Firewalla Gold with Ubiquity Gateway. Connection options?

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karst.chris

• February 25, 2024 00:46

I plan to rebuild my home network using a Firewalla Gold and Ubiquity Gateway and Switches. I plan to use either a Unifi Express, or a Unifi Cloud Gateway Ultra (I have the Express, plan to get the UCG Ultra when they become available.) That will be the controller for a Ubiquiti Switch Pro Max 48 PoE, a pair of Ubiquiti Pro Max 24's, and a pair of Ubiquiti access points. (Yes, I know it is way overkill for a home network) Obviously I want the Ubiquity to be able to manage its devices, and it has ability for connected devices as well as firewall functions. But I also want the same type of control via the firewalla Gold. I've seen some suggestions of putting the firewalla between the Gateway and Switches in bridge mode. I'm wondering what advantages and disadvantages there are for using inline in bridge mode, vs having the firewalla before the Gateway, and then whether it is bridge or router mode there. Current network has a mikrotik as the router, with it managing DHCP and Reserved IP, etc. (Recent troubles have me ready to move away from mikrotik)

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  Firewalla

  • February 25, 2024 05:05

  This article should explain https://help.firewalla.com/hc/en-us/articles/1500012304202-Firewalla-Transparent-Bridge-Mode

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  karst.chris

  • February 25, 2024 15:44
  • Edited

  That only addresses bridge mode.
  It does not discuss pros/cons of which device is the first device and thereby being the router.
  (Side note: my modem can do more than a single IP, but bridge mode before the Gateway sounds like I would lose a lot of control)

  Edit: the cloud gateway ultra does have dual wan capability, though not sure if it can be a wifi source like the firewalla lets me use my phone hotspot.

  
  If I use the Firewalla as first device, and thereby being the router, that would enable using dual Wan fail over.
  Using the gateway as the router and firewalla as bridge after the gateway, i imagine this wouldn't work.

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  karst.chris

  • February 25, 2024 15:49

  My research is leading me to suspect that the advanced firewall and other features in the cloud gateway ultra make the firewalla unnecessary.
  Other than leaving it on the network for statistics, is there any other features that make it a must keep item?

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  Firewalla

  • February 25, 2024 18:24

  Sorry, which item do you want to keep? From hardware spec/s the ultra is likely less powerful than the firewalla gold, so the gold should easily be able to replace it or placed behind it in bridge mode. 

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  karst.chris

  • February 25, 2024 18:39

  Are you implying not having the ubiqiti gateway?
  It is needed for controlling and managing the remaining equipment.
  Unless you think running a virtual on the firewalla would have the same capabilities

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  Firewalla

  • February 26, 2024 04:09
  • Edited

  If you want to keep running the gateway, the only way is to run the firewalla in bridge mode. I don't think the ubnt unit can be put into bridge mode

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  Ryan Mullins

  • March 12, 2024 14:24

  You can run the Unifi Controller on a spare PC/Raspberry Pi or on the Firewalla

  Guide: How to run UniFi Controller on the Firewalla Gold Series Boxes – Firewalla

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  w m

  • October 11, 2024 23:42

  just curious @ryan what you ended up doing? I have a gold running with Unifi switches and an AP, but have been thinking of changing out the FWG as I hate managing it through an AP....drives me beyond nuts!

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