Setting Up a High-Performance Network for Your Small Studio
A small post-production studio doesn't need enterprise complexity, but it does need enterprise-grade fundamentals. Here's the network setup that serves 2 to 10 person creative teams.
What "Good Enough" Costs You
Most small creative studios inherit their network setup from whoever set up the office: a consumer router, a cheap switch, everything on one network. It works until it doesn't. The colorist's render job saturates the uplink during a client call, someone connects an infected device to the studio network, or the editor can't figure out why their NAS transfers max out at 100 MB/s.
The good news: building a properly designed studio network for a 2 to 10 person team is not expensive or complex. Here's how to do it right.
The Three-Layer Stack
A well-designed small studio network has three layers:
1. Firewall / Router: The brain of your network. Controls traffic between your network and the internet, enforces segmentation between VLANs, and handles VPN.
2. Managed Switches: The physical fabric. Distributes wired connections to workstations, NAS, and other devices. A managed switch supports VLANs, port-based access control, and traffic monitoring.
3. Wireless Access Points: For mobile devices, guests, and anywhere a cable run isn't practical. Separate from your wired production network.
Recommended Hardware Stack (2 to 10 Person Studio)
Firewall: Ubiquiti UniFi Dream Machine Pro
At around $500, the UDM Pro combines a router, firewall, and network controller in one device. It runs Ubiquiti's UniFi software, which gives you:
Alternatively, if you have an old PC or a dedicated mini-PC, pfSense or OPNsense (free, open-source) provide equivalent functionality with more advanced routing features.
Core Switch: Ubiquiti UniFi Pro 24-Port (10GbE)
The USW-Pro-24 provides 24 x 1GbE plus 2 x 10GbE SFP+ uplink ports for around $750. For a studio where your NAS and a few workstations need 10GbE:
Workstation 10GbE: ConnectX-3 / Intel X550
Most modern Mac Pros and higher-end Windows workstations have 10GbE built in. If not, a PCIe 10GbE NIC runs $50 to $150. For Thunderbolt-equipped MacBook Pros, the Sonnet Solo 10G Thunderbolt adapter provides 10GbE connectivity.
Wireless: Ubiquiti UniFi AP WiFi 6 Pro
One or two UniFi U6-Pro access points (around $200 each) cover a small studio floor efficiently. Run them on a dedicated VLAN for wireless (separate from wired content network), with a guest portal for client WiFi.
Network Design
Here's a practical VLAN layout for a small studio:
Firewall rules:
Cabling
Don't underestimate structured cabling. A properly run Cat6A installation lasts 15+ years and supports 10GbE at cable runs up to 100m.
For 10GbE to NAS and primary workstations, use Cat6A (not Cat6) to ensure signal integrity at 10Gbps. Budget $500 to $1,500 for a professional cabling installation in a small studio, depending on the number of runs and existing infrastructure.
Internet Connection
Your studio internet should match your workflow. Key considerations:
Timeline and Cost
A typical small studio network deployment:
Installation and configuration by a professional: $500 to $1,500 depending on complexity. Total investment of $3,500 to $4,500 for a network that supports your studio for 5 to 7 years.
Clouds Agency designs and installs studio networks for creative and post-production teams throughout Los Angeles. Contact us to schedule a site assessment.
Written by the team at Clouds Agency, a Los Angeles creative and production consulting agency.