What UniFi equipment do we recommend?
WiFi Access Points
High-capacity models such as the E7 (1000+ clients) and U7 Pro Max (500+ clients) handle crowds, and the U7 In-Wall suits designed rooms.
Cloud Gateways
The gateway runs the isolated guest zone and the optional hotspot sign-in page, and keeps POS and order-entry devices separate.
Switching and PoE
PoE switches with room to grow power more access points for Market week without new circuits.
Protect Cameras
Protect cameras cover entrances and high-value floor displays with no per-camera license.
Access Control
UniFi Access readers control after-hours entry to showrooms and back offices from the same console.
Why does showroom WiFi fail during High Point Market?
Because the building is designed for its quiet weeks, then asked to serve a crowd. High Point Market brings 75,000+ attendees each Market into more than 11.5 million square feet of showroom space, and every buyer arrives with a phone, tablet or laptop.
Figures are from the High Point Market Authority and its economic impact page, which cites a 2018 Duke University Global Value Chains Center study putting the Market's impact at $6.73 billion a year. Upcoming dates are October 17 to 21, 2026, April 10 to 14, 2027 and October 23 to 27, 2027.
A showroom that runs on a single consumer router or a couple of access points sized for staff will saturate within the first hour of opening day. Order entry, digital catalogs and payment terminals then compete with hundreds of guest phones on the same channel.
How do you design WiFi for a Market-week crowd?
Design for capacity, not just coverage: more access points at lower power, each serving a smaller area, with guests steered to 5 GHz and 6 GHz. High-capacity UniFi models are rated for 500+ clients (U7 Pro Max) and 1000+ clients (E7), though real capacity per access point is far lower once everyone is streaming.
Specs are from Ubiquiti's U7 Pro Max and E7 pages; the client counts are vendor maximums. Our access point sizing guide explains why density planning starts from expected users per room, not square footage.
- Count expected guests per room at peak, plus staff and order-entry devices.
- Place access points so each covers a smaller cell, and lower transmit power to match.
- Use WiFi 7 tri-band models so newer devices move to 6 GHz and free up 5 GHz.
- Rate-limit the guest network so one large download does not starve order entry.
- Size the internet circuit and add 5G failover for the busiest days of the year.
Can guests sign in through a branded WiFi page?
Yes. UniFi Network includes a Hotspot Portal that presents a captive portal (a sign-in page) with your branding before guests reach the internet. Ubiquiti's help center describes options such as a password or vouchers, and says a hotspot isolates connected clients from the rest of the network.
Source: Ubiquiti Help Center, UniFi Hotspots and Captive Portals. For a showroom, a simple branded page with terms of use is usually enough. Hotels often use vouchers or a room-based password. Even without a portal, Ubiquiti states that every UniFi Cloud Gateway includes a Guest Firewall Zone that is "on by default" (Ubiquiti WiFi).
What access points look right in a designed showroom or hotel room?
Low-profile ceiling models blend into most showrooms, and in-wall models suit hotel rooms and small galleries where a ceiling unit would draw the eye. The U7 In-Wall is WiFi 7, supports 200+ clients and has three 2.5 GbE ports, one with PoE out for a TV, phone or camera.
Specs from Ubiquiti's U7 In-Wall page. We plan mounting with the showroom designer, because a vignette can change between Markets and a ceiling access point should not end up above a new wall or behind a display.
Key takeaway: In a designed space, the access point plan belongs in the floor plan from the start, not added after the vignettes are built.
How do you keep payment terminals and order entry safe on a busy guest network?
Put them on a different network. Ubiquiti states that guest WiFi on its gateways "runs on an isolated network, separate from your POS, cameras, and staff," and describes that as "meeting PCI DSS segmentation requirements."
Source: Ubiquiti Cloud Gateways. Segmentation is one part of PCI DSS, not the whole standard, so card processing still needs a compliant terminal and processor. We add separate zones for order-entry tablets, cameras and back-office PCs, with rules that only allow what each needs.
How does PDC prepare a showroom for Market week?
PDC is headquartered in High Point, a short drive from the showroom district, and schedules network work around the Market calendar. Changes are finished and tested well before opening day, and firmware is held steady during Market week.
- Pre-Market walk: expected traffic, layout changes and new vignettes.
- Capacity adjustments: extra or relocated access points, guest rate limits and portal updates.
- Change freeze during Market week, with remote monitoring of every showroom network.
- Post-Market review: what saturated, what to change before the next Market.
- Structured cabling through network services, and furniture industry IT support year round.
- Member of the UniFi Partner Program.
What drives the cost of showroom and hospitality WiFi?
Peak guest count drives the number of access points and switch capacity; building age and finish drive cabling cost. The recurring license line stays at zero because UniFi access points need no per-device license.
See the installation cost guide or call (336) 886-3282 before the next Market.
- Peak users per room during Market, not average occupancy.
- Ceiling and wall finishes, and whether cable can be concealed in older buildings.
- Internet circuit size and 5G failover for Market week.
- Portal design and any voucher or payment workflow.
- Warranty: one year on hardware from distribution, two years direct (Ubiquiti warranty).
Frequently asked questions
When is the next High Point Market?
The High Point Market Authority lists Fall 2026 as October 17 to 21, Spring 2027 as April 10 to 14 and Fall 2027 as October 23 to 27. Network changes should be finished and tested weeks before opening day.
How many people attend High Point Market?
The High Point Market Authority reports 75,000+ attendees each Market. Many showrooms see their year's peak WiFi load in those few days.
Can UniFi show a branded sign-in page for guests?
Yes. UniFi Network's Hotspot Portal provides a captive portal with your branding and options such as a password or vouchers, and isolates hotspot clients from the rest of the network.
Is showroom guest WiFi kept away from our payment terminals?
Yes. Ubiquiti states guest WiFi runs on an isolated network separate from POS, cameras and staff, on by default. PCI DSS has other requirements too, so your processor and terminal still matter.
How many people can one UniFi access point handle?
Ubiquiti rates the U7 Pro Max at 500+ clients and the E7 at 1000+, but those are maximums. In a crowded showroom we plan for far fewer active users per access point so everyone gets usable speed.
Can PDC be on call during Market week?
PDC is headquartered in High Point and monitors client networks 24/7. We plan Market-week coverage with each showroom in advance rather than promising a fixed response time.