UniFi Cloudkey Gen2 Plus with UnFi Protect & UniFi SDN Review

[@bobdan9856]

I like long term reviews, they tell you so much more.

[@audhen1]

if you press slightly on the hdd tray and then actuate the release latch, it will be a lot easier. great video btw!

[@rogerosb2u]

I am a huge fan of UniFi’s products and am always looking for new videos covering setup, use cases, etc. Thank you for putting this together. It’s always great to get opinions of others. I was a fan of yours before this video; you’ve only improved your standing now. :) I have the Cloud key in this video (with a 5TB drive), along with six 1080p cameras. It has been solid since installation and the larger hard drive can store more than a months worth of activity on all cameras.

[@jadamsnz]

Nice video. Every time I consider the Cloudkey Gen 2+ I end up hesitating because I don't know whether there is any way for it to use a target drive other than the internal one for storing the video. I would love to know if it can be set up to save video to a NAS or if not that, to an external USB C drive (you mention a USB C port that might support that). Have you tried to do either of these?

[@Equinox2021]

Hi John, I have a few CKG2 Plus's that I manage and have been wondering the same thing. I have upgraded some of them to 5TB HDD which helps with capacity but I would love to be able to dump footage for backup.

[@jokinboken]

It's never a bad idea to say at the beginning of a video what a product does, just in case someone watching isn't familiar. Obviously you can search the net, but bringing viewers along for the ride within the video never hurts.

[@JeremyMcMahan]

I'm specing a new system for a facility and they are going to have over 20 cameras eventually. Thirty-something in all likelihood. Would two UniFi Cloudkey Gen2 Plus' play nicely together?

Does your's CK Gen2 plus get very hot?

[@tompeters4234]

I almost tripped running to see this video.

[@peterg.8245]

Maybe they changed it in an update but the hard drive stored some config files when Chris from Crosstalk did a hard drive swap he had to repeat setup. Also I didn’t know about the SD card slot...

[@jacksummers1736]

i just came across this one, sorry for late question. what size ssd drive is that? model number would be great too.

[@kieranwilliams3052]

I swapped a 2 TB Samsung SSD drive in and is insane fast for video at 4K.

[@alexpilon440]

Can you link that SSD, please?

[@tufgaming1257]

Hi sir. What if it has 20 IP Cameras connected and it has also upgraded to 5 Terabyte. How many months the video data record could store? Or there is settings that you want to manage about storing of video data?

[@jasonk5979]

I love mine for my house. Its much much nicer than the Dahua/hikvision nvr interfaces I have used at work. One question. Is there any worry about using a SSD with writing to it all the time?

[@kristopherleslie8343]

Jason Kerr no if your getting enterprise or write heavy ssds.

[@kristopherleslie8343]

Mixed loads work too

[@springbok4015]

SSDs are quite robust these days, even your consumer grade will be fine. Might need to replace it again at some stage, but it’s probably only after a few years.

[@-nepherim]

Really interested in UniFi's product line, as their web site is really bad at describing what is what. Having said that you don't actually describe *what* the cloudkey is used for! Did eventually work it out, but a 20 second intro would have been great. Keep up this series -- really interested to learn more.

[@fj5492]

The old unifi software is better as you can run it on your own NVR

[@JoshVigil5280]

Can you map the protect software to save to a nas or separate server?

[@springbok4015]

I’m curious as well

[@springbok4015]

@jon b Is the OS on the cloud key flexible for that?

[@kimleigh]

If using this with Starlink, is this enough security for a simple home Unifi network/protect? Does the Starlink router provide security?

[@taylorrobertson7629]

I am looking into installing an SSD into my Cloudkey Gen2 Plus, but I am seeing conflicting recommendations in the forums -- some people say that the NVR functions will chew up an SSD. It looks like you installed your SSD three years ago ... how have your results been?

[@taylorrobertson7629]

Follow up. I installed a Toshiba SSD into my Cloud Key in roughly Feb of '23. It died in June of '24. I have been getting 2+ years on standard laptop 2.5" drives, so I would say that my experience with an SSD in this application has been a disappointment. I would also note that I don't like using 2.5" drives for NVR applications. On future installs I will spend a bit more money and use a larger NVR system with proper 3.5" drive bays -- there are several good options for 3.5" NVR drives on the market, but I have found nothing in the 2.5" form factor.

[@sitte24]

@Lawrence Systems / PC Pickup Are you sure the internal HDD/SSD in the plus version is only used by Protect? I read online that it won't boot up with a missing or failed Drive because there is some stuff of the Unifi management stored on it as well 🤔

[@ianjharris]

So is the basic purpose of the Cloudkeys to provide a point of management for your network? Thanks for the video, I am new to this hardware. Looks really good though.

[@Volnodumez63]

Can it be used to duplicate video recordings from cameras? The main record is kept on udm pro se.

[@ThePixxyEater]

if i plug this in to my home net work random netger will it work?

[@sonikempire]

i have a raspberry pi 3 for a controller...i can ditch the pi and get the cloudkey 2 to run as a controller?

[@234dannyboy]

How do you make Timelapse and Events work, when there is no Internet access? Live feed still works, but recording for Timelapse option doesn't

[@neilaldridge9261]

Almost a year on, is there any rumour of a Gen3 any time soon? Considering buying one of theses Gen2 units to replace my flakey home build but if a Gen3 is due, I'll hold off One concern I have is the use of a 2.5" non-surveillance hard drive. How do they survive 24/7 use?

[@taylorrobertson7629]

My factory drive crashed after nearly 2 years of use. Only one data point, but it's all the data I have.

[@alanjimenez4474]

For those who plan on getting this with the Unifi rackmount accessory kit, there is a serious flaw. The CK G2 plus will reset randomly, sometimes daily. All your settings will be reset and you will have to set all your settings again from scratch unless you have a backup.If you don’t have a backup you will have to physically reset all your devices. If you using the Unifi Protect and you have cameras you will have to reset them physically and your video footage will be lost. Here is a link of the problem multiple people are reporting on the Unifi community. I am a victim of this bug and it’s very disappointing to say the least. community.ui.com/questions/Unifi-Cloudkey-Gen2-resetting-problem/f8628088-18d7-4366-a262-89143678448b?page=4

[@alanjimenez4474]

Also some have reported that it has reset even without the RM kit. The overall consensus is that the RM kit is the problem as there is something wrong with the 13 pin connection between CK G2 and RM.

[@dannywork6420]

Can the Gen2 Plus work without the hard drive installed? I'm not working with video (just wifi access) and I feel the hard drive generates heat.

[@alter-intelligence]

Are you able to externally monitor the camera feeds in for instance an automation environment by attaching to the stream feed?

[@sylvainleblanc5208]

Great review, Does someone know when the next version of this hardware will come out ?

[@Equinox2021]

Would love to know more about the USB-C expansion port. Do you have any info whether or not USB-C external storage is possible or will be possible soon?

[@augurseer]

Can I make it run UNMS. Since we can SSH into it?

[@ronalcorn7039]

What do you think about Ubiquiti not offering a CLIENT application for people that want it to run full time on a security MONITOR PC? One guy made a Chrome app in the forums, it works, but haven't tested it's stability. I use Chromium, because no other browser is stable enough on Windows for it to work with enough UP time. I think they need to release a client piece of software for Windows drastically soon.

[@springbok4015]

Use an RTSP application and connect it to the camera.

[@ronalcorn7039]

@@springbok4015 Please name a simple and inexpensive stable one to download please. This RTSP is new to me, but I am sure I can figure it out. It is not the route I want to go, but I will give it a shot until Ubiquiti gets enough demands for a Windows client application.

[@Totalschaden-dd4bp]

@@ronalcorn7039 VLC can display RTSP streams

[@Noodles.FreeUkraine]

Be advised UniFi stream handling is somewhat messed up. In case you go for 1080p, make sure to check "RTP over RTSP (TCP)" in the VLC settings.

[@ronalcorn7039]

@@Noodles.FreeUkraine Is VLC capable of steaming 4 cams in full screen mode

[@TheRTM]

can someone help me understand what a "cloud key" is, its purpose and benefits?

[@wimrotor]

Nice review, thanks ! 1 question though: would upgrading the existing HDD to a HDD with 7200 RPM also prevent lagging? Or do you rather stick to the SDD?

[@EsotericArctos]

It's a Unifi Protect thing with the Cloud Key. It is just not powerfuly enough. I have used spinning disks, even 5200RPM, in other systems with no lag with a reasonable number of 4K cameras

[@davidanderson2436]

Love to know if 20 cameras is a reality - have a user wanting 10 cameras to start with a little room to grow.

[@Williraser]

the small little cloud key dongle thing sucked so hard. like 50% of them died (rested themself) on me. either while updating or because of sudden power lose.

[@flfeders]

The Port on the bottom is for the Rack Mount Kit

[@LAWRENCESYSTEMS]

Thought I mentioned that....oops.

[@jamespollock2500]

If you have gen 1 key and Early nvr can you just copy configuration for both and drop them to gen 2 plus? Or is it start from scratch reset everything and adopt devices, setting firewall and nvr rules.

[@ojnik]

so this device I can use it it to control my ubiquiti switches , got 3 48 port PoE, and ubiquiti cameras? upgrade the hard drive to 4-5TB and use it as the camera storage space? another question, i'm going to VLAN the cameras to a separate network and put this device on that separate vlan, but my switches management will be on the regular network, is that an issue or should I just move it all to the vlan network ? and only manage it from the vlan network

[@erhammar]

So is the USB C power cable included? I'm looking to use this separate from the part of the LAN that has PoE.

[@LAWRENCESYSTEMS]

Don't think so dl.ui.com/qsg/UCK-G2-PLUS/UCK-G2-PLUS_EN.html

[@kencee9213]

Do you need the cloud key gen 2 if you have a udm pro. This is for a home set up.

[@LAWRENCESYSTEMS]

No UDM Pro has the controller built in.

[@kencee9213]

@@LAWRENCESYSTEMS great thanx learning before I set up my home network

[@edobrien_92]

For an 8 camera system would you suggest the cloudkey gen2 plus or using Unifi Video?

[@rogerosb2u]

I have it running six (6) 1080p cameras without any issues (real or perceived). Rock solid so far. (Three months in.)

[@lynch7]

Any particular reason for going with this SSD? Is it more durable or better for this purpose or best cost performance?

[@rafars2246]

SSD's are very durable, and of course perform way better.

[@EsotericArctos]

I am watching this later in 2022 and I will have to disagree with comments about spinning Hard Drives. 1. I used Blue Iris with 10 4K Cameras and 20 2K Cameras and a 8TB WD Purple and had no lag. 2. I have also used Synology Surveillance Station with 4 10TB WD Red Pro's with 15 4K Cameras and 10 2K Cameras with absolutely no lag. If the Protect is lagging, it is because of poor implementation of SATA or a processor struggling and the SSD is hiding the lag with the slightly quicker access speeds.

[@tunintunin3417]

I think UI is lately investing more in to the apple-like boxes and packaging with the stickers than customer support.

[@KevinGoos]

Do I run unifi video on my more then powerfull enough server? Or do I buy this product? Big questions...

[@ob2522]

Be aware that Unifi is discontinuing Unifi Video, and replacing it with Unifi Protect. If you need more horsepower than a Unifi appliance can provide, you might need to look elsewhere.

[@KevinGoos]

@@ob2522 horse power is not the problem :) it is more thinking about do I buy this new thing or do I wait for something else...

[@MrGQ1111]

Hey Tom! I am considering getting the Gen2 Plus but wanted to know if you think adding a 2TB M.2 drive for storage and speed will be ok. I know you had a normal SSD but in my case I'd have to get an adapter to convert it.

[@LAWRENCESYSTEMS]

The limitation would be the SATA interface speed so just use the sata.

[@MrGQ1111]

@@LAWRENCESYSTEMS thank you for that info

[@serratedwarstep]

*Cloudkey Gentoo*

[@isorayarn]

What are you using OS linux

[@springbok4015]

Pop os I think

[@isorayarn]

linux mint

[@oleksandrlytvyn532]

Thanks

[@kc0eks]

I've deployed 2 of these and they get uncomfortablly hot. They sure work better than the original thiugh

[@djiembefola]

Mine runs very hot too, somewhat alarming.....

[@khaiphung8960]

My gen1 was bad basically from the start.

[@lordstevewilson1331]

At home I run 2 foscam cameras with synology nas on unifi network with 10.0.0.0 network.

[@ivangutowski]

I know this video is old, as of Oct 2024 Unifi now allow non unifi cameras :D

[@ikkuranus]

Hey, look this old fancy thing works!

[@fabiankeppler315]

cloudkey gen 1 sucks, the reason why I'm switching to ruckus