UniFi Dos & Don’ts: Real Tips from Someone Who’s Been There

You’ve already invested in UniFi, so let’s make sure it’s working the way it should. 
I’ve helped a lot of people troubleshoot networks and camera setups, and it’s usually not some big issue, just a few small things most folks don’t even realize they’re doing. 

Here are some of the most common UniFi mistakes I run into, and what you can do to fix them fast. 

Please don’t do this to your UniFi network… 

Even solid setups can fall apart with just a few wrong settings: 

• Ignore VLANs
  Putting guest, IoT, and office devices on the same LAN is like leaving every door in your house unlocked. One hacked smart device, even a light bulb, can open the door to your entire network. It doesn’t matter if you’ve only got a few devices. UniFi makes VLANs easy. Use them before it’s too late.
• Use one SSID and expect devices to “just work”

Devices often cling to the weakest signal, dragging your whole network down. Without minimum RSSI or band steering, even new gear can feel painfully slow. Fix it, you’ll definitely notice the difference. 

• Leave Access Points on Auto
  The defaults aren’t bad, but they’re not tailored to your space. Manually set non-overlapping channels, pick the right channel width, and fine-tune transmit power. It’s one of the fastest ways to clean up interference and improve coverage.

Please don’t do this to your UniFi cameras… 

UniFi Protect is awesome, but even great cameras won’t perform if the setup’s not right: 

• Leave flickering unchecked
  If your video feed is flickering, it’s probably the lighting. Head to your camera’s Image Tuning settings and adjust the Shutter Exposure option, especially if they're under artificial lighting, this usually solves it.
• Ignore Motion & Smart Detection Zones

UniFi Protect lets you define exactly where motion or AI detections should happen, and where they shouldn’t. Set up Motion Zones for all cameras, and Smart Detection Zones for G4, G5, and AI models to reduce annoying false alerts and avoid recording sensitive areas. 

• Ignore your storage plan
  4K is great, until your NVR fills up in two days. Then what? You don’t want to be the person who needs important footage from last week, only to realize it was deleted to make space. Set your resolution, frame rate, and retention to match your actual storage before it’s too late.

If any of this sounds familiar, don’t worry, I see it all the time. 
They’re quick fixes, and I’m here if you ever want help dialing in your UniFi setup. 

Let’s get it running the way it should.