UniFi Access Point Placement for Plaster and Stone Homes

Quick summary

Historic construction demands predictive design, careful mounting, and deliberate PoE planning. We combine UniFi heat maps with on-site validation so plaster, stone, and metal lath do not severely degrade Wi-Fi coverage.

Follow this playbook to document materials, choose the right access points, wire with service loops, test without damaging finishes, and capture documentation for future upgrades.

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How many APs do you actually need?

Older homes usually need more access points than new construction. Dense walls and metal lath block signal, so plan for shorter, cleaner coverage zones instead of trying to penetrate the entire floor.

• One AP per floor is a minimum, not a guarantee
• Add APs near high-use rooms and long hallways
• Use wired backhaul so APs do not compete

Material attenuation cheat sheet

Survey tools that help

You do not need enterprise software to make smart decisions. A basic Wi-Fi analyzer, a floor plan printout, and a consistent testing device go a long way.

• Wi-Fi scanner (Airport Utility, WiFiman, NetSpot)
• Simple floor plan with AP locations marked
• Consistent near/mid/far tests in each room

Backhaul strategy (keep APs independent)

In dense materials, wired backhaul keeps each AP working at full strength. Avoid daisy-chaining wireless APs because each hop reduces available capacity and adds latency.

If you cannot wire a location today, run conduit so you can add a cable later. It is the single best future-proofing move for historic homes.

Wiring strategies in historic homes

Use existing chases, closets and basements to home-run Cat6/Cat6A to ceilings and corridor soffits. Where drilling stone is unavoidable, use conduit and bushings to protect cable and finishes.

Label both ends, leave service loops, and photograph routes before closing. This makes future AP swaps and firmware-era changes painless.

• Cat6 cable installation guide

PoE budget and switch planning

Historic homes often need more APs, which means more PoE. Size your switch with 30% headroom so future upgrades or additional cameras do not force a replacement.

Plan for 110W+ PoE budgets once you reach four or more APs. The UniFi Switch Lite 8 PoE (109W) or TP-Link TL-SG1008MP (126W) keeps you within headroom even with higher-draw radios.

Document which switch ports power which APs and label both ends so service calls are fast.

Power and channel plan that behaves

• Favor low-to-medium TX power indoors to reduce overlap
• Default 40 MHz on 5 GHz; use 80 MHz only when the spectrum is clean
• Use 6 GHz 80/160 MHz only on Wi-Fi 6E/7 radios when stable
• Keep 2.4 GHz at 20 MHz and modest power for legacy/IoT
• Use minimum RSSI to discourage sticky roaming

Validation workflow (repeatable)

Stage APs temporarily with painter’s tape or a tripod and run near/mid/far tests in busy rooms. Close doors during tests and note mirrors, fireplaces, and metal furniture.

Adjust placement in small increments, then finalize mounts. Save a simple floor map with AP names, channels, and ports for future service.

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Performance targets to aim for

• Busy rooms: stable uploads and low jitter for calls
• Far rooms: reliable coverage even with doors closed
• Outdoor edges: usable signal without overpowering indoors
• Basements: add a wired AP if you work or stream down there

Mounting tips for plaster and stone

Use anchors rated for plaster or masonry and avoid mounting directly into decorative molding. In rooms with plaster medallions or ceiling beams, consider side-wall mounts or soffit placements.

Ceiling mounts near corridors usually win for even coverage. Use wall mounts or In-Wall units when ceilings are stone, beamed, or impossible to open.

Always test placement before drilling. Temporary mounts with painter’s tape can save hours of repair work.

Placement examples by floor plan

• Colonial: primary AP on the main floor hallway ceiling, secondary at the top of the stairs, and a third near the far bedroom wing if walls are thick.
• Ranch: central AP in the living area and a second near the far bedrooms, avoiding fireplaces and stone chimneys.

Map construction materials room by room

Gather architectural plans, old permits, or renovation photos. Note plaster thickness, mesh or metal lath, stone fireplaces, radiant heat panels, and built-ins that can shadow signals.

Photograph open walls before they close so you know where studs, chases, and plumbing sit. Label potential mounting locations and conduit paths with painter’s tape so tradespeople know what to avoid.

Select the right UniFi radios

Primary recommendation: UniFi U7 Pro (Wi-Fi 7). It adds a 6 GHz band to avoid congestion in dense neighborhoods and delivers strong short-range throughput for line-of-sight placements.

Note: U7 Pro performs best on 2.5 GbE PoE+, but it still works on standard Gigabit switches.

Budget/retrofit pick: UniFi U6+ or U6 In-Wall. The U6+ is compact for smaller rooms, and In-Wall/U7 Pro Wall units reuse existing low-voltage brackets when ceilings cannot be opened.

Plan for at least one AP per floor and add more in areas with heavy masonry or thick plaster. Record your design assumptions and expected RSSI levels before you start cabling.

Pre-wire with PoE and service loops

Run Cat6 or Cat6a from the rack to each AP location before finishes return. Use flexible conduit when drilling through masonry, leave accessible junction boxes with engraved labels, and record the route in your documentation set.

Size PoE switches for current draw plus at least 30 percent headroom. A 110W+ budget is safer once you reach four or more APs. Label both ends with heat-shrink or engraved tags so future technicians can service the run without guesswork.

• Structured cabling checklist

Validate coverage without damaging finishes

Use lightweight temporary mounts, tripods, or painter’s tape to test AP positions before drilling. Run active surveys with doors closed, note stairwells and porches, and document RSSI on both 2.4 and 5 GHz bands.

Adjust placement in small increments to avoid decorative moldings or plaster medallions. Testing before drilling avoids expensive repair work on historic finishes.

Common pitfalls to avoid

• Trying to cover the whole house with a single high-power AP
• Mounting APs behind beams, fireplaces, or TV cabinets
• Skipping documentation of cable routes and port labels
• Overlapping channels that create sticky roaming

Client density considerations

If you have many video calls, streaming devices, or smart home hubs, plan more APs with lower transmit power. This reduces collisions and keeps latency stable.

Guest networks and IoT devices benefit from predictable coverage zones, so avoid putting all devices on a single far-reaching AP.

Document and maintain

Record exact AP locations, MAC addresses, and cable paths. Capture QR codes for controller adoption, note channel plans, and schedule annual walkthroughs to confirm signal quality has not changed after seasonal decor updates.

Store before-and-after heat maps, penetration tests through plaster or stone, and any channel adjustments made after installation. When furniture or artwork moves, retest quickly and update the plan.

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