Ubiquiti replacement under the RMA program

I recently had to go through the process of returning a router Ubiquiti UXG-Lite according to the program RMA due to hardware failure. This experience turned out to be interesting not only from a technical point of view, but also from the point of view of international logistics and warranty conditions. In this posts i detailed describe each stage.

What is an RMA?

RMA (Return Merchandise Authorization) is an official procedure for returning equipment to the manufacturer for diagnosis, repair or replacement. In other words, this is a kind of “permission to return”, which confirms that the manufacturer has recognized the device as defective and is ready to accept it back.

For Ubiquiti RMA is a key element of after sales service. If the user has hardware problems that cannot be solved by updating the firmware or changing the settings, the support service after analyzing the logs and tests can issue an authorization for RMA. Next, the device is sent to the manufacturer’s service center, where it is checked and, depending on the terms of the warranty and the nature of the breakdown, provided repair or replacement with a new copy.

Background and problem with the router

July 14, 2025 year I first encountered a problem – the internet is gone, while the indicators on the equipment lit up as usual. The ISP confirmed that the problem was not on their end, but within my network. After restarting the gateway, the situation is not improved. Only restarting the switch briefly restored communication, but then the problem recurred. I checked the cable connected between the gateway and the switch – it was good, which I confirmed with the RJ45 tester. I collected diagnostic support files from the equipment and handed them over to technical support Ubiquiti.

A few days later, another, more serious problem appeared: the UXG-Lite gateway began to overload periodically, while the use of processor resources reached 100%. IN logs errors appeared WHO- packages and notice of HLOS Panic [0x47]. I suspected it might be related to a known vulnerability CVE-2023-33063 in chipsets Qualcomm IPQ5018 (on which it is based UXG-Lite). This error causes memory corruption and system crash. I even asked support if there was a patch – they replied that the information was passed on to the developers for future updates.

July 27-29, 2025 year, the situation was repeated every day:

• The network worked for 12–24 hours
• Then the gateway suddenly lost the interface br0 (core bridge VLAN)
• Recovery was possible only after hard reboot

Based on the following symptoms, I received a final conclusion of support:

“Loss of interface br0 indicates an internal failure. This is a hardware issue that is unrelated to the software part and cannot be fixed by firmware.”

2025-07-26T12:23:26+03:00 UXGLite systemd-networkd[1279]: br0: Link DOWN
2025-07-26T12:23:26+03:00 UXGLite systemd-networkd[1279]: br0: Lost carrier

This means that the device’s primary network bridge occasionally just “fell off”what led to before disconnection. It’s official to me recommended to issue an RMA to replace the device.

Stages of the RMA process

Ubiquiti’s official RMA system shows six statuses through which the request goes. Of course, there are intermediate stages, such as sending the router and receiving it. Upon completion process I took a final screenshot and that’s it posts I will describe each stage in detail.

Sending a request

This is the first stage when I act as the initiator of the application. Of course, in order to submit a claim, there must be some proof that the device is faulty, such as a photo of the damage or a report from the support service with evidence in the form of logs. So I submitted an application with the following text:

Application approval

The next day, the application was approved without any comments. From the day the application is approved, the user has 30 days to send the device. I understood that my router was unstable, but I decided to continue analyzing the problem for another 10 days, working closely with support.

Sending the router to the Netherlands

After the application was approved, I was given the following recommendations for shipping and packing the router:

• Need to print packing slip and put it inside the box.
• Provide readability of the sticker with the MAC address on the device.
• No need to send original packaging or accessories.
• If it is part of a kit, it must be returned in its entirety (this is the rule for the AmpliFi Kit, but the UXG-Lite is a separate device).

I packed the router as recommended and sent it to of the Netherlands. I paid for international shipping 544 hryvnias, which is equivalent to $13. In the window Awaiting RMA Item I confirmed the shipment by clicking on the link “Mark as Sent“. After that, the status was updated to “Product Sent“.

Now it remains to wait for the device to be accepted, checked and will send I have a replacement.

Receipt of the router by the RMA

National Post of Ukraine – Ukrposhta delivered the package to the Netherlands quite quickly – in a week, but it was delayed at customs in the Netherlands. I decided to notify the RMA manager about this so that the company can resolve the customs issues and speed up the process of receiving the router. The router was still at customs for more than two weeks until it was cleared. It turned out that in the Netherlands, duty is charged on any product, so Ubiquiti paid an additional €33.63, which caused a delay in logistics.

• August 15 – Request for payment of shipment costs sent
• August 27 – Payment for shipment costs received

The total delivery time was 3 weeks.

Testing UXG-Lite

On the day of receipt of the router, RMA specialists tested it, which I received a message by mail. This message is usually sent with the receipt message.

Fulfillment

Literally in half an hour I received another message about changing the status to “Fulfillment”. Such a quick reaction is most likely due to the fact that the shipment is created electronically through the postal service.

Sending the router to me

When I already physically sent the router by mail to the Netherlands, I was told in support that RMA does not send devices to Ukraine on the way back, so they expect me to eat i hope another receiving address in the EU.

It’s good that I have the possibility to use the services of a remote warehouse in Poland, so I sent a new address that was transferred to the RMA service. According to this address, a shipment was created on the same day. Of course, this is the way Netherlands -> Poland -> Ukraine and longer in terms of time and more expensive in terms of finances, because the shipment will be at my expense.

• Dispatch Netherlands -> Poland was held by a logistics company FedEx by Ubiquiti and the deadline was only 2 days
• Dispatch Poland -> Ukraine was held by a Ukrainian logistics company Meest at my expense, I paid €7.5 and lasted 7 days

Receiving the device

I received a notification from the postal company Most that the package is already in the branch and can be picked up. I was surprised by the size of the box, which was twice the size of the original packaging. After opening the shipping box, I saw a new UXG-Lite router, but with a European revision.

An amazing moment with a guarantee

Official warranty for the UXG-Lite router – 1 year. At the time of my appeal the warranty period has long passed. However, after diagnosis, technical support is still available approved by RMA – obviously, given the nature of the malfunction and the confirmation that it is a non-standard operation of the device. After sending the router, I was not charged additional money, so I consider it free.

Another nuance – although the purchase was made through a website in the USA, I had to send the device not to America, but to the Netherlands. This is due to the fact that Ubiquiti has a European service center that serves customers from this region.

Conclusions

Even after the warranty expires Ubiquiti can approve an RMA if there is proof of a manufacturing defect and the device was purchased directly from the ubiquiti website. The process is clearly structured: from submitting an application to receiving a new device. Logistics can be international, even if the purchase is made in another country. The main thing is to save all evidence of the malfunction (logs, screenshots, description).