What does a UniFi WiFi network cost for a small business?
For most businesses WiFi has become as ordinary as power or water. Yet the same question keeps coming up: roughly what is this going to cost? An honest answer needs some context.
For most businesses, WiFi has become as ordinary as power or water. Yet the same question keeps coming our way: roughly what is this going to cost? An honest answer needs some context, and we are happy to give it.
What usually goes wrong before anyone picks up the phone
In almost every project we take over, the same patterns come back.
One WiFi router for the whole building. The provider’s router sits in the server cabinet or next to the meter, often somewhere at the back. Two desks further the signal is already weak, and in the meeting room or the warehouse there is sometimes barely any coverage left.
Consumer kit in a business setting. A handful of home routers from the DIY store, each with its own network name and no coordination between them. Devices do not switch automatically to the strongest point, and remote management does not exist.
No view of who is on the network. Guests, suppliers and staff often share the same WiFi with no separation. That is not just inconvenient, it is a genuine security risk.
Cabling that never kept up with the building. Access points should ideally be connected by cable, not linked to each other over WiFi. That last approach is called mesh, and it costs you speed quickly. If the cabling is not there, a good solution suddenly becomes considerably more expensive than expected.
Only acting once things already go wrong. Often we get the call when staff start complaining, a client drops out of a video meeting, or everything stutters exactly at the busiest moments. By then the irritation has built up and everything has to happen fast, which rarely helps the budget.
What drives the price
A WiFi project is more than hanging up a few devices. Four elements together account for most of the cost.
The number and type of access points. How many you need depends on the floor area, the number of storeys, the building materials and the number of simultaneous users per zone. Concrete and metal dampen a signal far more than plasterboard. A warehouse with metal racking calls for a different approach than an open-plan office.
Cabling. Each access point ideally has its own network cable to a switch, preferably with Power over Ethernet so no separate power supply is needed. If there are no data points in the right places yet, cable has to be pulled and certified. In many projects this is the biggest unknown, and the item where the price varies most from building to building.
Switches and the network core. The access points have to connect to something. The number of ports, whether Power over Ethernet is needed, and whether separate networks have to be kept apart together determine which switch is required, and how many.
Configuration and network design. A properly built network separates guests from staff, accounts for printers and smart devices, allows capacity for peak moments, and is arranged so a fault on one device does not take the whole network down. That design work is part of the price, even though it never shows up as a physical item on a quote.
So what does it actually cost
The figures below are indicative and assume an average building with reasonably usable cabling. Every project differs, but this gives a realistic picture.
- Small project: a small office or shop up to roughly 300 m², two to four access points, existing cabling largely usable. Expect 2,000 to 4,000 euros, including installation and basic configuration.
- Medium project: an office building or business premises of 300 to 1,000 m², four to ten access points, possibly some additional cabling, one or more switches, and separate networks for guests and staff. Expect 6,000 to 15,000 euros.
- Large project: multiple floors or buildings, warehouse and offices combined, ten or more access points, extensive cabling, several switches and possibly a redundant internet connection. Here it runs from 20,000 euros to well over 50,000, depending on complexity.
What weighs most heavily every time: how much cabling is already in place, whether there are particular requirements such as separate networks for production equipment, and whether you want ongoing management and monitoring afterwards.
Why UniFi and not the provider’s router
The router your internet provider gives you is built to deliver internet to one household, not to carry a business network. The difference shows up in a few crucial places.
One central view. With UniFi you manage every access point, switch and network from a single controller. You see in real time who is connected, how much bandwidth is in use and where it is tight, without anyone having to be on site.
Seamless roaming between devices. A laptop or phone moves automatically to the nearest access point without dropping the connection. That is something standalone provider routers simply cannot do.
Segmentation and security. Guests, staff and devices such as cameras, printers and smart locks can each sit on their own separate network, with no access to each other’s data. With a provider router that is usually impossible or barely workable.
Room to grow. Business expanding, an extra floor or a second site? You extend within the same environment, without setting everything up again.
Proactive management. With the right monitoring we often see problems before a member of staff notices them: an access point going down, or a network approaching its capacity.
In short: a provider router is fine at home. For a business where WiFi underpins the working day, a well-designed network pays for itself quickly in less frustration, less downtime and fewer calls to the helpdesk.
Not sure whether your current network is up to what you ask of it? Get in touch for a no-obligation review.