MikroTik and Ubiquiti are the two brands Kenyan ISPs and WISPs talk about most. Both are popular, but they suit different needs. Here is a practical comparison.
Software and licensing
MikroTik devices run RouterOS, a powerful routing and firewall operating system. A single device can do routing, VPN, QoS, hotspot and queue management. Licensing is tied to the hardware, so there are no recurring controller licences to worry about.
Ubiquiti splits its ecosystem: EdgeRouter and airMAX for routing and point-to-point wireless, and the UniFi range managed centrally through a controller. UniFi is very polished for access points, switches and gateways managed from one dashboard.
Flexibility vs ease of use
MikroTik is extremely flexible and offers fine-grained control over routing, firewalls and bandwidth management — which is why many Kenyan ISPs build their core and CPE on it. The trade-off is a steeper learning curve.
Ubiquiti is generally easier to set up and manage, especially UniFi with its central controller. For a WISP, the airMAX and airFiber radios are a common choice for point-to-point and point-to-multipoint links.
Typical use cases
- MikroTik: ISP core routers, bandwidth management, PPPoE/queue-heavy deployments, budget CPE.
- Ubiquiti: managed office/enterprise Wi-Fi (UniFi), long-range wireless backhaul, and easy central management.
Which should you choose?
Choose MikroTik if you need deep routing and bandwidth control at a competitive price. Choose Ubiquiti if you want easy central management and a polished wireless/access point experience. Many operators use both — MikroTik for routing, Ubiquiti for wireless.
Compare MikroTik and Ubiquiti products, or see our ISP equipment range.