UniFi Network Topology Map Explained

In UniFi OS, open Topology (or Devices → Topology) to see a live map of how your hardware connects. This doc explains what you are looking at.

What the map shows

The topology is a tree that flows from your internet edge on the left through switches to access points and clients on the right. It answers:

• Which switch is my AP plugged into?
• Is this link wired or wireless?
• How fast is the link (GbE, 2.5G, 10G)?
• Which clients hang off each AP?

Device types you will see

On a hosted i2unifi controller, the topology still shows your on-site hardware. The controller itself is in the cloud — it does not appear as a box in the middle of your LAN tree.

Wired connections (solid lines)

Solid lines mean Ethernet. Common labels:

Typical wired chain

[Gateway] ----GbE----> [Core Switch] ----GbE----> [Office Switch] ----> [AP]
                              |
                              +----> [Desktop / printer]

Aggregation switches (for example sw00-10g-agg) sit at the top of larger sites and fan out to distribution switches — exactly like the multi-switch trees in enterprise deployments.

Wireless connections (dashed lines)

Dashed lines mean WiFi — usually:

• A client (phone, laptop, TV) connected to an AP
• Sometimes a mesh uplink (AP to AP over WiFi — use wired uplinks when you can)

Each wireless client often shows:

• SSID name (which WiFi network it joined)
• Channel / band (for example 161 (ac) = 5 GHz)
• Signal % (higher is better; weak clients may need a closer AP)

Collapse and expand

Blue minus (−) icons on junctions let you collapse branches to simplify a busy map. Use this on large sites with many APs or floor-by-floor switch names (for example Untergeschoss, Obergeschoss).

Multi-floor and multi-switch sites

Real sites often look like:

                    [Core / agg switch]
                     /       |        \
            [Floor 2 sw]  [Floor 1 sw]  [Basement sw]
                 |            |              |
              [AP east]    [AP hall]      [AP garage]

Name switches and APs by location (SW-Office-1, AP-Hall-East) so the map matches how you troubleshoot.

What topology does not show

• User internet traffic path to the cloud — see How UniFi Devices Connect to i2unifi Cloud (Guides)
• Full VLAN design — see VLANs Step-by-Step (Guides)
• Historical outages — use Insights, Alerts, or device timelines

Quick troubleshooting with topology

Related resources

• Docs → Access Points on the Network Map — AP-specific details
• Guides → Small Office Network Topology — planning layout before install
• Tools → Cloud Connectivity Map (PDF) — how management reaches i2unifi