, 5.5, 11 Mbps
• 802.11g: 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 54 Mbps
• 802.11n (Wi-Fi 4): 6.5 Mbps to 600 Mbps (MCS0 – MCS31, HT 20/40)
• 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5): 6.5 Mbps to 1.7 Gbps (MCS0 – MCS9 NSS1/2/3/4, VHT 20/40/80/160)
• 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6): 7.3 Mbps to 2.4 Gbps (MCS0 – MCS11 NSS1/2/3/4, HE 20/40/80/160)