10 UDM Pro Best Practices

Ubiquiti’s UDM Pro is a powerful, all-in-one network appliance that combines advanced security, routing, and management features. It’s designed to be the heart of your home or small business network, providing secure, reliable access to the internet and local network resources.

But with so many features and settings, it can be difficult to know where to start. In this article, we’ll discuss 10 UDM Pro best practices to help you get the most out of your UDM Pro. We’ll cover topics such as setting up secure wireless networks, configuring firewall rules, and more.

1. Use a single UDM Pro for all your networks

Using a single UDM Pro for all your networks ensures that you have consistent network performance and security across all of your locations. It also makes it easier to manage, monitor, and troubleshoot any issues that may arise. Additionally, using a single UDM Pro allows you to take advantage of features like auto-provisioning, which can save time and money when setting up new networks. Finally, having a single UDM Pro simplifies the process of upgrading firmware or making changes to settings, as they only need to be done once instead of multiple times.

2. Enable SSH and disable Telnet

Telnet is an unencrypted protocol, meaning that all data sent over the connection can be intercepted and read by anyone with access to the network. This makes it a security risk, as any passwords or other sensitive information could be stolen.

On the other hand, SSH (Secure Shell) is an encrypted protocol which provides secure communication between two computers. It uses public-key cryptography to authenticate the remote computer and allow it to authenticate the user, if necessary. All data sent over an SSH connection is encrypted, making it much more secure than Telnet.

For these reasons, it’s important to enable SSH on your UDM Pro and disable Telnet. Doing so will help ensure that your data remains safe and secure.

3. Disable the guest network on APs

The guest network is a separate wireless network that allows visitors to access the internet without having to authenticate or provide any credentials. This can be convenient for guests, but it also opens up your network to potential security risks. Without authentication, anyone on the guest network could potentially gain access to sensitive data and resources.

By disabling the guest network, you can ensure that only authenticated users have access to your network. This will help protect your data and resources from unauthorized access.

4. Create separate VLANs for each SSID

Creating separate VLANs for each SSID allows you to segment your network traffic, which helps improve security and performance. By creating a unique VLAN for each SSID, you can control access to different parts of the network based on user authentication or device type. This also makes it easier to monitor and troubleshoot any issues that may arise. Additionally, by separating out the traffic from each SSID, you can ensure that one user’s activity doesn’t affect another user’s experience.

5. Enable WPA3-Personal encryption

WPA3-Personal is the latest Wi-Fi security protocol, and it offers improved encryption that makes it harder for hackers to break into your network. It also provides additional features such as individualized data encryption, which helps protect each user’s data from being accessed by other users on the same network. Additionally, WPA3-Personal supports more devices than previous versions of Wi-Fi security protocols, so you can be sure that all of your connected devices are secure.

6. Set up an external RADIUS server

An external RADIUS server allows you to authenticate users from a centralized location, which is more secure than using local authentication. It also makes it easier to manage user accounts and passwords since they are all stored in one place. Additionally, an external RADIUS server can be used to enforce policies such as password complexity or account lockout rules.

Setting up an external RADIUS server requires some technical knowledge, but the effort is worth it for the added security and convenience it provides.

7. Configure static IP addresses for your UniFi devices

When you configure static IP addresses for your UniFi devices, it ensures that the same device will always have the same IP address. This makes it easier to manage and troubleshoot any issues with the network since you know exactly which device is associated with a particular IP address. It also helps prevent conflicts between different devices on the network, as each one has its own unique IP address.

Finally, configuring static IP addresses can help improve security by making it more difficult for malicious actors to gain access to your network. By assigning specific IP addresses to each device, you can create rules in your firewall to only allow traffic from those known IPs.

8. Update your firmware regularly

Firmware updates often contain bug fixes and security patches that can help protect your network from malicious attacks. Additionally, firmware updates may also include new features or performance improvements that can enhance the overall user experience.

To ensure you’re always running the latest version of UDM Pro’s firmware, it’s important to check for updates regularly. You can do this by logging into the UDM Pro web interface and navigating to the “Firmware” tab. From there, you’ll be able to see if any updates are available and install them with just a few clicks.

9. Monitor your network with Ubiquiti’s mobile app

The app allows you to monitor your network from anywhere, anytime. You can check the status of your devices, view real-time traffic graphs, and even troubleshoot any issues that may arise. This is especially useful if you’re away from home or office and need to quickly diagnose a problem.

The mobile app also provides access to advanced features such as port forwarding, VLANs, and more. With these tools, you can easily configure your network for optimal performance and security. Plus, with the app’s intuitive interface, it’s easy to set up and manage your UDM Pro system.

10. Back up your configuration frequently

UDM Pro is a powerful tool that can help you manage your network, but it also has the potential to cause serious damage if misconfigured.

Backing up your configuration regularly ensures that you have a copy of your settings in case something goes wrong. This way, you can quickly restore your UDM Pro to its previous state without having to start from scratch. Additionally, backing up your configuration allows you to easily transfer settings between devices or make changes with confidence knowing that you can always revert back to a known good configuration.