Wi-Fi Coverage & Access Point Planner
Describe the building and the people using it. We'll work out how many access points you need to cover the space and to give everyone enough speed at the busiest time, then suggest UK channels for 2.4, 5 and 6 GHz, the channel width, the PoE and cabling, and which UniFi access points fit.
- Coverage and capacity
- UK channel plan
- PoE, cabling and UniFi models
Access points you need
Floor by floor
| Floor | Area | For coverage | Plan | Spacing |
|---|
Suggested channel plan
A starting point for fixed channels, spreading neighbours apart. UniFi's automatic channel planning can do this for you; check the result against nearby networks.
| Access point | 2.4 GHz | 5 GHz | 6 GHz |
|---|
Channel width and UK rules
UniFi access points
The highlighted model is the one we planned with. "Design clients" is the comfortable figure (25 per radio); Ubiquiti's maximum is what the hardware can hold.
| Model | Wi-Fi | Streams | Uplink | Power | Coverage | Design clients | Rough price |
|---|
Coverage areas, client counts and power are from Ubiquiti's tech specs. Prices are rough, from Ubiquiti's UK store on 14 October 2026, including VAT and the surcharge Ubiquiti adds to some items: check store.ui.com.
PoE and cabling
Check cable runs, PoE power and voltage drop with our Ethernet Cable & PoE Calculator.
Placement tips
How we work it out
- Coverage: we start from the area Ubiquiti quotes for the access point (140 m² for a U7 Pro), then adjust for the type of building, the walls, the ceiling height and the band. These factors are our own rules of thumb: about 30% more space per access point in open-plan offices, a third less through brick, over half less through concrete or metal, and 15% less when designing for 6 GHz, which fades faster than 5 GHz.
- Speed follows Cisco Meraki's high-density method: people × what each uses at the busiest time, divided by what one access point really delivers (about 101 Mbps per 20 MHz for Wi-Fi 6 with two-stream devices, after overheads). We allow 20% more for Wi-Fi 7.
- Devices: Meraki plans for about 25 devices per radio, so 50 per dual-band and 75 per tri-band access point.
- We take whichever of the three needs the most access points, floor by floor.
- Mesh: wireless links eat airtime, so we allow 40% less speed and 25% less coverage per access point when most are meshed.
UK Wi-Fi rules in brief
- 2.4 GHz: channels 1 to 13 are allowed, but only 1, 6 and 11 don't overlap at 20 MHz.
- 5 GHz: 36 to 48 indoors only; 52 to 64 indoors only with DFS (the access point must move off a channel if it hears radar); 100 to 144 indoors or outdoors at up to 1 W with DFS; 149 to 165 indoors only at up to 200 mW, licence-free but not offered by every access point.
- 6 GHz: 5925 to 6425 MHz is licence-free indoors at up to 250 mW, or 25 mW for very low power devices, which may also be used outdoors on the move. Fixed outdoor use isn't allowed.
- Coming next: Ofcom decided in July 2026 to open 6425 to 6585 MHz for Wi-Fi on the same terms, with the regulations due in autumn 2026, plus higher-power use across the whole band under automated frequency coordination.
- Source: Ofcom's guide to installing 5 and 6 GHz wireless access systems (IR 2030) and its July 2026 statement on the 6 GHz band.
This is an estimate
- Real buildings vary: thick stone, foil-backed insulation, coated glass, lifts, racking full of stock and neighbouring networks all change the answer.
- For large or awkward buildings, plan on a floor plan in the UniFi Design Center or another planning tool, then check with a site survey after installing.
- Design targets used by vendors: Juniper Mist plans for -65 dBm; Aruba guidance suggests about -67 dBm with access points 15 to 20 m apart where voice calls matter, and 20 to 25 m for data only. Meraki asks for at least 25 dB above the background noise.
Related tools
- Check the internet line behind the Wi-Fi with the Business Internet Bandwidth Planner and the True Speed & Lag Test.
- Plan cable runs and PoE with the Ethernet Cable & PoE Calculator.
- Adding cameras to the same network? Size them with the CCTV Storage Calculator.
- Splitting staff, guests and devices into separate networks? Work out the address ranges with the Subnet Calculator.
Sources, checked October 2026: Cisco Meraki's high-density Wi-Fi design guide; Juniper Mist and Aruba design guidance; Ubiquiti's tech specs and UK store; Ofcom's 5 and 6 GHz guidance and 6 GHz statement.