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Unifi Unifi Review, Detailed review of Unifi

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TSCocoMonGo
post Oct 23 2015, 11:26 AM, updated 9y ago

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Hi all, I recently installed TM's Unifi service in my house and I thought I share my story for anyone who is planning to change to it any time soon. I am sharing this because when I wanted to get Unifi, searching here and on Google didnt have much detailed first hand user feedback. Hopefully this will help someone in the future. If anyone else wants to add on to this please feel free.

I have been a happy customer of TMNet using Streamyx 4Mbps of 12 years. However because my house itself is not new (coming to 12 years) the telephone cabling in the house have deterioated (tested by TMNet guys and that there were signal issues inside the house but not at the exterior junction). Mediation was to reinstall new phone cables, but hacking the walls was out of question which means installing new exposed cables. I figured that since new cables had to be installed anyway I may as well just install Unifi. Additionally some guys/girl on this forum said "with Unifi you can get less then 10ms ping to US servers". FYI, with streamyx I usually get about 420kbps downloads and 10ms pings for SEA Dota servers before the cables decided to wear out. Anyway fast forward, so happened recently TM had this new package of 30Mbps download/5Mbps upload at RM199 with a two years contract. Wonderful, cheaper then the VIP 10 package and faster connections, so I applied.

3 Oct - Unifi installer came to see the existing infrastructure in my house and said that non - standard insallation is required since the renovation we did on the house closed up the original TM piping for cabling. He recommended that we get an external contractor to put up cabling conduits for them so that they can pull the cable from the back lane into the house.

8 Oct - Our contractor came and got it done. Our guy does home and commercial cablings and is familiar with setting up Fiber cables. So happened he also left old fiber cables similar to those used for Unifi in the conduits as it should be stronger and harder to break than strings when pulling the Unifi Fiber cable though it. He also told us to make sure the Unifi guy install THEIR TM cable and not use the one he left there (maybe old/out of spec etc, I dont know the whole story since I was not there at the time).

17 Oct - A different Unifi guy came to do installation. He saw the fiber cable our contractor left behind and insisted that use just use that cable rather than pull their cable through. Took a freaking 1 hour of patience and ultimately shouting before they agreed to use the TM cable. After that installation went on without any problem.


Unifi in Review
Speed and latency - Cant argue that it is much faster, but latency... 30ms on the day it was installed at 1pm using speedtest.net. On games like Dota unfortunately it was slower at 100ms when I used to get <50ms on Streamyx. At night say after 9pm, connections can be really disappointing averaging 10-15Mbps download though ping doesnt seem to change. Last night it was mostly not working and when it was only crawled at 6Mbps. Every single time I test using speedtest.net I get very different reading from 20 - 30 Mbps (during the day) which brings me to next section:

Stability - Connection speeds fluctuate from day and night (30Mbps and 10Mbps respectively) and in minute to minute concurrent testing (up to 10Mbps difference). Ping can also range from 8ms to 50ms on speedtest.net. 1080p youtube videos are not guranteed to always work pause free (although it could also be youtube server issue). Much more surprising is I do get some packet losses when playing Dota (rare but I do get 1% packet losses in some matches). Connection to US servers on Diablo III and Mechwarrior Online is unplayable due to lag/unstability or disconnections and is no different from using Streamyx.

Customer service - I was given a username and temporary password for the Unifi portal. It has been nearly a week and I still cannot get my password changed due to problems with their system and their support service not being able to help me resolve it. I have made 3 calls to them about it and no where closer.


My recommendation
Installation - We made a mistake to leave the old fiber cables in the conduits which allowed the Unifi installer to make up grandmother story and get lazy - rather than to use and pull the TM provided cables they will want to take the easy way out. Stand your ground and if the conduits are there those installers are responsible to pull the cables to where you want it. Make sure you read what constitude as "standard/non standard" installation by Unifi - you do not need to pay a single cent to have the service installed if it falls under standard.

Streamyx vs Unifi - Frankly in terms of speed, latency and stability Streamyx still is a winner for me. With the exception of the old wiring issue I wouldnt have bothered about changing to Unifi. My connection to US servers did not improved anyway so it is not like I gained much. Yes I can watch 1080p youtube and maybe 4k content if I can find them (worth watching) - besides the fact that 1080p youtube vids are low bitrate streams and I do not have a 4k screen... but that is another story altogether. Basically I do not need such high bandwidth connection other than for downloading.
Additionall, in theory Unifi still have the clause which allows them to impose a data quota which Streamyx does not. You may argue that they have yet to exercise that clause, but the fact that they could is something you should put into consideration.
Lastly I have heard (and experienced at gf's/friend's place etc) of more Unifi outages than I ever did with Streamyx. In the 12 years I had Streamyx I can confidently say I had <10 outages usually lasting less than 12hours.

My conclusion
Unless you are really need the bandwidth for downloading/uploading etc, stick with Streamyx.

Installed location - Kota Kemuning, Shah Alam


Updates:

27/10 - I had the chance to use of my TP-Link C7 router yesterday since I had to shutdown my server and had no immediate use for the second level network I had. But rather than reconfigure the C7 just for testing, I connected the via ethernet cable from the Unifi router to the C7. Either it was a miracle happening; but Mechwarrior Online which I have been having a hell of a time trying to connect started working flawlessly. A lot of you guys here say to replace the stock Unifi router... I never knew it was this much of a difference. More testing tonight before I decide to get another wifi router to run as my DMZ layer. P.S. Yup confirm Unifi stock router is shit especially if you need critical problem free connection Just change it. Dont understand why TMNet want to give such crappy router and have people calling it to complain about their service. Save money on the router and spend more on having a bigger call centre. doh.gif

8/11 - Logged a complaint with TMnet last week about how they are con-ing me by offering the same package at RM179 now even though my service was only activated 2 days AFTER their promotion started. I can understand if the promotion started a couple of weeks after I have installed... but noooo want to try and con ppl. Anyway made a complaint, they called me back said that I can switch to the RM179 package but need to go to TMPoint to do the change. Went to TMpoint yesterday and made the change - with out hassle. Seems like I am not the only one who complained also.

This post has been edited by CocoMonGo: Nov 8 2015, 04:45 PM
loki
post Oct 23 2015, 11:34 AM

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bro, i guess it the latest 30mbps package that is crippling the bandwidth unlike previously available. just imagine new 100k users downloading at 30mbps (average 3.75mb per second) vs before the package was launched...

I just had a customer installed 30mbps and was complaining over the fluctuation in speed. Same area.. KK Hills

This post has been edited by loki: Oct 23 2015, 11:34 AM
xHj09
post Oct 23 2015, 11:38 AM

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i think it's just for now.

i'm getting terrible speed and stability on 10mbps also ever since the launch of this new advance plan.

let's just observe for awhile.
YoungMan
post Oct 23 2015, 11:49 AM

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Seriously tM need to ensure their infrastructure can met the requirement before rolling out all those high speed package.
TSCocoMonGo
post Oct 23 2015, 11:54 AM

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Usual way of doing things the Malaysian way. But what you guys say makes sense. Will have to wait to see the long term stability and speed. But definitely not a good first use impression.

Anyway I didnt have the time to test through cabled connection and 5GHz spectrum yet. My area is riddled with neighbours' 2.4GHz signals. I will update to see if that could be a problem also.
ongweiping
post Oct 31 2015, 02:42 AM

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QUOTE(CocoMonGo @ Oct 23 2015, 11:54 AM)
Usual way of doing things the Malaysian way. But what you guys say makes sense. Will have to wait to see the long term stability and speed. But definitely not a good first use impression.

Anyway I didnt have the time to test through cabled connection and 5GHz spectrum yet. My area is riddled with neighbours' 2.4GHz signals. I will update to see if that could be a problem also.
*
A... found your post here, was thinking about upgrading to 30mbps too... this promotion thingy just a bit tempting. But from what you review, it seems not stable for now, i will forget this for now. Using unifi 10mbps btw, its stable so far, rarely got hiccup. Will consider your router. =)

Good to know more MechWarrior Online players. rclxms.gif
SUSsupersound
post Oct 31 2015, 01:08 PM

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Well, would be good if this including Hypptv.
Anyway, not all area are getting true Unifi.
Certain areas are the main port still using copper line, but from pole to house is using fiber cables.
That's why I opt for VIP5 first. I need the Hypptv.
TSCocoMonGo
post Nov 4 2015, 06:06 PM

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QUOTE(supersound @ Oct 31 2015, 01:08 PM)
Well, would be good if this including Hypptv.
Anyway, not all area are getting true Unifi.
Certain areas are the main port still using copper line, but from pole to house is using fiber cables.
That's why I opt for VIP5 first. I need the Hypptv.
*
Hmm really? I know my package comes with the HyppTV and you can apply for different HyppTV packages with yours. Just that I already have Astro at home so I after testing to make sure the HyppTV works, I took it apart and kept it away.
zyrtec
post Nov 4 2015, 06:57 PM

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30 Mbps @ 199 users are getting scammed.

Complain to your nearest TM Point and threaten to go to SKMM and MCMC because your very same plan is being sold for RM 179 to new subscribers.
SUSsupersound
post Nov 6 2015, 02:37 PM

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QUOTE(CocoMonGo @ Nov 4 2015, 06:06 PM)
Hmm really? I know my package comes with the HyppTV and you can apply for different HyppTV packages with yours. Just that I already have Astro at home so I after testing to make sure the HyppTV works, I took it apart and kept it away.
*
Well, Unifi installed.
Now I still looking for ways to connect the IPTV using wireless sweat.gif
zeese
post Nov 6 2015, 02:47 PM

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QUOTE(supersound @ Nov 6 2015, 02:37 PM)
Well, Unifi installed.
Now I still looking for ways to connect the IPTV using wireless sweat.gif
*
wireless is too complicated (not the configurations, but the hardware).... people just use homeplug for their iptv...
SUSsupersound
post Nov 6 2015, 02:49 PM

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QUOTE(zeese @ Nov 6 2015, 02:47 PM)
wireless is too complicated (not the configurations, but the hardware).... people just use homeplug for their iptv...
*
The bloody problem is my house is a 3 phase type, so not that workable doh.gif
TSCocoMonGo
post Nov 8 2015, 04:46 PM

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QUOTE(zyrtec @ Nov 4 2015, 06:57 PM)
30 Mbps @ 199 users are getting scammed.

Complain to your nearest TM Point and threaten to go to SKMM and MCMC because your very same plan is being sold for RM 179 to new subscribers.
*
Problem solved. I contacted TM and complained. Then they instructed me to go to TMPoint to change the plan.
TSCocoMonGo
post Nov 8 2015, 04:48 PM

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QUOTE(supersound @ Nov 6 2015, 02:49 PM)
The bloody problem is my house is a 3 phase type, so not that workable doh.gif
*
What about using another router set as repeater mode so that you can plug in via cable nearer to the TV?
I didnt try, but I think that should work.
SUSsupersound
post Nov 8 2015, 06:21 PM

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QUOTE(CocoMonGo @ Nov 8 2015, 04:48 PM)
What about using another router set as repeater mode so that you can plug in via cable nearer to the TV?
I didnt try, but I think that should work.
*
Not really, as nobody dare to say anything. At the end I just buy a TP-Link wireless homeplug, now can watch already, only setback is every now and then it will lag for 10-60 seconds doh.gif

 

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