So, you're wanting to get started with Ubiquiti's UniFi networking gear, huh? I love my UniFi setup, but I definitely made some mistakes.Here are the four biggest mistakes I see people make all the time in the UniFi community, and how you can avoid them.Forgetting to budget for PoE You'll pay for PoE one way or another I love my UniFi setup, but it relies heavily on PoE.
At my church, we also run UniFi, and all of the access points there also rely on PoE for power.The problem is, PoE switches are more expensive than non-PoE switches.So, often, a beginner might opt for the cheaper, non-PoE switches to save some cash.
However, once you start plugging things in, you'll realize real quick that almost every UniFi accessory needs some form of PoE to run.Access points, doorbells, cameras, and more all require power over ethernet to function.If you don't buy a PoE-capable switch, then you can buy a PoE injector for each area you need power over Ethernet.
While this work, it can quickly add up to be far more expensive than just getting that PoE switch from the start.I personally went used for my PoE switch, and found a 48-port 500W PoE UniFi switch second-hand for $250 shipped and it is more than what I need for my setup, but it gets the job done.Cranking up Wi-Fi power to fix every dead zone More power does not always mean better coverage Close More power equals better coverage, right? Well, in a sense, yes, but practically, no.
You see, with a mesh network like UniFi, more power means that your phone will stay connected to a specific node for longer—often too long.The way mesh networks work is your phone holds onto a node until it reaches a specific connection strength to a node, and then it releases and grabs the next most powerful node that it can.When you crank the power on all your nodes up to high, your phone will stay connected to a node for long.
Just because you have a radio connection to a node doesn't mean you have usable Wi-Fi.So, if your phone reports that it has a high signal strength to a node, it'll stay connected to it, even if you can't actually use the internet.The ideal setup is where your phone releases from a node at right around the furthest distance you can be from it while still using the internet, and then having another node to pick up the slack as soon as you release from the first node.
This can take some trial and error.Some nodes might need to be on high power, while others are on low, and others could be somewhere in-between.So, don't default to high power thinking you'll get the best coverage from that—it might actually do the opposite of what you're thinking it will.
Copying someone else’s UniFi settings without understanding them Just because it works for someone else's setup doesn't mean it'll work for yours The great part about buying UniFi is there's a robust community surrounding the company's products.However, that isn't always a great thing.Often, people will ask for help with some specific problem, and people will chime in with what fixed it for them.
That's great, but those tips shouldn't be taken as answer.What works for other people should be used as a starting point for finding out what your specific setup needs.This is especially true if you're just getting your information from a YouTube video.
Don't get me wrong, I love YouTube tutorials—I make them myself for the maker space.However, tips from a YouTube video should, again, be seen as and not instructions on how to fix your exact problem in most instances.So, before you start applying changes from a YouTube video or Facebook group, do some research to understand those changes are actually changing.
Knowing what a setting does will help you better understand how it applies to your own setup, and how to modify it for your needs if it doesn't work first try.Buying for your dream homelab instead of your actual needs Overbuying equipment often leads to an overcomplicated setup I'll admit, I have definitely fallen prey to watching YouTube and building a UniFi cart of all the equipment that I would love to have in my homelab.Then, I quietly empty the cart and walk away, realizing that spending $10,000 on networking equipment isn't the best financial decision.
The thing is, finances aren't the only reason it's not best to buy and build your dream homelab before just covering what your needs are.Overbuying equipment often leads to an overcomplicated setup.For instance, your homelab might only need two Wi-Fi nodes and an 8-port switch.
However, that 48-port switch looks nice.And the aggregation switch would be good too, right? Don't forget the NVR and NAS, even though you only have one camera and use Dropbox for everything.It all sounds great at first, and sometimes overbuying a can be helpful, like buying a 16- or 24-port switch instead of 8 so you have room to grow.
However, more equipment just adds more maintenance.For instance, at home, I have my Dream Router 7, a 5-port 2.5G switch, my 48-port PoE switch, two Wi-Fi nodes, and one camera.That's it.
At my church where I'm about to do a full buildout, I'll have around 8 switches, a Dream Machine Pro Max, an NVR, a NAS, and dozens of both Wi-Fi access points and cameras.Having a big complicated setup makes sense for a 20,000-square-foot church and school, where it doesn't make sense in my 1,300-square-foot home.UniFi is prosumer for a reason The great thing about UniFi is that the equipment is designed for both professional and consumer use cases—hence the term prosumer.
There are so many great pieces of UniFi gear to buy, but not everything belongs in a home environment.So, before you spend that big money on that huge cart you've built, step back and think about what your needs actually are.Then, once you've got the equipment you need, make sure to apply the tips I've laid out above for the smoothest experience possible.
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