I recently took over managing networking setups for several restaurant clients, and I found that the previous setup was quite poor because my partner was trying to save costs. My company specializes in software development, but I haven't delved deeply into networking until now. We have one employee managing about 30 restaurants, and another contractor looking after around 50 more, but the latter isn't very tech-savvy.
Currently, these restaurants are using cheap TP-Link routers and switches, along with basic eero wireless access points, which have caused major connectivity and coverage issues. We've replaced some of the eero devices with a single eero Pro6E, which has helped, but larger buildings still struggle with Wi-Fi coverage. The devices connecting to the access points sometimes fail to switch seamlessly between them, and while we could be misconfiguring things, it seems eero has limited settings.
The clients own their hardware, so we can't buy equipment for them; we can only sell them upgrades when necessary. Typical setups include a Windows 11 server, several Android POS devices (three to five), remote POS printers, and EMV pin pads. Most locations have around 30 devices combined. Our routers often sit below customer-managed ISP routers.
We have to make sure only our POS equipment connects to the network and keep things stable, without many random devices. Given that clients sometimes install other software on their Windows servers, I would appreciate extra security and LAN/WAN traffic management. I'm aware that some competitors utilize Meraki and Ubiquiti equipment. However, Meraki tends to be expensive with additional fees, while Ubiquiti seems more reasonable but is marked as prosumer rather than a business-grade solution. We need a router, an 8- or 16-port switch, potentially a few 4-port switches for remote use, and one or more access points. Ideally, we'd like a system with straightforward cloud or app-based management that isn't too complex.
3 Answers
Another strong endorsement for Ubiquiti from me! It seems like they fit the bill for what you're describing—affordable and effective for your kind of environment.
Ubiquiti is definitely worth considering! They've worked great for us with clients on a budget, and they provide a reliable solution without hitting those Cisco prices. I think you’ll find their products fit your needs well.
I suggest you go with Ubiquiti gear for your clients. They offer a good variety of options and allow you to manage multiple locations from one system, which should work perfectly for your setup. Plus, while branded as 'prosumer', a lot of people use them successfully for clients looking to save without sacrificing quality.
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