Ubiquiti AmpliFi Instant review: Simple, pain-free mesh Wi-Fi

AmpliFi has a number of networking products available, ranging from unmarried routers to access points to mesh systems suited for large spaces. I recently tested the AmpliFi Hard disk drive mesh system and came abroad impressed due to solid performance and the power to build out your organisation as needed, just I lamented the lack of available Ethernet backhaul betwixt the main router and MeshPoints (the name Ubiquiti uses for its nodes).

The AmpliFi Instant changes things upward a bit, both in use and design. Like the Hard disk drive, it works perfectly well as a standalone router, but y'all can add extra nodes as needed. It's suited for most 4,000 foursquare feet, a bundle with MeshPoint costs about $160 less than the full HD setup, and it's capable of wired Ethernet backhaul between router and MeshPoint. I tested the AmpliFi Instant to encounter whether or not it'south worth the money and whether or not it'south the right fit for your networking needs.

Mesh Wi-Fi system

Ubiquiti AmpliFi Instant

From $99

Bottom line: If you need a mesh Wi-Fi system with almost no fuss during setup or direction and range suitable for most average homes, the AmpliFi Instant can evangelize.

Pros

• Setup equally easy every bit possible
• Great range and functioning
• Intuitive app
• Capable of Ethernet backhaul

Cons

• No web interface
• No ports for adding media

About this review

Ubiquiti provided Windows Central with a review unit of the AmpliFi Instant mesh AC1200 Wi-Fi system. It costs about $99 for a single router, while a router and MeshPoint bundle (which I'grand reviewing here) costs almost $179.

Ubiquiti AmpliFi Instant hardware and specs

Category	XX
Performance	AC1200 (two x ii) (300 Mbps + 867 Mbps)
Frequency	2.4 GHz, 5 GHz
Wireless standards	802.11b/1000/b/ac
Antennas	One dual-ring (per slice)
Theoretical range	four,000 square feet
Security	WPA2-PSK AES/TKIP
Ports	Router: One LAN Ane WAN USB-C (ability) MeshPoint: I LAN USB-C (ability)
Dimensions	3.92 inches 10 3.85 inches x one.30 inches (99.5 mm ten 97.eight mm ten 33.05 mm)

Ubiquiti AmpliFi Instant design and features

The AmpliFi Instant has the same white soft-touch finish as on the Hd kit, though here the design isn't nearly equally ambitious. Instead of jointed batons for the MeshPoints and a large box for the primary router, the Instant arrangement is comprised of two relatively small pucks.

The main router still has a display, though smaller, that shows traffic metrics, a clock, or network status, though I establish that pulling out my telephone and checking the app was mostly a better fashion to get things done. On the dorsum are a USB-C port for power, a WAN port for connecting back to your modem, and a LAN port for either Ethernet backhaul or connecting a wired device.

The MeshPoint is essentially the same equally the router except it lacks a display and the extra WAN port on the back. Whereas HD MeshPoints plugged direct into the wall, the Instant node has a lengthy power string to match the master router, giving y'all some extra elbowroom every bit to where you lot'd similar to set it up. If you don't use wired backhaul, the LAN port on the node tin handle a wired device, though speeds would be compromised due to the wireless link back to the router.

The lesser of both units has a transparent ring that can be fix to glow lite for certain statuses, during sure times, or not at all depending on whether or not you desire to display the hardware prominently. The blueprint definitely doesn't look out of place on a shelf or mantel, but it tin can easily exist subconscious away thanks to its diminutive size.

Ubiquiti AmpliFi Instant setup

Ubiquiti no dubiety named this system "Instant" to attract anyone who's wary of the difficulties of setting upward a network, especially with more than one or two pieces of hardware. It's advertised as having a setup that can take as little equally two minutes, which I found to be mostly true.

Setup is as easy every bit possible, and management thereafter is painless.

Setup involves plugging in the router to power and your modem, opening the AmpliFi app on your Android or iOS telephone, and letting information technology do its thing. It did take most ii minutes to go a network up and running on the single router, and some other few minutes to get the MeshPoint added in my basement. All y'all accept to do is cull a name and password for the new network, and from there it'south all handled automatically.

Anyone who's worried that a mesh organisation is out of their league should definitely reconsider, as this was well-nigh the easiest network setup I've come across. The app includes 24/7 live back up should annihilation get wrong, and at that place'southward too plenty of documentation online if yous'd like to do a scrap of in-house troubleshooting. The only real problem here is an apparent lack of web interface like was available for the Hard disk. If y'all don't have an Android or iOS device, it seems similar you're out of luck.

Ubiquiti AmpliFi Instant functioning

With the router and node set up and stable, I ran some performance tests using Ookla'south Speedtest. To get a baseline for performance, I tested my ISP-provided Hitron router and modem combo before moving on to the AmpliFi Instant. First, I tested the alone router on both ii.iv GHz and five GHz radios in close proximity, once again in my office, and once again in the far corner of my basement.

I repeated the tests on the MeshPoint — prepare in the middle of my basement — both with wireless and wired backhaul. Note that my internet plan is rated at 250 Mbps downwardly and 25 Mbps up.

AmpliFi Instant 2.4 GHz (no MeshPoint)

Location	Ping	Down speed	Up speed
Living room (10 anxiety)	x ms	37.49 Mbps	xvi.09 Mbps
Office (xxx feet)	11 ms	18.87 Mbps	16.xi Mbps
Basement (xl feet)	10 ms	iv.05 Mbps	6.13 Mbps

AmpliFi Instant five GHz (no MeshPoint)

Location	Ping	Down speed	Up speed
Living room (10 feet)	xi ms	178.94 Mbps	14.11 Mbps
Part (thirty feet)	eleven ms	179.00 Mbps	sixteen.xvi Mbps
Basement (twoscore feet)	12 ms	33.40 Mbps	x.01 Mbps

The 2.4 GHz radio on the Instant router was a bit disappointing, failing to match or exceed the speeds from my original Hitron router. In the basement, there was almost no sense using the Instant without a MeshPoint hooked up. The 5 GHz radio was quite powerful, not dropping off at all between a 10- and 30-pes range. Once I moved into the basement, however, the extra ten feet and architectural interference took a cost, though I still got ameliorate speeds than with my Hitron router.

AmpliFi Instant 2.4 GHz (router and MeshPoint)

Location	Ping	Downward speed	Upwardly speed
Function (xxx feet)	11 ms	37.70 Mbps	16.26 Mbps
Basement (forty anxiety)	12 ms	41.88 Mbps	sixteen.21 Mbps

Setting the 5 GHz ring equally the backbone between router and MeshPoint delivered better operation when using the 2.4 GHz radio to connect devices. With the ii.four GHz band as the backbone and with devices connected to the 2.4 GHz band, I got 17.30 Mbps down speeds in my office compared to the 37.70 Mbps posted above.

Using an Ethernet cable for the backbone, 2.4 GHz down speeds in my office, when connected to the MeshPoint, hit 41.88 Mbps.

AmpliFi Instant v GHz (router and MeshPoint)

Location	Ping	Downwards speed	Up speed
Office (xxx anxiety)	12 ms	82.27 Mbps	16.24 Mbps
Basement (twoscore feet)	12 ms	50.95 Mbps	xvi.22 Mbps

With the 5 GHz ring equally backbone I was able to hitting 82.27 Mbps down speeds on the 5 GHz band, whereas with the 2.4 GHz band as the backbone, I but saw 34.51 Mbps down speeds on the v GHz band.

With Ethernet backbone, I saw 168.24 Mbps downwardly speeds in my role and in the basement when connected to the 5 GHz band on the MeshPoint, which is effectively double what'southward offered when using wireless backhaul.

Hitron 2.4 GHz

Location	Ping	Down speed	Up speed
Living room (10 feet)	eleven ms	lxxx.39 Mbps	16.23 Mbps
Part (30 feet)	11 ms	18.99 Mbps	xv.42 Mbps
Basement (40 feet)	15 ms	15.29 Mbps	11.19 Mbps

Hitron 5 GHz

Location	Ping	Down speed	Upwardly speed
Living room (x anxiety)	10 ms	179.xc Mbps	16.30 Mbps
Part (30 anxiety)	10 ms	64.02 Mbps	xvi.26 Mbps
Basement (40 anxiety)	xiii ms	13.32 Mbps	11.41 Mbps

After completing these tests, it's evident that the AmpliFi Instant is best used in tandem with a MeshPoint. At that place remains a unmarried SSID to connect to with both two.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands — no switching betwixt network names as you move about your house — and thanks to Ethernet backhaul, you tin go well-nigh the aforementioned speeds in your basement or upper floor as you tin can sitting next to your chief router.

If Ethernet backhaul isn't possible, wireless speed remains acceptable, and you tin can practice some in-app tweaking to the courage ring if things seem out of whack. The router alone seems best suited for an apartment or condo, and I'chiliad not sure if 4,000 square feet is an accurate number even with a MeshPoint connected. I tried out a few spots in my basement for optimal placement, and even with the MeshPoint well-nigh xx feet from the principal router upstairs, I was at a lxx-percent connection signal betwixt pieces.

The system is certainly capable of covering my 1,000 square-foot home and basement, and could no uncertainty reach quite a expert chip further with the MeshPoint in an optimal spot, simply for truly large areas, yous probably want to wait into the AmpliFi HD.

Ubiquiti AmpliFi Instant app and management

The AmpliFi Instant uses the same app as the HD uses, which is quite like shooting fish in a barrel to navigate. Along the height are v tabs; the start, Overview, gives a quick condition study and you can tap the device to configure the router or MeshPoint. There, you take access to network proper noun, password, time, invitee Wi-Fi, additional SSID setup, and ring and router steering toggles. DNS settings live in here equally well as a toggle for IPv6 and Bridge Mode, and you can adjust the light and screen settings on the primary router.

A Performance tab shows a graph of throughput, and you can perform a quick Internet access provider test to check speeds coming from exterior. A Invitee tab makes information technology easy to ready an actress network with dissimilar name and countersign, the Family tab allows you to pause internet service on all or sure devices, and it lets you adjust the priority of individual connections. Finally, the Diagnose tab offers a quick way to see what'south incorrect with the network and allows you to make quick automatic fixes when applicable.

Anyone who's used to extensively managing their network will no doubtfulness be permit down by what'south available here, but the Instant isn't marketed to those people. This is a mesh Wi-Fi system that'due south about as easy equally possible to set up and run, and indeed once I'd run through the preliminary steps, I've had no problems with it. At that place's not a lot of Quality of Service settings and no ability to add together exterior media through a USB port, but for a lot of people, that'southward not an outcome as long as there'south a reliable wireless connection throughout their home. And that's exactly what the Instant offers.

Ubiquiti AmpliFi Instant review: Determination

Ubiquiti'southward AmpliFi Instant does what information technology'due south advertised to practise, and at a price significantly less than the AmpliFi Hard disk drive, it's a corking option for anyone who wants an expandable mesh setup for an average household. The AC1200 operation can handle virtually tasks — for hardcore gaming or other specialized jobs you'll probably want something different — and though the router alone might not have the best range, combined with a MeshPoint (especially hooked upwardly to Ethernet backhaul), it becomes a solid network solution. The bonus of being able to mix and match router and MeshPoints from other AmpliFi sets adds versatility.

Should you buy this mesh Wi-Fi system?

If y'all're in search of an expandable mesh Wi-Fi system for an average household, the AmpliFi Instant should exist a great choice. Setup is as piece of cake as possible, in that location'south lilliputian to no management necessary, and LAN ports for Ethernet backhaul give y'all options that the AmpliFi HD doesn't.

Every bit long as y'all don't mind a limited set of controls and being restricted to a mobile app for management, you shouldn't take a problem with this system. For anyone looking for something a fleck different, exist sure to bank check out our roundup of other swell mesh Wi-Fi kits.

Mesh Wi-Fi organisation

Ubiquiti AmpliFi Instant

Mesh Wi-Fi for more people.

The AmpliFi Instant is a swell mesh Wi-Fi choice for a lot of people, thanks to easy setup and management, a competitive toll, and performance suitable for an average household.

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Source: https://www.windowscentral.com/ubiquiti-amplifi-instant-review

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