Network

The network section is the map for how everything talks to everything else. UniFi OS is the backbone of my network infrastructure, covering the practical pieces: which systems hand out addresses, where DNS lives, how remote access gets in, and what should stay private.

This is intentionally written as a working reference, not a certification study guide. The useful question is usually “what depends on this?” rather than “how many acronyms can fit in the diagram?”

Shape

• Gateway, switching, and wireless provide the physical path.
• DNS and DHCP keep clients predictable.
• Tailscale provides private remote access for management and travel.
• Service routing stays internal unless there is a clear reason to publish something.

Setup

The setup order matters because DNS, DHCP, and remote access become dependencies for everything else. The network should be understandable from the outside in: how a device gets an address, how a hostname resolves, and how a service is reached from home or away.

• Define the address plan and any subnet boundaries before services are placed.
• Bring up DHCP and DNS in a way that has an obvious fallback.
• Confirm local hostnames resolve before adding reverse proxies or app routes.
• Add remote access through Tailscale before relying on external exposure.
• Keep firewall rules tied to real service needs, not imagined future ones.

Hardware

The physical network inventory belongs here so port maps, uplinks, and replacement work stay connected to the actual hardware in the lab.

• Router, switch, and AP inventory
• Port maps and uplink relationships
• Cabling notes and spare capacity