How To Install A Ubiquiti Access Point

Setting up an Unifi Controller is really and can exist done in a couple of minutes with this beginner'south guide. We are going to walk through the initial setup of the controller, connecting the access points and getting the most performance out of it.

Also, I volition requite yous some tips on choosing the right Unifi Access Point, where you lot should place your AP and how to get the near performance out of your Unifi access points.

The slap-up thing about the Unifi range is that you become enterprise-class wifi for an affordable price. What you lot also will discover is that they are super easy to setup and manage. And if you lot like statics, you volition go some great insights into your network as well.

Which Unifi Access Point should yous Choose?

Ubiquiti offers a wide range of Admission Points, but in this article, I will focus on the nearly used access points for dwelling networks and small-medium-sized businesses. You tin can discover a complete overview of all the models in this UniFi access point comparison.

The most used Access Point at home or at small businesses is the Unifi half-dozen Lite. The reason is unproblematic, information technology's small (only ∅160 mm), cheap, and powerful plenty. Depending on the layout of your dwelling house or function you can better buy two smaller admission points than one large i. Walls, floors, and other obstacles volition lower the indicate strength. If y'all want to know more about it, you lot should check this article.

The UniFi 6 Lite is a new model that supports WiFi 6, this increases the efficiency and multi-devices functioning of the access points. WiFi 6 nonetheless operates in the aforementioned 2.4 and 5Ghz band, but it can now transmit to multiple devices at the same time.

There are three options to choose from, the Low-cal, Long Range (LR) and the Pro.

Toll	Check on Amazon	Cheque on Amazon	Check on Amazon

	UAP-AC-Calorie-free	UAP-Air conditioning-LR	UAP-Ac-PRO
Size (bore)	160mm	175mm	198mm
2.4 GHz speed	300Mbps	450Mbps	450Mbps
2.4 GHz Antennas	2x2	3x3	3x4
5 Ghz speed	876Mbps	876Mbps	1300Mbps
five GHz Antennas	2x2	2x2	3x3
Range	122m (400ft)	183m (600ft)	183m (600ft)

Unifi AC LR vs PRO

The difference betwixt the lite and the other is obvious, but the difference between the Unifi AC-LR and the Unifi Air-conditioning-PRO is a fleck harder. You might exist tempted to buy the faster and more than expensive AC-PRO (bigger is better / more than antennas is better / more expensive is amend ? ). But there is a big and important difference between the 2.

The Air-conditioning-Pro has iii×3 MIMO antennas to go that high network speed, only to employ it, your endpoint (notebook, smartphone, tv) must also be able to handle information technology. Then if you are after maximum speed and you lot have a notebook that also supports 5ghz network at 1300 Mbps, then you should go for the AC-Pro.

The AC-LR has a bigger and more sensitive antenna. This allows it to cover a bigger area, but even more important, picking upwardly the weaker indicate from a smartphone or tablet. Mobile devices have but a pocket-sized antenna built-in it due to the lack of space and aesthetics. Then they can receive the bespeak of a powerful access point, simply they can't transport it the same distance back. That why you need a big and sensitive antenna to option the weak signal up.

Where to identify the Access Point

For in-house placements, the UniFi 6 Lite and the Long Range models are most of the time the best fit. To make up one's mind where to identify the Admission Point you need to go on in mind that the Unifi Admission Point has a doughnut shape coverage with the Access Bespeak in the middle.

As well, endeavour to place the Admission Point in the room where the wifi is used the most and at least 3 feet away from other appliances that send wireless signals in the same frequency (cordless phones and microwaves for example). Also, big metallic objects (fireplaces, chimney) tent to weaken the betoken.

Depending on your floor type yous volition need one for every floor or y'all can do with just 1 Access Point on the outset floor or ground floor ceiling. If you have wooden floors, yous could start with just one Access Bespeak. Identify it in a fundamental location without whatsoever obstruction for the best coverage. When you have concrete floors, y'all will need to install an Access Point on every floor for decent coverage. The rebar and concrete weaken the betoken also much for good coverage.

You can also check out this post most the best abode network setup. Information technology has some instance floorplans where you can run into how important the right location is for a expert wifi signal.

Unifi Controller Setup

Then we now know what to buy, where to place it, but how practise we install and manage it? To manage our access points we are going to install the Unifi Controller. With the Unifi Setup Wizard, information technology is done in a couple of minutes.

Footstep 1 – Unpack and Connect

I won't go into detail likewise much about the actual placement of the Access Betoken, the Unifi Admission Points come with a perfectly articulate installation pedagogy on how to mount the Admission Indicate.

But before you lot actually place it, outset but connect it to your switch or router with the supplied PoE adapter. This style yous can install it, reset it and see what happens more than easily than walking upstairs to check the condition calorie-free all the time 😉

Step 2 – Download the Unifi Controller Software

We are going to install the Unifi Controller to manage our access points. At present the Unifi Controller doesn't have to be running al the time. And so you lot tin install information technology on your computer, configure your Access Points and they will proceed working.

The just disadvantage is that y'all don't take all the insights that you go when the controller is running 24/7. Some other option is to employ the Cloud key, a small device that is bought separately for $ 90,- and that yous connect to your network. When continued yous tin manage your network remotely.

To install and manage the Unifi Access Indicate we need to download the controller. Go to the download folio at ubnt.com and download the latest controller from Windows, Mac or Linux:

Step three – Install Unifi Controller

Later on yous installed the software, outset the controller and striking Launch a Browser to Manage a Network or go to https://localhost:8443 in your browser. When you get a warning just click Advanced" and Continue to…

Sign in with you Ubiquiti Account

Yous tin can create a Ubiquiti Account at account.ui.com. This fashion you can manage your controller from everywhere via unifi.ui.com and use the same credentials locally.

If you don't want to use the cloud service, you will accept to switch to Advanced Setup

Disable Remote Acces
Disable Use your Ubiquiti account for local Access
Create a local admin user

Unifi Network Setup

In step four nosotros exit Automatically optimize my network and auto fill-in on. The backups are stored on the controller and can exist downloaded in the settings screen.

Configure Devices

On the next page, Configure devices, you will see the continued Access Points. Select the devices that you want to configure. If there are no discovered devices, only your Admission Point is running and the light is glowing white so at that place is something wrong (obvious).

Cheque your local firewall. If you accept whatever internet protection software running like Norton, Avast or whatsoever other firewall software on your estimator, open it and disable your firewall to come across if y'all can find the devices.
Download the Ubiquiti Device Discovery Tool from the Chrome App store. With this tool, you lot tin can browse your network for Ubiquiti devices. Cheque if there are on the same network every bit you are.
Reset the Access Point, concord the reset push button for 5 sec to prepare it back to factory settings.

Configure WiFi

Enter a proper name for your Wifi network and a strong password. You can change these details after. Besides calculation a guest network can be done later. I recommend combining the 2Ghz en 5Ghz networks. For nearly device is this the best solution.

Review your settings

The final footstep is to review your settings and click finish

Finish

When done click finish and login in for the get-go time into the controller. You will meet the dashboard with the connected devices.

Optimizing your Access Points

Out of the box, the Unifi Admission Points are doing a swell task. Just with a few small changes, yous can get more functioning out of it!

Upgrading the firmware

Then nosotros are at present logged-in the controller and our Access Point is running. The first thing we should practice is upgrade the firmware. The upgrade contains the latest bug fixes and features for your Access Point. Go to Devices and click on Upgrade on the correct side when hovering over the devices

Uplink Connectivity Monitor

If your controller is not online 24/7 yous should plow off the Uplink Connectivity Monitor in Settings – Site . This volition make the Access Points work better when the controller is not available.

Bandwidth steering

Bandwidth steering helps dual-band clients, like laptops, mobile phones, tablets, etc to use to less-congested and higher chapters, v GHz band. This volition result in a better WiFi functioning for those devices. Y'all tin can enable and configure bandwidth steering per device in the Unifi Controller.

Go to Site and enable Advanced features under the services section. Then go to devices and select the access betoken. Nether config (on the right side) y'all will discover bandwidth steering. Prepare information technology to Prefer 5G.

Disable the wifi on your old Router

The last step is to disable the wifi on your old router because the UAP is strong plenty to cover your unabridged firm. Yous can't but unplug your router, you lot need information technology for your internet connection. To disable the wifi on your router, you need to log in the admin interface of your router (most of the time yous volition find it on http://192.168.ane.ane or http://192.168.i.254), discover the Wireless settings, and turn information technology off.

Run across also:

Setting up the Unifi Guest Portal
Backup your Unifi Controller to the Deject
Installing the Ubiquiti Edge Router Ten
Install the Unifi Controller on Synology NAS
Keep control of your network traffic

Source: https://lazyadmin.nl/home-network/how-to-install-a-ubiquiti-unifi-access-point/

Posted by: deguzmanhatly1954.blogspot.com