The Ubiquiti U6-LR Wi-Fi 6 Access Point is one of Ubiquiti’s UniFi 6 Series Access Points. Within this series, you have the U6 Lite, U6 Long Range, U6 Professional, and U6 Enterprise. These are ceiling and wall-mountable access points. You will also find Ubiquiti UniFi Wi-Fi 6 Access Points for flexible deployments Indoors and Outdoors. These are the U6 Mesh, the U6 In-Wall, and the U6 Extender.
This review speaks to the Ubiquiti U6-LR Wi-Fi 6 Access Point. As the digital world continues to demand faster and more reliable wireless networks, cutting-edge solutions are needed for personal and business use cases to meet and outperform this demand.
Our review of the Ubiquiti U6-LR Wi-Fi 6 Access Point will look at its features and capabilities to see how it leverages the strengths of Wi-Fi 6 to deliver speed, range, and reliability.
Let’s get started.
Overview of the Ubiquiti U6-LR-US Access Point Wi-Fi 6
The Ubiquiti U6-LR Wi-Fi 6 Access Point is a device that can add high-speed Wi-Fi to your home or office network infrastructure. It is in a very compact form factor and weighs 800g (1.76 lb). Its dimensions are Ø220 x 48 mm (Ø8.66 x 1.89″), has a sturdy Polycarbonate finish, and has an IP54 rated weatherproofing. Its operating temperature is between -30 to 60° C (-22 to 140° F).
At the back of the Ubiquiti U6-LR Wi-Fi 6 Access Point, you will observe (1) GbE RJ45 port and a reset button. The RJ45 port is capable of PoE+ and Passive PoE with 48 Volts. So, you can power up the access point with a PoE Injector or a UniFi PoE Switch [See our review of the UnFi PoE Switch (8 Ports)]. The Ubiquiti U6-LR Wi-Fi 6 Access Point features a Max. TX Power of 26 dBm on both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies. Then, its Throughput Rate is 600 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz and 2400 Mbps on the 5 GHz. The antenna gain is 4 dBi on the 2.4 GHz and 5.5 dBi on the 5 GHz.
The Ubiquiti U6-LR Wi-Fi 6 Access Point also supports Bluetooth Plug and Play Connectivity with UniFi IoT devices. This type of connectivity is also applicable to all Ubiquiti UniFi Wi-Fi 6 Access Points.
How to set up the Ubiquiti U6-LR Access Point Wi-Fi 6
Firstly, you can choose to set up the access point as a standalone device. To do this, power up the AP with whatever medium you choose then download the UniFi Network App and create an account. You will observe that the app already begins to scan and would automatically detect the AP. If for any reason the AP is not detected, simply tap on Add in the top right-hand corner of the app and scan the QR code that’s at the back of the Ubiquiti U6-LR Wi-Fi 6 Access Point. Then, proceed to ”Name your Acces Point”, set up an SSID and Password, then a ”Recovery Password for Independent Devices”, and you are done.
Now, for an Enterprise level deployment of the Ubiquiti U6-LR Wi-Fi 6 Access Point, you can opt for a UniFi Multiservice Equipment such as the UniFi Dream Machine, UniFi Cloud Keys, UDM Pro, or PC-Based Controller Software. With any of these, you have access to them via the Graphical User Interface and the Network Service Applications running in them. You can then easily deploy multiple APs in one or multiple sites.
UniFi Design Center
As you set up your network with the Ubiquiti U6-LR Wi-Fi 6 Access Point, it is worth mentioning that the UniFi Design Center is a valuable tool that could help you produce a well-structured and optimized network infrastructure. It is a web-based tool that will enable you design your wireless network while incorporating Ubiquiti UniFi products. The following is what you should expect to get:
(1) A Visual Map of the Network Design
The UniFi Design Center delivers you a Guided Interface to create your wireless network layout. To begin, simply upload your Floor Plan, you can also upload multiple Floor Plans. Then, set the ceiling height, the Floor Plan Scale, the materials of all inner, outer, and dividing walls.
When your Floor Plan is calibrated, you can begin to select your UniFi devices from their different categories and place them in the right locations. These include Wi-Fi Access Points, IP Phones, Cables, Surveillance IP Cameras, Door Access Points, et cetera. It is worth mentioning that the Auto Cable Function enables you to connect all of your devices with the type of cable you want to use. Then also, the Cable Routes option allows you to draw out your own ideal cable route to estimate the amount of cabling for your entire network infrastructure deployment. When all these are done, you will be able to visualize the Wi-Fi strength of every corner of your map.
(2) UniFi Devices Performance
As mentioned previously, the UniFi Design Center delivers you a visual representation of your network map. With this, you choose your device(s) placements, and you can then see their respective signal propagations, expected coverage ranges with color-coded heatmaps to indicate strong and weak signals, and any interferences, based on the configuration settings.
(3) Capacity Planning and Budget Estimation
The UniFi Design Center is a very valuable tool in capacity and resource planning. You will be able to estimate the capacity and performance of your intended network according to the total number of devices and their respective data usage. Then, you also get cost estimates of what your desired network design would be, thereby helping you to have a realistic budget.
(4) Network Device Recommendation
As you design your intended network infrastructure with the UniFi Design Center, it suggests particular UniFi devices and where they should be placed to achieve optimal and desired performance. In addition to this, the UniFi Design Center allows you to import the network design you’ve created into the UniFi Controller Software. With this, you have easy configuration and management of your Ecosystem of UniFi Devices.
Performance of Ubiquiti U6-LR Access Point Wi-Fi 6
Firstly, you may be a Network Administrator looking for cutting-edge solutions and a better way to improve your organization’s network infrastructure, or maybe just a home user desiring a dependable solution to power your smart home. The Ubiquiti U6-LR Wi-Fi 6 Access Point is a cost-effective and reliable solution to add high-speed Wi-Fi to your home and office network. It can deliver you wide coverage with less dense deployments and unparalleled performance.
With Wi-Fi 6 Technology, the Ubiquiti U6-LR Wi-Fi 6 Access Point produces remarkable speeds, capacity, and efficiency. It is able to deliver faster data transfer rates far more than its Wi-Fi 5 predecessors. In terms of handling several connected devices, the Ubiquiti U6-LR Wi-Fi 6 Access Point does well with 350+ connected devices.
The ”LR” in the Ubiquiti U6-LR Wi-Fi 6 Access Point means Long Range as you may be aware. With this, you get a very impressive coverage area, and this takes away the need for you to have multiple access points within large areas. This also makes this AP suitable indoors or outdoors and a cost-effective solution.
Multiple Spatial Streams is another remarkable feature of the Ubiquiti U6-LR Wi-Fi 6 Access Point. With this, it simultaneously transmits and receives data on multiple channels. This also makes it able to cater to several devices with their respective data rates while eliminating network congestion. In addition, with Beamforming, the Ubiquiti U6-LR Wi-Fi 6 Access Point intelligently focuses all connected devices in the direction of Wi-Fi signals. This ensures signal strength even at longer distances and a more reliable and consistent Wi-Fi connection across all connected devices.
As expected of a high-end Wi-Fi 6 Access Point, the Ubiquiti U6-LR Wi-Fi 6 Access Point uses MU-MIMO to efficiently communicate with several devices and not sequentially. In an environment with multiple connected devices, this improves the overall network efficiency. Then you also benefit from High Data Throughput which is extremely beneficial for large data transfers, online gaming, streaming, faster downloads and uploads, et cetera.
Seamless Roaming – When you have multiple Ubiquiti U6-LR Wi-Fi 6 Access Point deployments, they efficiently manage coverage between each other such that connected devices do not lose connectivity as their users move from one point to another.
Compatibility – While the Ubiquiti U6-LR Wi-Fi 6 Access Point is primarily a Wi-Fi 6 Access Point, it is also backward compatible with older Wi-Fi standards. So, older devices are still able to connect.
Ubiquiti U6-LR Specs
The entire specifications of the Ubiquiti U6-LR Wi-Fi 6 Access Point are shown below.
Final Thoughts
The Ubiquiti U6-LR Wi-Fi 6 Access Point is evidently a powerhouse that changes the dynamics of wireless networking. With astonishing long-range coverage utilizing Wi-Fi 6, you are assured of remarkable performance. It enables you to connect and surf like never before and ensures your connected or networked devices benefit from stable and lightning-fast connections even in difficult environments.
The Ubiquiti U6-LR Wi-Fi 6 Access Point wouldn’t just meet your needs, but it will exceed your expectations. It is among network devices that can deliver you the full potential of the digital world. Whatever the use case, you will find this device a reliable and versatile solution.
You may want to see our review of the Cisco Catalyst 9120AXI-E Access Point.
