[Network] UniFi vs. Ruckus Unleashed for Home WiFi | Part II: Stability Comparison

Introduction

Continuing from the Part I, I am comparing Ruckus Unleashed mode, R-750 and UniFi U6 Pro multi-access point setup for home use. This is time we are focusing on stability related factors.

In this category, I will be specifically comparing, 

1. Device compatibility
2. System stability
3. Connection stability
4. Roaming

Device compatibility 

Incompatible client devices will not be able to join the WiFi network so the end result is similar to the extreme instability i.e. no data transfer ever takes place. Therefore, I am categorizing this under stability.

UniFi

During my 3 and half years of UniFi WiFi network experience, I only had few memorable incidence that could be categorized as a potential device compatibility issue. The most recent, and memorable one was Rachio Sprinkler controller. Despite following the step by step instruction, and tried multiple times, the controller was never able to join IoT network nor any other WiFi network UniFi APs were broadcasting. Eventually, I ended up force connecting the Rachio controller to Kitchen’s iMac and set up that way. This did the trick. Once I got it connected, it had remained connected and never gave me an issue since. 

I am not sure if this was an issue on UniFi side or Rachio controller.  Outside of that single incidence, I might have had few minor issues but all were relatively easily solved and not caused any memorable issues. So I’ve been really happy with UniFi WiFi taking various IoT devices I am throwing at them.

Ruckus

For Ruckus setup, despite it was not recommended practice, I decided to create matching SSID and password on Ruckus network to the original UniFi network. So I did not have to add every device one by one back to new Ruckus network, especially if I wanted to go back to UniFi that seemed to be way too much work. In fact, all but two groups of devices joined Ruckus Unleashed network automatically.

The two groups of devices that required extra work were:

1. Sonos
2. UniFi Protect

Sonos

So I tried to re-create the grouping, but it kept failing at the grouping step. This could not be resolved even after factory reset of Sono speakers. 

Eventually, I decided to take approach where wiring one Sonos speaker. This creates what they call SonosNet. Essentially, Sonos creates its own 2.4 GHz mesh network. Personally, I did not like the concept as I thought it would create source of channel interference. But I had no other choice here. 

Immediately after chasing to this approach, everything worked as expected and haven’t had any issue since.

UniFi doorbell and chimes

Another group of devices that lost WiFi connection are UniFi’s own gears, UniFi Doorbell Pro and its associated two chimes. 

This turned out to be simply configuration issue. For these devices, UniFi created its own SSID. So all I had to do was went to UniFi controller setting for Doorbell Pro and changed to IoT network. Then factory reset two Smart Chimes, and reconfigure to connect to the IoT network. This process did not have any issue.

Overall, I think both systems seem highly compatible to various types of IoTs.

System Stability

One part of stability is whether the system as a whole can continue to function without frequent reboot. This is one main reason I moved away from consumer graded network gears.

Any time I’ve faced issues with UniFi network, it’s been pretty much related to new firmware update, specifically UniFi Network application or UniFi OS. Despite I was fairly careful not using beta or release candidate, there were period of time where “official release” version resulted in consumer gear level of unstable network where they required me to restore previous version of hardware, or even trying out beta firmware for the hope of getting usable network back. 

However, this has not happened for a while. Lately, the system uptime has been equal to the last firmware update I have done on UniFi setup.

Ruckus has been rock solid so far, but it’s been only just over two weeks of use. So I can’t say long term stability. Though I have relatively high confidence in this regard as one of main compliments Ruckus wireless system receives on internet is “rock-solid” stability.

Client Connection Stability

Another component of stability is if a client device can keep its connection once the WiFi connection is established.

UniFi

With UniFi setup, I had 2 clients that I could not explain why they keep disconnecting.

1. UniFi Smart Chime
2. B&W Formation series smart speakers

The first device is UniFi’s own product, UniFi Smart Chime. This happens on Ruckus setup as well, and in fact that’s how I noticed the issue has been there.

Basically, I see unpredictable, white light flashing of Smart Chime units that I didn’t think of any initially. However, with the recent Ruckus setup, I have been carefully monitoring if any device have dropped or disconnected unexpectedly. 

UniFi Smart Chime gets frequent a few seconds disconnect on Ruckus setup, and this times seem to coincide often, but not always, with the timing of these flashing lights. Based on this, I am assuming the same issue was present with UniFi as I have observed these with UniFi setup. However, they did not cause any functionality issue as I believe they reconnected back automatically.

Although I could not tell the exact timing or frequency when these were happening, they were frequent enough and usually after prolonged period, days to weeks of speaker not used. Usually when this happened, I just had to reboot those speakers and they connected back. However, sometimes, I had to reset and start over the full setting to get grouped speaker functionality back up. 

Ruckus

With Ruckus, so far I have not experienced any single disconnect with Bowers and Wilkins.

However, I am experiencing random disconnect issue with UniFi Smart Chimes. Sometimes, the connection lasts for a day or two, but other times only for a few minutes. This seems unpredictable and random. Whenever this happens, the chime immediately connects back. So similar to UniFi, if there wasn’t the flashing light on the chime, and if I hadn’t kept checking Ruckus Controller, I would not have noticed.

I have tried to change DTIM setting between typically recommended 3 to default 1. Initially, this felt to fix the issue, but it was only good for a day or two.  Then eventually started having the same issue.

Otherwise, I have not seen any issue with either system. 

Roon App Streaming

On my network, I run Room Server on custom built Intel box running Proxmox. Occasionally, I get disruption/stall on the music streaming. This happens on both UniFi and Ruckus setup. Though when this happens it still looks like speakers are still remain connected to WiFi. So this issue could be related Roon itself, and less likely WiFi bandwidth issue.

Roaming

Roaming was one of the real issue I had with UniFi setup. To test this capability, I have performed 3 types of tests.

1. Wi-Fi call test
2. Ping Test
3. WiFi Sweet Spot test

Wi-Fi call test

This is the practical, end-user experience related test. I have walked around across the known roaming point multiple times while making Wi-Fi call.

With UniFi,I have consistently lost connection at the roaming spot for about 10-30 seconds. The disconnect was long enough that we had to repeat part of the conversation. 

With Ruckus setup, there is zero disruption when using SSID with enabled WiFi call option. If I use regular home use SSID without the feature turned on, there were still almost no disruption, but occasionally I heard under one second blip. The worst case in this setting was I lost one or two words, but I did not need to repeat anything as conversation content were still clear.

Ruckus Cellular roaming

I believe WiFi call option in Ruckus is relatively unique feature that is not currently present on UniFi. This feature creates a seamless roaming between WiFi and cellular network on WiFi call. This is a free of charge and was very simple to setup.

Ping Test

On this test, I simply run continuous ping command on my iPhone while I walk across the roaming point. The data transfer with each ping is so small, this is simply just testing if active connection is remaining.

While both systems showed increased in ping time as I get closer to known roaming spot, UniFi dropped multiple consecutive pings. On the contrary, Ruckus, at most dropped just one ping, but more than half the time, they did not even drop a single ping during the roaming.

WiFi Sweet Spots Test

The second objective test used was the WiFi Sweet Spot app on iOS device. This is app continuously measures connection speed and also shows which AP the client device is connected to. So this tells me the exactly spot where the roaming takes place.

Supposedly the app just send unidirectional UDP data transfer. However, this app involves much larger data transfer than ping test. If the app loses data transfer for long enough, this app completely stops.

With UniFi setup, Wi-Fi Sweet Spots consistently completely stopped working at roaming point.  Ruckus also was not ale to sustain the app running most of time, but occasionally it had moments able to keep the app running.

Summary

In summary between two Ruckus R750 access points and 3 UniFi U6 Pro + 1 SHD access points setup:

• Both system have great device connection compatibility with small to minimal, solvable issues.
• Both system suffers persistent connectivity to UniFi Smart Chime while not affecting its functionality
• Recent UniFi, and short term evaluation of Ruckus, both systems do not require rebooting.
• UniFi loses connectivity to B&W smart speakers after days to weeks of unused
• Ruckus allows true seamless WiFi call roaming experience while I was not able to make that work with UniFi.
• Adding more AP on Ruckus was able to even sustain full seamless transition even on data demanding WiFi sweet spot test.

Overall, both system are very stable, especially for anyone who comes from consumer gear graded router/network system. The main difference in end user experience is the Ruckus’s ability to do true seamless roaming WiFi call.