Why More Schools Are Moving to UniFi - And How to Get the Most Out of It
If you’ve worked in school IT long enough, you’ve probably wrestled with some mix of outdated switches, confusing controller licensing, and Wi-Fi that drops just when students are trying to take a test. Maybe you’ve looked at UniFi, or maybe you’ve heard the buzz and wondered if it’s just another budget brand.
Here’s the real story: more and more districts are adopting UniFi, and for good reason.
A Workhorse With a Community Behind It
UniFi isn’t new to the game. While there are other non-subscription-based solutions out there, UniFi has built a reputation for being one of the few that delivers long-term reliability and constant evolution, without locking you into licensing.
Their gear, especially the Dream Series gateways and Pro line switches and access points, has quietly powered classrooms, gyms, and offices for years. It’s not the flash that sells it, it’s the fact that it just works.
Sure, Ubiquiti is always pushing boundaries with newer Wi-Fi 7 gear and ultra-high-speed switching, but for schools that aren’t racing to adopt bleeding edge tech, their staple products remain battle-tested, budget-friendly, and scalable.
Tip #1: Segment Your Network, It’s Easier Than You Think
You don’t need to be a VLAN wizard to protect your network anymore. UniFi makes it surprisingly intuitive to separate your traffic into “lanes”, think teachers in one lane, students in another, and guest devices (or those suspicious smart TVs) in a third.
This segmentation limits who can talk to what, and if something sketchy shows up on your network, it won’t be free to wander into your SIS or phone system. Even basic segmentation adds a huge layer of protection.
Tip #2: Turn On Threat Detection (Seriously)
Too often, security features get skipped in favor of “just get it online.” But UniFi’s built-in threat detection tools, like IDS/IPS, are easy to enable and can catch everything from malware callbacks to weird traffic patterns. It’s a one-click step that gives your network a safety net. Start with “detect only” mode if you’re cautious.
Tip #3: Plan Your Wi-Fi Like a Classroom, Not a Stadium
Here’s the thing: more APs aren’t always better. Placement matters. In most schools, smart deployment of a few access points, strategically placed in classrooms or shared spaces, beats blanket coverage that overlaps and interferes.
With UniFi, you can tweak things like band steering and transmit power with simple sliders. Keep 2.4 GHz power low (especially in dense spaces), and let most devices hop onto 5 or 6 GHz for speed and breathing room.
Tip #4: Use Guest Wi-Fi Like a Moat
That free Wi-Fi for substitutes, parents, or student phones? It should be walled off. Not because you don’t trust people, but because guest traffic doesn’t need access to your file servers or printers.
UniFi’s guest isolation tools make this easy: you check a box, and guests can only see the internet, not each other, not your main network. Done.
Tip #5: No Subscriptions, But Still Needs Love
One of the best parts of UniFi is that there are no recurring fees. But that doesn’t mean you should set it and forget it. Schedule time for firmware reviews, keep controller backups running, and consider using encrypted DNS (like 1.1.1.2) to block malicious domains before they reach devices.
The Bottom Line
Schools are adopting UniFi because it hits the sweet spot: powerful enough to grow with you, simple enough to manage without an army, and priced for the reality of education budgets.
Whether you’re supporting 100 devices or 5,000, UniFi gives you a platform you can build on, one that doesn’t nickel-and-dime you along the way.
✏️ PublicEdTech.org is compiling UniFi deployment playbooks, peer case studies, and vendor-neutral best practices for California K–12 networks. Want to share your setup or learn from others? Reach out or fill out our infrastructure survey.
