Creating a Multi-Site UniFi Setup With Centralized Management

Managing multiple client or office locations? Scaling out UniFi is easier than you think. With a centrally hosted controller, you can oversee dozens, even hundreds, of sites from the same dashboard. This guide walks you through planning, deploying, isolating, and managing multi-site UniFi networks. We'll cover hardware, topology, VLANs, remote access, and real-world tips.

Let's dive in !!

1. Why multi-site UniFi?

Imagine managing the network at a café, a small office, and your home, all from one place. You can monitor device health, firmware versions, client stats, and alerts across all sites. Centralized management saves hours and keeps you consistent across deployments. You avoid running separate controllers, juggling logins, or hosting clones on different local machines.

2. What you’ll need

• A hosted UniFi Controller – ideal choice is UniHosted for all updates, backups, uptime, and secure access.
• UniFi OS gateway or Cloud Key at each site – for local controller, routing, and app deployment.
• Switches and APs – PoE switches to power APs and cameras.
• ISPs and connection types – different sites may have fiber, DSL, or LTE backups.

You'll also want basic VLAN and subnet design for security and traffic control across sites. We'll get into that next.

3. Designing subnets & VLANs

Each site should have its own subnet, like 192.168.10.0/24 and 192.168.20.0/24. This ensures separation so traffic from each location stays isolated unless you specifically route it.

At each site:

• Staff LAN
• Guest Wi‑Fi VLAN
• IoT VLAN (for cameras, printers)
• Site-to-site VPN – gives central access across subnets if needed later

Controllers on each site, or a cloud-hosted one, will see all those networks, but devices and traffic stay separated until policies say otherwise.

4. Setting up per-site UniFi Controllers

Each location gets a UDM, UDM Pro, or Cloud Key Gen2+ to handle routing, switching, and local app functionality.

Steps:

1. Deploy UniFi gateway and switch.
2. Connect APs, Ubiquiti Cameras, Door Access, Talk systems.
3. Ensure everything connects to local PoE switch.
4. Adopt devices into the hosted Controller using site-specific settings.

Once adopted, each site looks like a standalone network in the Controller.

5. Adding sites to your hosted Controller

On the dashboard:

• Click Add new Site for site name (e.g. “Office A”, “Cafe B”).
• Invite local staff accounts or yourself.
• Under each site's settings, designate primary and actual device locations.

Once devices are adopted, they'll appear under that site. Management becomes bulk, smart, and centralized.

6. Firmware and updates at scale

A multi-site controller helps you deploy firmware when convenient:

• Group devices by site or function
• Schedule updates after hours
• Roll back failed updates site-by-site without downtime elsewhere

This keeps your network healthy, consistent, and avoids update chaos.

7. Alerts, health checks, and oversight

With devices across sites, you need consistent visibility:

• Alerts per site: offline switches, IDS hits, blocked clients
• Dashboard view: like UDMs/Switches – all in one screen
• Health alerts via email or mobile app

Set an alert policy that works globally or per location.

8. Remote access for each site

Every UDM supports remote access. For security:

• Limit UI access via IP allowlists
• Use UniFi’s Teleport for secure remote device login with no VPNs
• Enforce 2FA for every admin user

Agents can use Teleport to support a specific site without jumping through VPN hoops.

9. Policies and network segmentation

You control site-specific settings, like:

• Guest portal and splash pages per location
• SSIDs and VLAN rules
• Bandwidth limits for guest or IoT devices
• Scheduled Wi-Fi based on local business hours

You can clone site configs to stand up a new location fast while customizing.

10. Scaling tips and real-world advice

From real-world JMS deployments, MSPs and Reddit users offer these pointers: \n> [!info]

“Run each site as a separate Site in your Controller. That way you can copy configs, alert triggers, and abandon them without confusion.”

“Use site templates, set up VLANs and SSIDs once, clone them to each new site to reduce mistakes.”

“We use UniHosted, so every site is monitored and logged. We just check our mobile app for alerts.”

Other tips:

• Backups: each site auto-backs up daily.
• Bulk adoption: plug sites and adopt over SSH script for APs.
• Client mobility: use site VPN tunnels to move devices seamlessly.

11. Expanding and future-proofing

Once the first two or three sites are live, adding more is simple:

1. Prep IP addressing and VLAN plan (e.g., 192.168.30.0/24)
2. Deploy gateway and local gear
3. Adopt devices into Controller site template
4. Configure SSID setup based on existing template
5. Test coverage, roaming, and remote access

You stay consistent and efficient across locations.

13. Common pitfalls

• Mixed firmware versions can cause alert floods or adoption errors
• Duplicate site names cause confusion, use unique site labels
• IP plan collisions, avoid overlapping subnets across sites unless linked via VPN
• Unlocked remote access without 2FA invites trouble
• Zero backups mean any mistake is costly, automate them immediately

Summary: your multi-site UniFi in 10 steps

1. Plan subnets and VLANs
2. Get hosted Controller
3. Deploy gateway, switch, APs per site
4. Adopt devices under unique site name
5. Configure SSIDs, VLANs, alerts
6. Schedule firmware updates
7. Enable remote access and security
8. Use templates for consistency
9. Monitor via dashboard/mobile alerts
10. Back up daily, replicate for new sites

Final thoughts

A multi-site UniFi deployment is one of the strongest tools in your kit. You manage consistently across locations, avoid configuration drift, and gain centralized visibility. By combining local site gear with a hosted controller, you balance power and simplicity, and avoid overcomplicating things.

If you're supporting several offices, hotels, cafes, or sites, don’t spin up controllers on desktops. Let UniHosted handle hosting, reliability, and backups, so your attention stays on clients, not servers.