UniFi for a small office: Wi-Fi, cameras, door access and phones

What UniFi is

UniFi is a family of business equipment made by Ubiquiti. Everything connects to a small box called a console, such as a Cloud Gateway, which acts as the office router and firewall and also runs the UniFi apps. You manage it all from one web page or phone app. There are four main lines:

• UniFi Network: the gateway, network switches and Wi-Fi access points.
• UniFi Protect: security cameras and the recorder that stores their video.
• UniFi Access: door readers and hubs that unlock doors with a card, phone or fingerprint.
• UniFi Talk: desk phones and a phone service for calls to the outside world.

No license fees, with one exception

Some business systems charge ongoing license fees for each camera, door or access point. UniFi does not. Ubiquiti's camera page says, "Run 4 or 4,000 cameras - licensing is still $0," and its phone page says, "UniFi does not charge additional licensing fees." You pay for the hardware once.

The exception is outside phone service. Calls between desk phones in the office are free, but each outside phone number needs a UniFi Talk subscription. Ubiquiti lists its Pro Plan at $24.99 per month per number in the United States, and a lower-priced Plus Plan is also offered (reported at $9.99 per month per line). Ubiquiti's help center notes that the subscription service is available only in the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada.

Rough hardware prices

These are list prices from the Ubiquiti United States store on 10/16/2026. Most items also showed a higher price with a surcharge included, shown in parentheses. Tax, shipping and cabling are extra.

What a typical 5 to 10 person office needs

Every office differs, but a common small office setup looks like this. Treat it as a starting point for a conversation, not a shopping list.

• One Cloud Gateway as the router and console.
• One PoE switch with enough ports for every access point, camera, door reader and phone. PoE stands for Power over Ethernet, which sends power and data through the same cable, so these devices do not need a wall outlet.
• Two or three ceiling access points, depending on the size and walls of the space.
• Two to four cameras covering the entrances, the reception area and the parking lot, plus a recorder.
• One door reader on the main entrance, if staff come and go outside business hours.
• One desk phone per person who needs one, plus a Talk subscription for each outside number.

Installation considerations

Cabling comes first. Access points, cameras, door hubs and phones each need an Ethernet cable run back to the switch. In an older building, running cable can be a large part of the labor, and it is usually easier during a renovation than through finished walls.

Check the PoE budget. Each PoE switch can deliver a fixed amount of power in total. Ubiquiti lists 52 watts for the Switch Lite 8 PoE and 45 watts for the Switch Lite 16 PoE. Add up the power that each connected device needs, using the device spec sheets, before you choose a switch.

Placement matters more than signal strength. Mount access points on the ceiling near where people actually sit. Walls, metal and appliances block Wi-Fi. In one Webflect project, a small law firm in Lewisburg, West Virginia had a weak Wi-Fi spot that turned out to be a refrigerator between the access point and a desk. The fix was a wired connection through the desk phone.

Keep guests separate. Create a guest Wi-Fi network that reaches the internet but cannot see office computers, printers or cameras.

Plan the cutover. Replacing a firewall interrupts internet service. That same Lewisburg firm moved from an aging firewall to a UniFi Cloud Gateway on a Saturday so the office opened normally on Monday.

Doors involve more than networking. Electric locks and door hardware usually need a locksmith or electrician, and fire and building rules apply to exit doors. Bring those people in early.

Honest downsides

• Cost up front. With no license fees, you pay for the equipment all at once instead of spreading it out. A full office of cameras, doors and phones can add up quickly.
• Store surcharges. Many items on the United States store showed a second, higher price with a surcharge included. Confirm the final price at checkout.
• Talk is not free. Each outside phone number carries a monthly subscription, so compare it with your current phone bill.
• Availability changes. On 10/16/2026 the store listed several items as out of stock with no restock date, including the CloudKey+ SSD and the Network Video Recorder G2, and one new camera as available in the fourth quarter of 2026. Plan purchases with some flexibility.
• One vendor. Putting the network, cameras, doors and phones on one platform makes management simpler, but it also ties those systems to one company's decisions.

How Webflect can help

Webflect plans, installs and manages UniFi Network, Protect, Access and Talk for small offices as part of its IT support. If you are weighing a project, the questions in this guide are a good place to start, whoever does the work.