Ubiquiti's guidance on coverage is data-led. Use the WiFi Agent and the Clients panel to see where signal drops: above minus 60 dBm is excellent, minus 70 to minus 75 is where clients should be roaming to another AP, and below minus 80 is poor. If a client is weak in a room, move the AP or add one so that signal at the client is at least minus 70 dBm, and place APs where clients are, ceiling mounted in the open, not behind metal or inside a cabinet.
The checks in more detail
Ubiquiti's optimization article suggests setting transmit power to High or Auto and an 80 MHz channel width for most uses; in dense deployments reduce width. Balance matters as much as power: if the AP and client signal balance reads Poor, the AP cannot hear the client, so raising AP power will not help and a closer AP will.
Use the Environment tab and Airtime Scan to choose channels so neighboring APs do not overlap, and use Minimum RSSI so devices move to a closer AP instead of clinging to a far one. A wired uplink to each AP is best; a wireless uplink, shown by a blue LED that flashes off every five seconds when it has lost connectivity and is searching, is weaker. Add APs rather than turning power to maximum. Mark the floor plan with signal readings taken at desk or sofa height, where people actually use devices, not standing at ceiling height.
Stand in each room, note the reading and the AP it connects to, and look for rooms where the nearest AP is below minus 70 dBm. Adding one AP in the middle of a large gap often works better than raising power on the two around it. Ceiling mounting in the center of a room is usually better than a wall mount at the edge, because the signal has an even path in every direction and fewer walls to cross.
Differential
Likely causes of “Ubiquiti UniFi access points has weak signal or dead zones”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
An AP too far from the client
What separates it The client signal is below minus 80 dBm because the access point is too far from the client
How to confirm Move the access point, or add another one, so that it is closer to the client
- 2
Obstructions
What separates it The signal is weak in some places because metal or thick walls block it
How to confirm Mount the access point in the open, and not behind metal or inside a thick wall
- 3
Poor signal balance
What separates it The access point cannot hear the client because the signal balance is poor
How to confirm Add a closer access point, since a higher power setting will not help if it cannot hear
- 4
Overlapping channels
What separates it There is interference between access points because their channels overlap
How to confirm Set the channels using the Environment tab, so nearby access points use different ones
- 5
A wireless uplink
What separates it The backhaul is weak because the access point uses a wireless uplink
How to confirm Use a wired uplink for the access point, which is faster and steadier
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The client signal that you measure in each room
- Where each of the access points is mounted
- The signal balance readings for the weak rooms
- Whether each access point has a wired uplink
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedMeasure signal
ReversibleMeasure the signal in the Clients panel and with WiFi Agent, standing in each room.
Find weak rooms
ReversibleFind the weak rooms by looking for any that show a signal below minus 75 dBm.
Move or add an AP
ReversibleMove or add an access point, choosing a place in the open, ideally on the ceiling.
Set width and power
ReversibleSet the width and the power, using 80 MHz and a High or Auto power setting.
Pick channels
ReversiblePick the channels from the Environment tab, so that neighbors do not overlap yours, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Set Minimum RSSI
ReversibleSet Minimum RSSI, so that weak clients roam on to another access point that is closer.
Prefer wired uplinks
ReversiblePrefer wired uplinks to each access point, since they are faster than any wireless link.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Models this page covers
- UniFi U7 Pro and U6 Pro access points. Ubiquiti writes one help article per fault for its UniFi access points; the notes name where the radios and ports differ.
- U7 Pro
- The U7 Pro adds 6 GHz for Wi-Fi 7 clients, which has shorter range.
- U6 Pro
- The U6 Pro covers 2.4 and 5 GHz.
- Tools and supplies
- An Ethernet cable rated Cat6 or better, a PoE injector or a PoE switch port, a paperclip or pin for the Reset button, the UniFi mobile app and a pen and paper for the model, MAC address and serial number. No screwdriver is needed and an access point should not be opened.
- Repair cost
- Restarts, resets and settings changes cost nothing. UniFi hardware is replaced rather than repaired: Ubiquiti's warranty page gives a two-year warranty for products bought from its own webstore, help.ui.com routes in-warranty replacements through its RMA portal, and UI Care extends hardware coverage up to five years. Reference list prices from Ubiquiti's store and retailer listings: Dream Machine Pro $379, Dream Machine SE $499, Cloud Gateway Ultra $129, U7 Pro $189, U6 Pro $159 and Switch Pro Max 24 PoE $799. A bad cable or a provider fault costs the same whichever UniFi device you own.
- Other models this page answers
- These steps also fit the UniFi U6 Pro access point.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If a wired AP in a good position still leaves a gap, add another AP
- !If signal balance is poor, add or move an AP
- !If the AP is faulty, RMA under warranty
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Where the manufacturer's article stops. The figures and steps on this page are Ubiquiti's own, and the prices are its published list prices. Replacement prices are Ubiquiti store list prices and vary by retailer.
Signal strength, AirView and channels.
Transmit power, channel width and RSSI.
Minimum RSSI.
Client-side diagnosis.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
What signal should I aim for?+
Aim for a signal of at least minus 70 dBm at the client, and better if you can.
Does higher power fix dead zones?+
No, higher power does not fix a dead zone, if the access point cannot hear the client.
Where should I mount an AP?+
Mount it in the open, on the ceiling, where walls and metal do not block the signal.
What is signal balance?+
Signal balance is how well the access point hears the client, compared with how well the client hears it.
Can I use a wireless uplink?+
Yes, you can use a wireless uplink, but a wired one is better for speed and stability.
What is WiFi Agent?+
WiFi Agent is a tool that diagnoses signal and roaming from the client's point of view.
How do I choose channels?+
Use the Environment tab, which shows the channels that neighbors use around you.
What is Minimum RSSI for?+
Minimum RSSI is used to push weak clients on to another access point that is stronger.
How many APs do I need?+
You need enough access points to give a signal of minus 70 dBm across the whole home.
Which TCP port must the access point reach the application on?+
It must be able to reach the application on TCP port 8080 for adoption and management.
Which DNS servers does Ubiquiti suggest for updates?+
Ubiquiti suggests reliable servers such as 1.1.1.1 or 8.8.8.8, so updates can be found and downloaded.
What is the fallback IP address?+
The fallback address is 192.168.1.20, which the access point uses when it gets no address from the network.
What is the WiFiman app?+
WiFiman is a mobile app that is used for discovery and for the Teleport VPN.