New Care Packages
We made sure our hard-working students have some fun and healthy snacks, hand selected by our team. Happy training!
At wifi-U, we love our WISPs and our Church IT volunteers!
We recently completed a Ubiquiti Wireless Administrator class with members from Crows Nest IT Support and Liberty Live Church in Rockville, MD. Despite some networking difficulties due to the Marriott disabling its ethernet connections, Ryan Haag, our dashingly handsome and brilliant trainer, managed to bring in Internet using a Ubiquiti Mobility Router. Ryan brought our students up to speed on all the new equipment Ubiquiti has to offer and the best way to configure large wireless LANs. Our students had a blast and spent much of their time configuring actual equipment in the classroom.
If you’re ready to get the most out of your Ubiquiti installation, sign up for one of our upcoming classes, or reach out to schedule a class at your location! Leaving your WiFi in “Auto” is like driving a sports car in second gear…don’t be that guy, let us help you make the most of your WiFi.
Crowsnest IT Support serves businesses and their needs in Altoona, State College, Bedford, Johnstown, and Huntingdon areas. You can learn more about them here: About Us | Crowsnest IT Support | Altoona | State College | Bedford | Johnstown Pa – Crowsnest IT Support
Liberty Live Church ministers to the Hampton Roads area in one of many churches. You can learn more about them here: About | Liberty Live Church“
I’m teaching the switching/routing class today, then heading home. If you need to call me, I’m a captive audience in my car likely starting at 4:30 onwards.
Author: Ryan Haag
Filtering out the Cacophony of WiFi Networks in Crowded Retail Spaces
In the bustling corridors of a busy retail environment, the struggle for capturing customer attention is mirrored in an often-overlooked aspect of business operations: WiFi network design. As each store sets up its own internet connection with unique equipment and configurations, the airwaves become akin to a crowded marketplace where everyone is shouting to be heard. This results in a cacophony of conflicting networks, creating a dense forest of digital noise that can disrupt your business’s connectivity and customer satisfaction.Understanding the Wireless Battlefield
Imagine your retail space as a storefront on a busy street. Each neighboring store is competing for the same foot traffic, using flashy signs and loud promotions. In the digital equivalent, every wireless router is broadcasting its presence, akin to these signs, vying for the attention of wireless devices. This can lead to “co-channel interference” and “adjacent channel interference,” which occur when multiple networks overlap and interfere with each other, much like overlapping marketing messages can confuse potential customers.
The Importance of Streamlined WiFi Design
To mitigate these issues, consider the following best practices:
- Small WiFi Cell Sizes: Just as you wouldn’t want a single salesperson shouting across a crowded room, keep your WiFi “shouting” range small. This means setting up your network to cover just your area effectively without spilling over too much into neighboring spaces.
- Lowering Power and Disabling 2.4 GHz: Most WiFi networks operate on two frequency bands: 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. The 2.4 GHz band is like a crowded lower-frequency AM radio band that can travel further and penetrate walls better but is more susceptible to interference. By disabling this band and reducing the broadcast power of the 5 GHz band, you focus on creating a clear, strong signal that serves your space without adding to the cacophony.
- Creating a Single SSID: SSID stands for Service Set Identifier, which is essentially the name of your WiFi network visible to users. Think of it as your store sign. Just as having multiple signs in different colors and fonts can be confusing, having multiple SSIDs can create unnecessary complexity. Stick to one or, at most, two SSIDs for your network to keep things simple and efficient.
- Planning with Neighbors: Collaboration can turn a competitive environment into a cooperative one. By coordinating with neighboring stores on which WiFi channels to use (think of channels as lanes on a highway), you can minimize interference, much like coordinated traffic signals reduce road congestion.
- Negotiating for Shared High-Speed Internet: In smaller malls or retail spaces, consider the possibility of negotiating for a high-speed fiber internet connection shared across the entire mall. This shared network, managed by a professional network administrator, can provide consistent, high-quality internet access, much like a well-managed shopping center draws more customers by offering a uniformly pleasant experience.
Implementing the Strategy
Start by conducting a WiFi scan with a tool like WiFi Man from Ubiquiti (more useful if you are on a Ubiquiti network) or WiFi Explorer which will run on macOS or Windows, to identify which channels are most congested and adjust your wireless access point network settings accordingly. Engage a professional if necessary to ensure that your network is optimized for both performance and minimal interference, and when you engage a professional ask to see proof of their certifications. If they are not certified by the manufacturer to install the equipment, OR certified by WiFi Alliance which isn’t tied to a manufacturer, then don’t let them touch your network.
The main body that certifies Wi-Fi professionals without being tied to a specific manufacturer is the Wi-Fi Alliance. They are a global non-profit organization that promotes Wi-Fi technology and certifies Wi-Fi products to ensure they meet standards of interoperability. Additionally, for professionals working specifically in network design and analysis, the Certified Wireless Network Professionals (CWNP) organization offers vendor-neutral certifications such as Certified Wireless Network Administrator (CWNA), Certified Wireless Design Professional (CWDP), and others that focus on in-depth knowledge of wireless network technology, security, and troubleshooting.
By viewing your WiFi network through the lens of retail competition, you can better understand and implement strategies that enhance your digital presence. Just as a well-organized store attracts more customers, a well-designed WiFi network ensures better connectivity, leading to greater customer satisfaction, but more importantly leading to smoother operations in your retail space which means less frustrated employees who can sell more effectively.
Taking control of your WiFi environment not only improves your operational efficiency but also enhances the overall shopping experience. Making smart, informed decisions about your wireless networks is as crucial as any other business strategy aimed at winning customers. This is just one way you can decide to be different, distinguish your business among your competition, and win more customers in the process.
Author: Sean Colin
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Ryan Saves Canada
WiFi-U is proud to work with our Canadian partner TDL Gentek to provide the Ubiquiti Wireless Admin (UWA) and Ubiquiti Broadband Wireless Admin (UBWA) courses in Moncton, Canada. Cross-border coordination is very difficult, but TDL Gentek hooked us up with Ubiquiti equipment and shipped it straight to Harvest House Atlantic (HHA), our training host. We then sent Ryan Haag, our devilishly handsome trainer to brave the Canadian moose and maple syrup to teach our classes at HHA.
Harvest House Atlantic has spent over 25 years helping Canadians dealing with homelessness, drug addiction and mental health issues get a hot meal, live in affordable housing and break free from the chains of addiction. The Director of Operations and IT was one of our students, and during class Ryan covered the various ways Ubiquiti equipment could save HHA money:
– With ISP Design Center, Ryan demonstrated how HHA could link 8 buildings together with a single UISP Wave AP, making it easier to supply WiFi in HHA’s affordable housing units.
– In the UWA class, Ryan covered WLAN design for older buildings and safe guest WiFi practices, perfect for HHA’s housing units.
– Ryan demonstrated how shifting to Unifi Talk would save Harvest House over $500/month while supplying better phone service than before. 
Author: Ryan Haag
Wi-Fi Calculator from Ubiquiti
Check out this new tool from Ubiquiti that can help you see the effects on throughput for different devices. It’s at http://wifi.ui.com
How it works. There are five variables on the tool that will let you see what the expected throughput is for a client device.
First, you can change Access Points and leave everything else static. At the high end you can use the U7 Pro and see that you can get up to 2.16 Gbps. On the other end of the spectrum, you have the Swiss Army Knife coming in at 300Mbps.
Second, you can see what effect channel usage would have on throughput. For example, I can set the AP to U7 and use a Wi-Fi 6 adapter and with zero channel usage I can see that I can get 1.8Gbps.
But with 20% Channel Utilization the throughput drops to 900Mbps.
I can also see the effect of Channel Width, different client devices, and the effect of distance away from the AP. Look what happens to throughput when I move away from the AP. I move from 900Mbps to 540Mbps at a mere 10 meters away from the AP.
It’s a good lesson to see what happens with different channel widths and distances, and what effect different APs have on throughput. Give it a spin if you are interested in understanding how APs work.
Author: Eric Weber
TLDR: Like the camera, hate the installation hardware
Coming out of the box, the G5 Turret looks nice. I like the form factor and how small it is compared to a bullet camera. This is definitely a good form factor for Ubiquiti, and I can see this being used in a lot of areas.
I decided to install it outside my front porch, to replace a G4 bullet that didn’t quite have the field of view I wanted. The camera would be under an eave, about 8 feet off the ground, facing north.
First problem: cheap screws. This is an outdoor rated camera, and I can see homeowners installing this in much the same way I am. Most people have aluminum flashing on their homes, and the screws that come with this are woefully insufficient.
They don’t fit a standard #2 Phillips Driver
See how little the #2 driver penetrates the screw? Now, compare this to a self-tapping screw I normally use to install outdoor items:
Notice how this screw has a WAYY better fit then the screw Ubiquiti used. This makes it far less likely to strip. Stripped screws make me swear a lot. Nobody needs to hear the swear words I make up when standing at the top of a ladder with a storm approaching trying to get this camera installed expeditiously. Use better screws.
Second problem: the installation ring. Someone made the smart move and allowed an access hatch for the camera’s cord so it can be mounted flush to a surface. Good move! The BAD part is this is on the piece that detaches from the camera. When you install it, you have to use one hand to hold circular piece to the side of your house, a second hand to hold the drill and put in the screw, and a third hand to hold the camera so it doesn’t bounce around.
I don’t have three hands…we don’t have that much radiation present here to cause that. I improvised by putting in one screw, then putting the camera cord in the slot, holding the ring against the house and then installing the other screws. Since I used self tapping screws, this isn’t a huge problem, but if you used the crappy screws provided…you would invent more swear words.
A better way to do this would be to have the slot on the camera body. That way, you can install the camera ring using your God-given two hands, then set down your drill and pop the camera on. Doesn’t require a third hand, and if you have a hard time with the screws, you don’t risk dropping the camera.
The other problem: the pre-built cord. This is a good and bad, depending on the use case:
- If I was installing this in a new location, I like this cord because its long enough to push through a standard wall. I can then connect/disconnect the camera on the inside without messing with anything on the outside.
- If I am installing this as a renovation, I DON’T like this. Look at the picture above: I already have a cord. Now I have to hide this extra long cord in the vinyl siding somewhere. Not quite swearing level, but still a pain.
- Also, what if you have thick walls? I installed cameras on a church where I had to use a 36″ drill bit to get through the wall. This camera would require me to drill a wider hole to fit the ethernet connector. Might be a deal breaker.
I think overall you’re better off without the cord. Any installer worth their salt can make a short cord. Even better, replacing the cord with just a port (like every other Ubiquiti camera) makes it way easier to rotate the camera, which is a huge advantage over other camera form factors. In fact, if you cut the cord, you could leave the slot for the ethernet cord on the ring that detaches from the camera and install it pretty easily.
See that frown? That’s how I felt installing this camera.
Onto camera performance. It’s a bit of a mixed bag.
- I like the wide angle! I can capture the walkup to my home very easily. In a plant or assembly line, this wide angle is perfect.
- It was easy to adjust. Might want to say on the box/instructions that the blue LED marks the top of the camera.
- Forego the Ubiquiti logos? Mine are sideways. Probably no way to keep them right side up unless you send Ubiquiti stickers.
- The quality of the video recording is OK. There is a HUGE difference between 30 FPS and the 50 FPS from a G4 Pro. 30 FPS is good enough for most things though.
- Microphone is OK, somewhat muted, but not a deal breaker.
- The camera has a hard time detecting kids. I had my son drive his jeep around a bit to trigger the camera. I ended up turning on motion detections just to get it to trigger. If he was close to the camera it would pick him up as a person, but farther away and the camera couldn’t pick him up.
You can see the difference between a G4 Bullet, G4 Doorbell, G5 Turret and G4 Pro in the attached videos of my son. I also attached the standard “hand wave” videos for a G4 Bullet, G5 Turret, AI Bullet and G4 Pro, all about the same height and distance.
Overall, good camera with a lot of use cases, but the following would have to be addressed:
- Recommend an ethernet port instead of the cord.
- If you don’t remove the cord, put the slot for the ethernet on the camera itself, or some way to make it easier to mount on the side of a building.
- Get better screws that are self-tapping, so you can drill into aluminum siding/flashing.
- Figure out how to detect children better. Especially in residential or child care settings, this is a must.
Author: Ryan Haag
UMR In-Depth Review
The Unifi Mobility Router is a very undersold, yet very useful, piece of equipment. If Ubiquiti negotiated a better deal from AT&T, it would be a game changing device.
I picked up a UMR on a whim because I’m a Unifi addict and I have to try something new.
Elmo gets it. Sometimes you just need the hit of opening a new Ubiquiti product.
Anyway, I wanted to use it when I taught Ubiquiti classes, as the ethernet ports in the hotels we teach at often don’t work or the guest network doesn’t like wired connections, so it’s hard to get a reliable WAN connection for the router the students are setting up. I quickly realized that some students would stream a ton of media “just because,” so after using up my data in one day, I decided that wasn’t going to work. I went to AT&T’s website, but I couldn’t find a useful unlimited data plan. After trying in vain, I put the UMR on a shelf, never to see the light of day.
Then my wife complained that the WiFi at our kid’s ballet studio was terrible. I gave her the UMR, plugged it into the USB port in our car, and voila! Her work laptop had a solid internet connection. She didn’t use a lot of data, so the UMR became hers for a few months with a 5 GB/month plan.
After a few updates and a few months later, I checked out the UMR interface and realized Ubiquiti had packed this little guy with a lot more capability. I also decided to shift my AT&T phones to a business plan instead of the residential plan…and that’s when I struck gold.
AT&T Business Plans will let you have a tablet SIM that has unlimited data. The cost varies depending on the kind of business plan you get. So I shifted all of my phones and three Ubiquiti devices (two UMRs and the LTE Backup Pro) to AT&T Business. The unlimited data tablet plan was ~$50/month and two 15GB/month plans each cost $20/month. Not bad, and definitely cheaper than the plans Ubiquiti offers with the devices. I also think the AT&T gal at the store wasn’t as familiar with promotions, so once I get my first bill I plan to call them to find a better fit.
I used WiFiMan to speed test my UMR. I can consistently get around 25-30 MBps down, which is good enough to stream some YouTube or conduct a Zoom call.
But there was more! 
I discovered you can setup WireGuard VPN. So I created a WireGuard VPN on my home UdM Pro router, then created a client and uploaded the file in the UMR. One click later and my UMR now automatically VPNs to home, allowing me to access my NAS while on the go. Even better, this means my wife can access the NAS through the mapped drives on her laptop, so she doesn’t have to do anything different. 
The connection is way more stable than the 5G on my phone when I’m driving in farm country. I’ve noticed a huge difference when I use my phone on a Zoom call and I’m out in the country. The connection is far more stable and I don’t drop calls like I did before.
PoE passthrough was another cool feature. I powered the UMR with a PoE+ adapter, then turned on PoE passthrough and hooked up a Ubiquiti Touch Phone that was set to Teleport home. Phone worked without any issue. This was really useful when I wanted to demonstrate how a Ubiquiti phone worked for a client.
Now, I didn’t like a few things. Ubiquiti charging for “Mobility Cloud” features is kinda lame, and if you don’t pay the $2/month, you lose the VPN access. The AT&T plans they have are garbage compared to what you get through AT&T business. The best thing Ubiquiti could do would be to negotiate a 5, 20 and unlimited data plan that includes “mobility cloud” and is on-par with AT&T business. If the unlimited was reasonably priced, this could easily replace the T-Mobile 5G routers that are popping up in the rural parts of America. Those routers suck, you can’t disable the onboard WiFi and they don’t get great signal in my experience.
The UMR doesn’t currently have Teleport, although WireGuard seems just fine for what I need.
There are cheaper devices that turn LTE into corded internet, but combined with the VPN and PoE Passthrough, the UMR is well worth the $200 investment. If Ubiquiti negotiated a better deal with AT&T, they would have a great travel/RV/rural router that would easily beat other competitors.
Author: Ryan Haag
Teaching the UniFi Full Stack Class
wifi-U has started teaching the new UniFi Full Stack class. This is a great class to get to know the new UniFi applications.
The class starts with a review of new equipment that Ubiquiti has introduced. Some of the equipment includes the Express and Ultra lines, the new Wi-Fi 7 Aps and the Pro Max Switches with Etherlighting and the new Intercom systems.
In the class, each student receives a loaner Cloud Gateway; either a UDR, UX, or an Ultra to familiarize with the interface.
In the USFP we talk about the Protect solution for cameras and the Door Access solution. We built these cool boards so we can demo how the products work.
We also go over the Talk product line and how to get phones up and running and how to route calls, make video calls, and use the intercom. We also show the apps that run on the phone like Protect, and Door Access.
Author: Eric Weber
Plan a Vacation Around Your Training in Myrtle Beach
We are hosting a special training in Myrtle Beach, SC the week of April 9th – 13th. We have booked the Holiday Inn Surfside Beach for the training and they have a special rate for people attending the class (20-25% discount).
We are offering four days of training; the UniFi Full Stack, the UWA, and our one-day Network Routing and Switching Class for $3,285.00. That’s $1,100.00 off the regular price. Plus, we have some fun events planned:
- We will have a boat ready with a Captain and fishing poles if you want to try to catch a catfish or cruise the intercoastal waterway.
- We will have bike rides leaving from the hotel each morning – weather permitting.
- We will also be hosting a backyard barbeque dinner Thursday night.
I’m looking forward to seeing you and talking about all things Ubiquiti and having some fun too at one of the most beautiful beaches in the world (Please pray for good weather!)
Author: Eric Weber
Big Changes Coming to Ubiquiti Certification Classes
In this video, I will be discussing some exciting updates for our Ubiquiti certification classes, specifically for the UEWA and the UNS. We are transitioning to a new approach where we will provide each student with a dream machine instead of relying on software installations on their computers. I will explain the benefits of this new paradigm and cover various routing, switching, and application capabilities introduced in the UNIFI line. Additionally, we will explore UNIFI Protect, camera systems, door access, UNIFI Talk, and UNIFI Connect. Lastly, I will introduce the new Wi-Fi MAN tool and request that you bring your own device to class.
Author: Eric Weber