How to design and deploy with the Ubiquiti Design Tool

Published onby Iron

Designing a network is like planning a city. You want to ensure everything is connected, accessible, and ready for growth. The Ubiquiti Design Tool makes it easy to visualize and plan your Wi-Fi and network coverage. This tool allows you to map out coverage, test configurations, and calculate device needs before any hardware is purchased or installed.

Let's dive in!

Table of Contents

What is the Ubiquiti Design Tool?

The Ubiquiti Design Tool is a web-based app that allows you to visualize network coverage. It lets you place UniFi access points (APs) on a map of your space to simulate Wi-Fi coverage. The tool uses smart algorithms to show heatmaps, letting you visualize signal strength, coverage, and interference. It also calculates the number of devices required and predicts network performance.

With this tool, you can:

  • Create a floor plan for your network layout.
  • Simulate coverage with heatmaps.
  • Optimize device placement for maximum Wi-Fi strength.
  • Generate cost estimates based on the required devices.
  • Share and export plans for team collaboration.

How to use the Ubiquiti Design Tool

This step-by-step guide will help you design and deploy your network using the Ubiquiti Design Tool.

1. Access the Ubiquiti Design Tool

To get started, visit the Ubiquiti Design Center. You’ll need to sign in with your UI (Ubiquiti) account. If you don’t have an account, you can create one for free.

2. Start a new project

Once logged in, start a new project. Here’s how:

  • Click “Create New Project”.
  • Enter a project name (like "Office Wi-Fi" or "Home Network").
  • Upload a floor plan if you have one. This can be a simple image or a PDF.
  • If you don’t have a floor plan, you can use the built-in sketching tool to create a basic layout.

Pro Tip: If you're using a blueprint, make sure to scale it properly. You’ll be prompted to define the distance between two points on the image to ensure accurate placement of devices.

3. Add devices to your floor plan

With your layout ready, it's time to add the devices. Here's how:

  1. Select devices from the left-hand toolbar (like access points, switches, and routers).
  2. Drag and drop the devices onto your floor plan.
  3. Place devices in areas that maximize coverage. For example, access points (APs) should be centered in high-traffic areas, and avoid placing them near walls or metal objects.

Pro Tip: Use the "Heatmap" view to see how well the Wi-Fi coverage reaches each area. If there are dead zones, adjust the AP locations.

4. View Wi-Fi coverage and make adjustments

The Ubiquiti Design Tool shows a Wi-Fi heatmap that highlights areas with strong, medium, and weak signals.

  • Red areas are weak signals.
  • Green and blue areas are strong coverage zones.

To improve coverage, try these adjustments:

  • Move APs closer to the center of the building.
  • Increase the number of APs for larger or crowded spaces.
  • Remove obstructions by relocating APs away from walls or large furniture.

5. Add switches, gateways, and other devices

A network is more than Wi-Fi. It needs switches, routers, and gateways to function properly.

  • Switches: Use switches to connect access points and wired devices like cameras or VoIP phones.
  • Routers: Routers connect the network to the internet.
  • Gateways: Some setups require a gateway for enhanced security and VPN connections.

Pro Tip: Add switches where devices cluster together (like conference rooms) and gateways at the network's entry point.

6. Check the cost of your deployment

The Ubiquiti Design Tool includes a pricing tool.

  • Click "Bill of Materials" to see a full list of devices and costs.
  • Use this to budget for your network deployment.
  • If you're over budget, remove unnecessary devices or combine roles (e.g., use an all-in-one router instead of separate devices).

7. Export and share the design

Once you’re satisfied with your network plan, you can export it to share with your team or installer.

  • Export options include PDF, PNG, or CSV files.
  • Share the plan online with team members via a private link.

Pro tips for using the Ubiquiti Design Tool

  1. Plan for future growth: If you expect more devices or users in the future, place extra APs to avoid rework.
  2. Avoid Wi-Fi interference: Place APs on different channels to reduce interference.
  3. Use VLANs for better security: If you’re setting up guest Wi-Fi, use VLANs to keep guest traffic separate from the internal network.
  4. Account for wall thickness: Walls reduce Wi-Fi signal strength. Use the heatmap view to see if signals are being blocked.
  5. Use UniFi switches: If you use UniFi switches, you’ll be able to remotely manage and monitor network traffic.

Deployment tips for a successful launch

Once your network is designed, it’s time to deploy. Here’s how you do it right.

  1. Get the right hardware

    • Order the devices listed in your bill of materials.
    • Use PoE (Power over Ethernet) switches to power your access points with a single Ethernet cable.
  2. Install UniFi devices

    • Mount access points on walls or ceilings.
    • Avoid placing them behind metal objects or near microwaves, which cause interference.
  3. Use the UniFi Controller

    • Set up a UniFi Controller to manage your network.
    • You can use a hardware controller (like the UniFi Dream Machine) or a cloud-based option like UniHosted.
  4. Adopt devices into the UniFi Controller

    • Use the UniFi Controller to "adopt" the devices into your network.
    • If you use UniHosted, the process is even easier. Just connect to your controller and adopt the devices remotely.
  5. Test the network

    • Walk around with a Wi-Fi analyzer app (like WiFiman) to test the strength.
    • Look for dead spots or weak signals.
    • Adjust AP locations as needed.
  6. Set up VLANs and guest Wi-Fi

    • Use VLANs to create separate networks for guests, IoT devices, and employees.
    • This keeps traffic secure and prevents guests from accessing internal systems.

Why use the Ubiquiti Design Tool?

  • Saves time: Avoid mistakes by planning everything before installation.
  • Saves money: Avoid buying too many (or too few) access points.
  • No guesswork: Heatmaps show coverage so you can adjust before deployment.
  • Collaborate with the team: Share your design with managers, installers, or IT teams.

Final Thoughts

The Ubiquiti Design Tool makes it simple to design, visualize, and deploy UniFi networks. From mapping out coverage to ordering hardware, it takes the guesswork out of Wi-Fi planning. Best of all, you can spot potential issues—like weak signals or over-budget devices—before you buy.

If you’re setting up a large network, consider hosting your UniFi Controller in the cloud. At UniHosted, we make it easy to manage UniFi Controllers remotely. Our service offers instant setup, automatic updates, and daily backups, so you can focus on the network while we handle the rest. If you would like me to personally walk you through UniHosted, you can schedule a call with me here.

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