Ubiquiti is debuting its latest networking device today which strays from the company’s usual lineup of routers, access points and switches. Serving as an add-on accessory to an existing setup, UniFi Smart Plug aims to make network outages a thing of the past with internet monitoring and more. Head below for all of the details.
Ubiquiti UniFi Smart Plug
Rather than debut a new access point like we’ve seen in the past, Ubiquiti’s most recent product is one of the company’s first forays into the smart home world. Paving the way for the upcoming Protect Doorbell, the new UniFi Smart Plug brings some unique functionality to your existing kit.
While a typical smart plug would be used for controlling lamps or other appliances around the house, Ubiquiti’s take on the popular home automation device is appropriately centered around keeping your network online. The UniFi Smart Plug is to be plugged in-between the wall outlet and your internet modem. Once integrated into a Ubiquiti network, it’ll continuously monitor the available internet connection.
Then if the connection drops, it’ll automatically restart the modem with a sport power cycle. A button on the side supplements the automated functionality, providing a physical way to power on or off a piece of connected gear. Because we’re talking about a networking company, the UniFi Smart Plug pairs over Wi-Fi with support for 2.4GHz connectivity.
Fitting into the UniFi ecosystem, anyone already running a Ubiquiti kit will be able to take advantage of the new Smart Plug. So whether you rolled your own setup based around a UniFi Security Gateway or opted for the AiO Dream Machine, compatibility is ensured. While the listing itself notes that a Dream Machine is required, the kickstart guide notes that so long as you have a UniFi access point, things will work smoothly.
Ubiquiti’s new UniFi Smart Plug is now available for purchase direct from the company’s online storefront. It runs $19 and is now shipping.
Electronicsforward’ Take
With a sole focus on preventing networking outages, the UniFi Smart Plug enters with a more specific focus compared to what you’d find from an average competitor. Pricing actually makes it a pretty compelling option comparatively to some of our favorite alternatives. I can definitely see this being useful if achieving 100% network uptime is a must. Though with modems being more reliable than ever, I think the actual utility of this accessory will vary on a person to person basis.
I haven’t had to reset my modem in months, though the peace of mind that this should handle internal issues constrained to my network might very well be worth $19.
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