Offering visitors WiFi is easy; offering it safely is where it matters. Done carelessly, a guest network is just your main network with a friendlier name, and that is a back door into your business. UniFi makes this genuinely easy to get right, and as a team that sets up UniFi for businesses every week, here is exactly how we do it. Labels shift a little between firmware versions, so we have kept to what you are doing at each step.
Step by step
- Create a dedicated guest network. Go to Settings → WiFi → Create New WiFi Network and name it something like “Guest”. Never hand visitors the staff WiFi password.
- Turn on the guest setting. In that network’s settings, switch on Guest Network. This isolates visitors and blocks them from reaching your internal network in a single tick.
- Put guests on their own network/VLAN. Under Settings → Networks, create a separate guest network with its own VLAN, then point the guest WiFi at it so visitors reach the internet only.
- Confirm client isolation. In the guest WiFi settings, make sure client/guest isolation is on, so visitors cannot see each other’s devices.
- Add a landing page if you want one. Enable the captive portal for the guest WiFi to show your branding and a short acceptable-use notice, with an optional password or sign-in.
- Cap the bandwidth. Apply a rate-limit profile from Settings → Profiles to the guest WiFi, so a few visitors streaming cannot slow the business.
- Test it as a guest. Join the guest WiFi on a phone and confirm the internet works but you cannot see or reach any internal devices.
The two settings that do the real work are the guest network type and client isolation. Get those on and your visitors are safely boxed off from the business, which is the whole point of a guest network.
Stuck at any step? You do not need to be a network engineer. We configure UniFi guest networks for businesses across the North West every week, so if the isolation is not behaving or the portal will not load, do not wrestle with it, one call and we will sort it.
Frequently asked questions
Does UniFi have a dedicated guest network mode?
Yes. UniFi includes a guest network type that isolates visitors and blocks access to your internal network automatically. Combined with putting guests on their own network, it is the cleanest way to keep visitors safely separated.
How do I stop guests seeing staff devices?
Put the guest WiFi on its own network or VLAN and enable the guest/isolation settings. That way visitors reach only the internet, never your printers, servers, cameras or payment devices.
Can I add a login or terms page?
Yes. UniFi’s captive portal lets you show a branded landing page with an acceptable-use notice and, if you want, a password or simple sign-in before guests get online.
Can I limit how much bandwidth guests use?
Yes. You can set per-client rate limits on the guest network so visitors get a decent experience without ever slowing the connection your business relies on.
How Synergy Max helps
Guest WiFi is one of those jobs that is quick to switch on and easy to get subtly wrong, which is why we set it up properly as part of your UniFi network: a fully separated guest network, isolation on, your internal kit invisible, a tidy portal and sensible limits. For the principles behind it, see our plain-English guides to the guest WiFi settings every business should check and what a VLAN is. Just set up your Dream Machine? Start with our first-time setup guide.