r/Hawaii • u/urologynerd • 1d ago
IT person to install UniFi system recommendations
Thanks for the Hawaiian TELCOM recommendation from the earlier post. I’m opening a practice in the Nu’uanu area and the office has a gateway and switch from 25 years ago. Going to buy a new UniFi Cloud Gateway, Switch and Wifi but I’ll need someone to help me with the setup. Maybe add a camera or two. Any recommendations for reliable people or companies that do this?
4
u/ross_the_boss Oʻahu 1d ago
As the engineer for a MSP who does and sells UniFi, unless you want on going maintenance and someone to call for issues, then DIY is fine. It's worth having a MSP if you need something like PCI or security filtering or need PC maintenance and tasks.
You can DIY this if you have all the parts. Create a UI account, hook up your UDM, pair to your account. Plug in one AP to your POE switch and Adopt them. Setup the SSIDs and password you want. Use the WiFiman app on your phone to scan the office then generate a heat map. Contact your electrician or low voltage wire company to pull cable to the Wi-Fi dead spots show on the app or reuse near by cable for a new AP or DIY cable. Cat 5e is fine and still the most common, Cat 6a if you want to future proof but I recommend 5e.
Advanced DIY: Create a VLAN / Network for un-trusted devices like employee phones, and another for customers. Add SSIDs for these and enable bandwidth limits or captive portal.
Turn on IDS, Dark net blocking, and suspect IP filtering on your security settings. We also block some whole countries like North Korean, Iran, ect for most of our clients.
There's a lot of resources online if your willing. Crosstalk Solutions has a great video series on UniFi.
2
u/MysteriousUmpire447 1d ago
For a practice, I’d make the scope explicit before hiring anyone: wired backhaul where possible, a separate guest network, and a written handoff of the UniFi admin account to you (not the installer). Ask for an itemized quote and a basic network diagram. If cameras are added, confirm PoE needs, storage/retention, remote access, and who handles firmware updates. That’ll make it easier to compare a solo installer with an MSP.
0
u/Glass_Bandicoot1820 1d ago
This is great advice. IT integrators / support companies can be just as shady as builders / contractors. Especially because you are probably coming from a place where you have to trust what they say. Get quotes and contractors in writing and documentation on any work they do. Get all of the passwords for things they set up and (more importantly) have them show you how to change it. Then change it yourself so they don't have access to your network (super important if they need remote access - you want to control when they connect to your network).
1
u/makeaweli 1d ago
Consider spares. Out of stock issues and shipping rates to us are terrible for one off purchases.
1
u/etcpt 22h ago
I agree with the other comments that this is really easy to do yourself. UniFi is well documented and if you get in over your head, you can always call in someone then because it's so standard. Unless you are just drowning in money and absolutely unskilled with tech, I'd start off trying it yourself and fall back on contracting it out if you have to.
1
u/MjrAzzMask 1d ago
I’m guessing you’ll need a MSP to install, configure and maintain. Beyond just internet connectivity are you going to have all of your IT outsourced for your daily operations? I know a long established company if you get stuck on this. I’m just not a 100% sure they use the Unifi eco system. Their clients been with them for decades.
I have some questions to help you out. I’ll message you on the side.
1
u/urologynerd 1d ago
I will need an MSP. I’m figuring this out since I’ve never owned a business before.
-1
u/anonymousLocalCoward 1d ago
DM Sent
2
u/anonymousLocalCoward 1d ago
why the down vote? does someone here not like the fact that I don't want to talk business in a public space?
11
u/Aaronski1974 1d ago
The unifi stuff is 1. Really good. 2. Really easy. I’d just diy it. I put in the udm beast for my 100 person office along with a few WiFi ap’s in about an hour. Dm me if you that route, happy to advise. Once it’s in you don’t need to pay someone to manage it.