UniFi networks for 10, 30 or 100 workstations: what changes in the planning?
Plan UniFi for your Swiss SME: ports, WiFi, PoE and resilience for 10, 30 or 100 workstations, with a practical calculation.
Employee numbers are a useful starting point, but they do not determine the equipment on their own. A ten-person office working with large project files may need a different network from a site with thirty mainly mobile users. Cable connections, WiFi, internet access and ongoing operation should be planned together.
The following sizes are planning examples, not customer case studies or fixed equipment lists.
Ten workstations: count every connection
Start with the devices that actually need a cable. Include computers, printers, access points, cameras, NAS systems and phones. A phone that also connects a computer needs a different port plan from two separate cables. Links between network devices must also be counted.
For example, ten wired workstations, two access points, one printer and one NAS need fourteen endpoint connections. Add four spare connections and the requirement becomes eighteen, before links to other network components. You can then assess whether a switch has enough suitable ports. This calculation does not yet establish the PoE power budget.
Thirty workstations: distinguish rooms and workloads
More meeting rooms, floors and mobile devices make distribution increasingly important. Several simultaneous video calls concentrate traffic differently from individual office workstations. Record which rooms will be used intensively at the same time.
UniFi lets you assign a WiFi network to selected access points or groups. Its documentation also describes radio bands, roaming and security settings. The appropriate configuration depends on the devices you use; a newer WiFi generation alone does not guarantee reception in a meeting room. Ubiquiti WiFi settings
Alongside free switch ports, consider the links between floors. A fast endpoint connection offers limited benefit when many devices share a congested uplink. For access points and cameras, check both the PoE standard of each port and the switch’s total power budget.
One hundred workstations: plan for failures and responsibilities
For larger sites, draw the access layer, distribution switches, aggregation and gateway. Add failure scenarios to the normal operating diagram: which areas would lose service after a switch, uplink or internet connection failed?
More hardware does not automatically provide greater availability. Two internet connections do not cover every power or gateway failure. A second path needs suitable equipment at both ends and a tested switchover. Check model and software support for the functions required by your project.
Define the operating arrangements as well. Who receives alerts, who may change rules, and when can updates be installed? Keep these decisions with the port plan so they remain available during troubleshooting.
Prepare a useful brief for your quotation
- Sites, floors, floor plans and existing cabling.
- Wired devices and the number of mobile devices used simultaneously.
- Applications whose interruption would affect operations.
- Existing internet connections and required failure protection.
- Expansion plans, responsibilities and support requirements.
This information supports a reasoned selection of gateways, switches and access points. Determine access point quantities through radio planning, rather than employee numbers alone.
Our UniFi network overview includes example configurations for different company sizes. Explore the detailed comparisons for UniFi WiFi, UniFi switching and UniFi firewalls. Published CHF figures are indicative prices; your quotation reflects the agreed installation.
Sources and scope
Manufacturer settings checked on 29 September 2026 using the Ubiquiti documentation linked above. The port calculation and company-size scenarios are Irontec editorial planning examples, not measured customer results.