Confused by UniFi controller concepts vs traditional equipment

[infotime]

I've installed a ton of Linksys, Netgear and other consumer and small business types of network equipment over the last decade. The concept is pretty simple: log in to the web server built in to the device using it's IP address and go to town.

I've also done three small UniFi systems and fumbled my way through them. The way I understand it is that you don't log in to the device to configure it. There is software that you run on a PC or Mac for that job. I loaded that software on my laptop.

When I run that application now I see two of the three networks I set up. The third might have been set up from another laptop. I recall one of the clients mentioning why he saw the SSID "Jones" when his name is "Smith" (where Jones and Smith are the two customer's last names and the name I used as their SSID). I remedied that by deselecting the incorrect name for that person, in essence only assigning the SSID that is "his".

So, I think I understand the differences in concept: Linksys, Netgear, et al, just configure it via the device's IP. Unifi needs a computer and software to set it up. If I'm not clear on that point so far please clarify as needed.

But I still have some questions:

1. Should I run the controller software on my computer for each customer? These are really small networks, 2 - 4 APs max. They'd call me for any problems or changes anyway.
2. If I run the controller on my laptop when I'm there I believe there is a 4 SSID limit, or 4 customer limit. Not sure how to work around that.
3. The computer with the controller software on it need not be present on the network? I'm pretty sure it's not since it seems to be working for my customers now.
4. Should I install the UniFi controller on one of the customer's computers? I'd prefer not to for various reasons, but maybe they're not good ones.
5. Has the controller software been improved recently to allow me to handle many customers on my laptop?
6. I think they have a cloud-based controller system now. Maybe I should use that if it's not too expensive?

I really like the equipment and would like to do more installs once I understand it better.

 

[Coredog]

Unifi in a small network setup

Infotime,

I'm sure there are many ways to use this system but I'll just share with you our method for using the Unifi system in our network environments.

I work for an AV company and probably 95% of our installs are residential. Mostly very small installations. I don't think we have ever had to install more than 4 APs in a house before. We've never used the controller software for anything other than the initial setup. Here's what we do:

1. Do a wifi survey and estimate the best locations to place the APs.
2. Hardwire your PC to the network and do the wlan setup in the controller software.
3. Set up each access point so that they are on channels 1,6, and 11. If you have 4 or more, make sure that the ones that are sharing channels are physically as far apart as possible.
4. Do a backup of the Unifi Controller config and name it after your customer, and put it in your customer files for later use.
5. Shut down the controller on your PC and walk around to test out each AP. Leave all the APs running in standalone mode.
6. When you go to your next customer's house to install Unifi APs, login to your controller software and delete all the old info from the previous install (namely the wlan and all the access points). Basically you are starting with a clean slate.
7. perform steps 1-5 again. rinse, wash, repeat

When you go to a previous customer's house to, say, add an access point or replace a defective one, simply open the controller software on your PC and load the backup file that you saved for that customer. I've found that doing it this way is a lot easier to manage than having a pile of wlans and APs from different customers that you have to sift through every time you open the software.

The only real purpose that running the software controller 24/7 serves in a residential situation would be if they want to use the guest network capability. If they are that paranoid about security, we offer them Ruckus wireless products which are far more expensive but much more reliable than running a controller on a PC or in the cloud. They usually decline that offer, but it makes our jobs easier.

Hope this helps,

Coredog

 

[stevech]

WiFi controllers I've worked with (not the brand in discussion) do things such as

• Automatic frequency changing to avoid persistent interference
• Denial of service attack attempt logging/reporting
• Intrusion attempt logging/reporting
• Directed hand-offs to moving clients with cooperating special software
• Automated commissioning of new client devices

 

[infotime]

Thanks for sharing Coredog and steve.

6. When you go to your next customer's house to install Unifi APs, login to your controller software and delete all the old info from the previous install (namely the wlan and all the access points). Basically you are starting with a clean slate.

I saw how to back up the config file. How do you start with a clean slate? Is there a file you delete or do you do it through the web interface? It appears "web based" on a Mac at least. You run a Java program, but your web browser is the front end. Don't know if the Windows version is different.

 

[mlg321]

Thanks for sharing Coredog and steve.


I saw how to back up the config file. How do you start with a clean slate? Is there a file you delete or do you do it through the web interface? It appears "web based" on a Mac at least. You run a Java program, but your web browser is the front end. Don't know if the Windows version is different.

In my brief experience with the unifi software, there should be a drop down menu for multiple locations. I had tested this set up in the cloud using Amazon AWS, and thats how it presented separate and multiple locations if I wanted. Check YouTube I think there are a few videos outlining this process.

 

[Coredog]

Thanks for sharing Coredog and steve.


I saw how to back up the config file. How do you start with a clean slate? Is there a file you delete or do you do it through the web interface? It appears "web based" on a Mac at least. You run a Java program, but your web browser is the front end. Don't know if the Windows version is different.

You do it through the web interface. I can only assume the Mac interface is similar to the Windows version because I havent tried it yet.

In the Windows version, to start with a clean slate you open the software, hit the button that opens up the browser, then login. Go to settings and delete all your wireless networks. Then click on each and every AP (they should show as "disconnected" at the top), click "configuration", then "forget this AP".

Once you have done that for each of the APs that were in previous installations, you should see 0 disconnected APs at the top. Then you go back into "Wireless Networks" in the settings and set your new SSID and password for your new customer. Then go into each access point that should be in the "pending" section at the top and adopt. Then change the channel on each access point as per your plan when you did the site survey.

BTW, I usually leave them on DHCP instead of giving them static IPs. This is one of the few products where I have found that to be more reliable. Also, this way if they change their router and the new router has a different LAN subnet, everything will still work.

 

[infotime]

In my brief experience with the unifi software, there should be a drop down menu for multiple locations. I had tested this set up in the cloud using Amazon AWS, and thats how it presented separate and multiple locations if I wanted. Check YouTube I think there are a few videos outlining this process.

The current shipping and stable version of the controller software is 2.something. They've had 3.x in beta for close to a year and it's easy to join the beta program. I think you probably were exposed to the 3.x controller.

You do it through the web interface. I can only assume the Mac interface is similar to the Windows version because I havent tried it yet.

In the Windows version, to start with a clean slate you open the software, hit the button that opens up the browser, then login. Go to settings and delete all your wireless networks. Then click on each and every AP (they should show as "disconnected" at the top), click "configuration", then "forget this AP".

Once you have done that for each of the APs that were in previous installations, you should see 0 disconnected APs at the top. Then you go back into "Wireless Networks" in the settings and set your new SSID and password for your new customer. Then go into each access point that should be in the "pending" section at the top and adopt. Then change the channel on each access point as per your plan when you did the site survey.

BTW, I usually leave them on DHCP instead of giving them static IPs. This is one of the few products where I have found that to be more reliable. Also, this way if they change their router and the new router has a different LAN subnet, everything will still work.

Good tip about DHCP. It's refreshing to simply use DHCP on a device like this after being so used to configuring static IPs. It's really cool that you can carry them to any network and plug them in and watch the work.

Thanks for the explanation of the steps. I might just adopt the 3.x beta for future networks.