Unifi mesh network that lets you track wifi devices for presence

Hardware
1

Hi all

I’m looking to get rid of my google nests and upgrade to unifi mesh. mainly id like to use the presence tracking on wifi devices.

Nmap worked for a while but I can not run it anymore as it just crashes out of memory error. I’m going to look into it more but was wondering if any of the unifi mesh network solutions work with ha to track wifi device presence? Or is it certain models?

Or can I run this unifo network software on a nuc and have it work work google mesh ?

Thanks very much

2

i was thinking of just getting the unifi express (3 total)

3

Hi @Joel_DE

The unifi intergration is capable of tracking all network devices. Im using it for presence detection myself.
See screenshot:

image

To your other point, the unifi controller software doenst work with nest devices.

1 Like
4

Thank you have you ever used nmap?

Is the unify integration pretty fast at finding the device and marking it as home?

Appreciate your help

5

i did use nmap, but seeming the unifi intergration did the same i switched to unifi.

Its fast indeed, when i arrive home, the automations have run before i can touch the front door :wink:

Also it accounts for the wifi disconnect a iPhone does form time to time so i didnt have to fiddle with time outs etc.

1 Like
6

Each device tracker also has the AP MAC address its connected to so you can use that for a rough guide to where the phone is. It doesn’t always work though, sometimes Unifi connects a device to a random AP not the closest one but its not that often

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7

Nmap usually takes 30 seconds. Even with the exclude list done

Thanks for the tips

Now to choose between unify express and the dream router.

8

The express is nice. I got it for a relative. Just be aware it has limit to number of devices it may control using its built in controller but it is simple and better than old USG. Built in WiFi is amazing

There is also the cloud gateway ultra. It looks OK.

I consider a dream router when my USG died and ultimately put opensense on a server I had and never looked back. Unifi is pushing management to their cloud and i am not liking their new routers that much for my use. The smaller routers are great but you can outgrow them and the larger routers cost too much for what the offer

9

thanks for this. I got 4 express’s and have one as the controller. it takes a LONG time to reboot like 5-10 mins and accessing the main page is slow many times but once it loads its loaded and pretty fast

mesh is working great tho. so its fine but i may need to update to a dream router as the main controller.