How do you get UniFi Wi-Fi to a detached garage or ADU?
Run a cable to the structure and put an access point inside it. For runs under about 300 feet, direct-burial outdoor-rated Cat6 in conduit works; beyond that, or between buildings on separate electrical services, fiber with a small media converter at each end is the right call. A wireless bridge is the fallback, not the default.
Why an access point inside beats aiming signal at it
Exterior walls, garage doors and appliances absorb a lot of signal, and a unit mounted on the house pointed at the garage gives up most of its throughput before it arrives. An access point inside the structure, fed by cable, makes the ADU or shop perform like a room in the house.
Cable, conduit and grounding
Use outdoor-rated or direct-burial cable in conduit, with a drip loop and proper entry sealing. Between buildings with separate panels, fiber avoids the grounding and surge issues of a long copper run entirely — this is the most common reason a copper run to a garage fails over time.
For an ADU with its own occupants, a separate network on the same system keeps their devices isolated while sharing the internet connection.
Best for
Detached garages, ADUs, casitas and workshops.
Things to consider
- Cable beats aiming signal through walls
- Fiber for long runs or separate electrical services
- Conduit, drip loop and sealing matter
What we recommend
Run cable to the building and put an access point inside it. Use fiber when the buildings are on separate panels.