Networking · Chicago Southwest Suburbs
UniFi Network Installation
Mesh kits and range extenders are a workaround for a house that was never wired. If you want Wi-Fi that holds up on a video call from the far bedroom, the answer is cable to the right places and access points mounted where the coverage actually needs to be.
We install Ubiquiti UniFi — the same platform that runs small offices — in homes across the southwest suburbs. A Dream Machine or Cloud Gateway at the head end, a PoE switch, and ceiling-mounted access points fed by Cat6. One network name, seamless roaming between rooms, and no dead zone at the back of the house.
The cabling is the part that matters and the part people skip. Brick, plaster, foil-backed insulation and full basements all attenuate signal in ways a mesh node can't overcome. Running Cat6 to two or three good access point locations solves permanently what another extender only patches.
We run the cable, mount the access points and configure the network, and we leave the work clean. If you'd rather talk it through first, call (708) 407-3559 — quotes are free.
What a proper install includes
- Cat6 structured cabling to access points, TVs, offices and cameras
- UniFi Dream Machine or Cloud Gateway at the head end
- PoE switching so access points need power at one end only
- Ceiling or wall-mounted access points sited for real coverage
- A tidy termination point — patch panel and rack, not a pile of adapters
- VLAN separation for cameras, IoT devices and guest traffic
- Guest network with its own password and bandwidth limits
Signs your Wi-Fi needs wiring, not another extender
- Dead zones that persist no matter where the router moves
- Video calls that drop in specific rooms every time
- Devices clinging to a distant access point instead of switching
- Cameras and smart devices sharing the network with everything else
- A router sitting in a basement corner because that's where the coax was
Common questions
Isn't a mesh system easier?
Easier to buy, worse to live with. Wireless mesh nodes spend bandwidth talking to each other, and that penalty compounds with each hop. Wired access points don't have that problem.
How many access points does a house need?
Most homes here need two or three, depending on square footage and construction. Plaster, brick and foil-backed insulation all cut range considerably.
Can you run cable in a finished home?
Usually yes. Basements, attics and closets give us paths in most homes in this area. We'll tell you upfront if a particular run isn't practical.
Do you set up VLANs and cameras on the same system?
Yes. Keeping cameras and IoT devices on their own VLAN is standard practice on our installs, and UniFi Protect integrates directly.
Get a free quote
Serving Tinley Park, Orland Park, Mokena, Frankfort and the surrounding southwest suburbs. Call (708) 407-3559 or email sparkntechllc@gmail.com.