What UniFi equipment do we recommend?
Site Manager
Site Manager puts every location in one console with no license fee, which is what makes a standard design supportable.
Cloud Gateways
A Cloud Gateway at each site provides the firewall, VPN and the Site Magic site-to-site link to the other locations.
Switching and PoE
The same switch model per site size keeps spares, port maps and PoE budgets consistent across locations.
WiFi Access Points
Identical WiFi settings at every site mean staff laptops and scanners connect the same way wherever they are.
How do you manage networks at several locations from one place?
With UniFi, every site's gateway appears in Site Manager at unifi.ui.com, so one console shows status, alerts and settings for all locations. Ubiquiti describes the result as "unified, scalable, and completely license-free."
That description comes from Ubiquiti's Site Manager and Fabrics announcement, which calls Site Manager "a single Fabric that connects all sites into one cohesive system." Organizations that would rather not keep a console on site can use Official UniFi Hosting, listed at "From $29.00 /month" and managing up to 1,000 UniFi Network devices (Ubiquiti store). Our multi-site network strategy article covers the business decisions for NC manufacturers with more than one plant.
Does UniFi support site-to-site VPN and SD-WAN between locations?
Yes. Ubiquiti states that "License-free Site Magic makes Site-to-Site VPN and SD-WAN setup easier," and its gateways also support OpenVPN and IPsec site-to-site VPN for connecting to non-UniFi firewalls.
Source: Ubiquiti Cloud Gateways. Ubiquiti also lists "Site Magic SD-WAN for resilient multi-site meshing with UniFi Gateways" among the features of UniFi OS Server (Ubiquiti blog). For example, a Greensboro office could reach an ERP server at a High Point plant without a hand-built tunnel at every site.
Where one location runs a different firewall (a vendor-managed Fortinet at a larger plant, for example), a standard IPsec tunnel bridges the gap. We compare the platforms in UniFi vs Fortinet.
Why should every location use the same network design?
A standard design turns each new site into a repeat of a known build instead of a new project. The same models, VLAN numbers, firewall zones and WiFi names at every location mean faster rollouts, fewer mistakes and spare parts that fit anywhere.
| Site type | Gateway | Switching | WiFi | Internet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small branch or sales office | Cloud Gateway Max (30+ devices / 300+ clients) | Standard 24 PoE (95W) | U7 Pro | Wired plus UniFi 5G failover |
| Office or showroom | Cloud Gateway Fiber (50+ devices / 500+ clients) | Pro Max 24 PoE (400W) | U7 Pro or U7 Pro Max | Wired plus 5G failover |
| Plant or distribution center | Dream Machine Pro Max (200+ devices / 2,000+ clients) | Pro Max 24 PoE per closet | U7 Pro Max, E7 Campus, U7 Outdoor | Dual wired plus 5G failover |
Specs: Cloud Gateway Max, Cloud Gateway Fiber, Dream Machine Pro Max, Standard 24 PoE, Pro Max 24 PoE. The UniFi 5G Max "works as primary, load-balanced, or failover WAN" (Ubiquiti), which keeps a branch online when its wired circuit drops.
Key takeaway: Standardize the design once, then every new location is a copy, not a project.
How do you keep firmware current across many sites safely?
Stage updates: test on one site, then roll out to the rest in a maintenance window. Ubiquiti lists "Centralized Update Management to stage and roll firmware at scale" as part of UniFi OS Server, and Site Manager shows which sites are behind.
Source: Ubiquiti blog. Patching matters: our write-up on a critical UniFi OS vulnerability shows how quickly a gateway flaw becomes an urgent, every-site problem. A multi-site network needs someone accountable for updates at every location, not just headquarters.
How does PDC roll out and support a multi-site network?
PDC writes the standard, prestages each site kit in High Point, installs on site within 200 miles and monitors every location from one console. We have run IT for North Carolina businesses for 39 years and support 100+ active clients.
- Assessment of every current location: circuits, closets, cabling and devices.
- A written standard: models, VLANs, firewall zones, WiFi names and naming conventions.
- Prestaged kits so each site cutover is short and planned.
- 24/7 monitoring, staged firmware updates and help desk under managed IT.
- Member of the UniFi Partner Program.
What drives the cost of a multi-site network?
Number of sites, size of each, cabling condition and internet circuits drive most of the cost. UniFi keeps the recurring part low because Site Manager and Site Magic carry no license fee.
See the installation cost guide or call (336) 886-3282 to plan the rollout.
- Number and size of locations, and how different they are today.
- Cabling remediation at older sites.
- Internet circuits and 5G data plans (billed by carriers).
- Travel for on-site installs; sites beyond 200 miles of High Point need a local partner or remote-hands plan.
- Optional cloud hosting instead of an on-site console (from $29 a month per Ubiquiti), and Ubiquiti's optional CyberSecure subscription if you want expanded gateway IDS/IPS signatures and content filtering.
- Warranty: one year on hardware from distribution, two years direct (Ubiquiti warranty).
Frequently asked questions
Is UniFi Site Manager free?
Yes. Ubiquiti describes Site Manager as completely license-free. Optional paid items sit outside Site Manager: Official UniFi Hosting, for organizations that do not want a console on site, is listed from $29 a month, and Ubiquiti's CyberSecure subscription adds expanded IDS/IPS signatures and content filtering on gateways.
What is UniFi Site Magic?
Site Magic is Ubiquiti's license-free feature for site-to-site VPN and SD-WAN between UniFi gateways. It connects locations without building each tunnel by hand.
Can UniFi connect to a location that uses a different firewall?
Yes. UniFi gateways support OpenVPN and IPsec site-to-site VPN, so a tunnel can reach a Fortinet, Meraki or other firewall. Site Magic itself works between UniFi gateways.
How do branches stay online if the internet circuit fails?
Add a UniFi 5G Max, which Ubiquiti says works as a primary, load-balanced or failover WAN. The gateway switches to cellular automatically and back when the circuit returns.
Is UniFi or Meraki better for many locations?
UniFi avoids per-device licenses, which adds up across many sites. Meraki offers a mature cloud dashboard and vendor support contracts that some organizations prefer to pay for. Our UniFi vs Meraki comparison covers both sides.
Can PDC support locations outside North Carolina?
Remote monitoring and management work anywhere, and PDC provides on-site service within 200 miles of High Point. For sites farther away, we plan remote-hands coverage before rollout.
Sources
- Ubiquiti blog, Officially bringing UniFi Fabrics (Site Manager)
- Ubiquiti, UniFi Cloud Gateways
- Ubiquiti blog, Introducing UniFi OS Server
- Ubiquiti store, Official UniFi Hosting
- Ubiquiti blog, Introducing UniFi 5G
- Ubiquiti tech specs, Cloud Gateway Max
- Ubiquiti tech specs, Cloud Gateway Fiber
- Ubiquiti tech specs, Dream Machine Pro Max
- Ubiquiti warranty