Installing the UniFi Network Application¶
UniFi-branded switches are managed devices from Ubiquiti that can be configured through a web-based management controller.
Ubiquiti provides instructions to self-host the controller on Windows, macOS, and Linux. The current version of the controller will not run (without a lot of effort) on the 64-bit version of Raspberry Pi OS, so we recommend installing it on your laptop.
Ubiquiti's installation instructions are fairly easy to follow, but we recommend that you follow the steps below.
Download¶
Download the current version of UniFi Network application from https://www.ui.com/download-software/. To complete this step, you will need to scroll past the advertisement at the top of the page and click on the Download button for the UniFi Network software.
Install¶
Locate and launch the installer from your normal Downloads location. If you are on macOS and receive a warning, please read the following tip to proceed.
macOS Security Warnings
Recent versions of macOS have implemented software signature checks to help users distinguish potential malware from applications distributed from trusted sources. In order to avoid these warnings, software developers need to pay a fee to enroll in Apple's developer program and obtain code signing keys and certificates.
Since Ubiquiti isn't signing this application with official signing keys, macOS does produce a stark warning upon launching the installer.
Ubiquiti recommends that you change your settings to allow software from unidentified developers, but this isn't a great solution from a security perspective. Instead, you can bypass the warning by locating the installer in Finder and right-clicking to select the Open option.
More information about software signatures and these warnings is available at https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202491.
Proceed through the remaining installation steps with the default settings.
Initial Setup¶
Once you've completed the installation, the UniFi application should be visible in the Window's Start Menu or the macOS application folder. If you attempt to launch the application now, it will likely fail with an error.
Install Java 8¶
The UniFi Network application requires Java 8 to launch. While Oracle still maintains Java 8, this is an older version and unlikely to be installed on your system. If you saw an error when launching the UniFi application, download the installer from the Java website and follow the provided instructions to complete this step.
Create a Ubiquiti Account¶
The UniFi network application is a web-based application that is intended to be accessed through the browser over the network. Even when running the application locally, a login is required. By default, the application integrates with web-based Ubiquiti accounts. Using the advanced set up process, it is possible to avoid this requirement, though we recommend sticking with the default for simplicity.
Create a Ubiquiti account now at https://account.ui.com using a valid email address, and follow the instructions to verify the email address you gave and activate your account.
Launching the Application¶
If you haven't already, launch the UniFi application from the Window's start menu or the macOS Applications folder. The software will launch a small window, that is used to inform you of the web server's current status and provide a local link you can use to launch the management interface in a browser. When the server is ready, you should see a green check mark in the status window.
Click on the button labeled Launch a Browser to Manage the Network and switch to the new browser window to proceed with setup.
Creating the Network¶
You will need to name your network and agree to the UniFi service terms. You can accept the default or enter an alternate name, e.g., info314. Click Next to continue and proceed by logging in with your Ubiquiti web credentials. If you decided to use local credentials instead, click Switch to Advanced Setup.
You may accept the default settings on Step 3 and click next to continue. If your computer is currently connected to the switch and both devices are able to receive a DHCP address, you'll be given the option to adopt the device in Step 4. You may do this now or just click the Next button and come back to it later.
Since we won't be managing any UniFi wireless access points with this instance of the controller, click Skip on Step 5 to continue to the final step. Click Finish on step 6 to complete the configuration process.
Uninstalling the UniFi Network Application¶
After the course, you may wish to remove this software from your computer. To uninstall the Network Application, review the instructions in the following help article. You will likely want to remove Java as well. The official website provides instructions for macOS and Windows.