UniFi has just released version 9.5 of the Network application. And, I have to say, they have dropped in a feature that I think AI was meant to handle. The focus with this release is on smarter automation and reliability. It contains several quality of life improvements which should make life easier for anyone managing larger environments or multi-site setups.
The highlight of the release is the new Channel AI feature. It takes WiFi optimization to a whole new level. Let's face it, these are the types of tasks that we don't want to do by hand. AI is so much better at doing this kind of analysis and management by analyzing interference and automatically generating an efficient channel plan across your access points. Think about this possibility. Instead of you spending hours checking for overlap and tweaking settings, you can now visualize the RF environment, see neighboring APs, and let Channel AI apply optimizations. You can do all of this with a single click. What used to take days of testing can now be handled in minutes! That's pretty cool.
UniFi has also improved multicast handling and added service-forwarding controls. You can now assign specific services to specific APs. This will save airtime and improve performance in certain use cases. When you pair this with the new mDNS gateway settings, it will help to balance performance and compatibility across certain devices. These will include things like smart TVs, IoT sensors, and office equipment.
Another area that got attention in this 9.5 release is client roaming. The new version makes it faster and more stable when devices move between APs or switch frequency bands. Apple devices especially should see better reliability and fewer connection hiccups. These kinds of improvements will make noticeable differences end users.
On the wired side, there’s a new feature called Port Anomaly. It keeps an eye on your switch ports for flapping, loops, or other early signs of trouble and alerts you. It does this through the Alarm Manager. This proactive monitoring can help you identify issues before they cause downtime or performance problems. This will be a big win for maintaining your network, both in the enterprise and the home lab.
I think overall, UniFi Network 9.5 feels like a very strong release. It is applying AI in a way that will allow it to do the heavy lifting with configuration that has typically been complicated and time consuming to adjust when making channel adjustments.
You can read the full announcement and details on the official blog: https://blog.ui.com/article/releasing-unifi-network-9-5
What do you think about Channel AI and these new reliability tools? Have you already pulled the new Unifi Network 9.5 application container? Or are you planning to update soon?