The next step is to install the UniFi Controller software.
Add the UniFi repository to the sources list, using the following commands:
echo 'deb http://www.ubnt.com/downloads/unifi/debian stable ubiquiti' | sudo tee -a /etc/apt/sources.list.d/100-ubnt.list > /dev/null
sudo wget -O /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/unifi-repo.gpg https://dl.ubnt.com/unifi/unifi-repo.gpg
sudo apt-get update
In the first command above, the source name stable represents the current supported UniFi release. However, if you wish to use a different release, you may use one of the following source names: UniFi 5.6 = oldstable UniFi 5.7 = stable UniFi 5.8 = testing
Install UniFi, using the following package install command:
sudo apt-get -y install unifi
The installation takes a couple of minutes to complete, but is fully automated and includes components such as MongoDB.
Stop and disable the default MongoDB database instance, using the following commands:
Without making this configuration change, you will have two separate instances of MongoDB running; an unused default database instance, and the UniFi database instance. This is obviously not desirable on a device with limited resources, such as the Raspberry Pi.
On the Raspberry Pi 1 and Raspberry Pi Zero(W), which are both older ARMv6-based devices, UniFi Cloud Library support must be removed using the following command:
UniFi Cloud access is not supported on ARMv6-based devices, and the presence of this library will stop the UniFi software from starting on these devices.
Once completed, reboot your Raspberry Pi using the following command:
sudo reboot
When the reboot is complete, proceed with the Setup Wizard.
The UniFi service can take several minutes before it is ready to serve web pages after a reboot.
Setup Wizard
Use a web browser to view HTTPS port 8443 on your Raspberry Pi:
https://<raspberrypi>:8443
Replace <raspberrypi> in the above example with the IP address of your Raspberry Pi. The UniFi Setup Wizard page will be displayed.
Thank you for purchasing UniFi, Ubiquiti’s Enterprise WiFi Solution. You will be able to setup your controller in a few minutes.
Perform a clean installation
If you building a brand new controller, you should perform a clean installation.
Select your country and timezone, then click Next. The Configure devices page will be displayed.
Please select the devices you would like to configure.
If you have any unmanaged devices on the network, you may select them here, then click Next. The Configure WiFi page will be displayed.
You may skip this step if you are not setting up any UniFi access points.
Enter your new wireless Secure SSID and Security Key, then click Next, or click Skip to do this later. The Controller Access page will be displayed.
Please provide an administrator name and password for UniFi Controller access.
Enter an Admin Name, Admin Email and Password for UniFi Controller access, then click Next. The Confirm page will be displayed.
Please review the settings below. Once finished you will be redirected to the management interface.
Review the settings shown, then click Finish. The Cloud Login Credentials page will be displayed.
Please enter your UBNT.com account credentials.
Enter your UBNT Cloud Username and Password, then click Enable Cloud Access – or alternatively click Skip to bypass cloud functionality.
Restore from a previous backup
If you are migrating to a new controller or recovering from a controller failure, you have the option of restoring your UniFi configuration from a previous backup.
Click the restore from a previous backup link. Your web browser’s Open file window will be displayed.
Open file window
Select your previously created UniFi backup file, and click Open. The UniFi Setup Wizard will begin Verifying the previously created backup file.
Verifying the previously created backup fileOnce the backup file has been verified successfully, a Restore From Backup? prompt will be displayed.
Restore From Backup?
Click Confirm. A message indicating that The system is being restored will be displayed.The system is being restored
Click Close. You will be redirected to the Sign In page after approximately a minute.
Newer advice is that the “apt-key adv” command requires too much infrastructure and since the introduction of /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/ then gpg can be used directly; it works fine if instead of installing dirmngr and using apt-key adv, you use: gpg –keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com –recv-key 06E85760C0A52C50
I followed the instructions and it was working great. I was able to get in and manage the controller several times. Suddenly The page will not load when I try to. ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED
I’ve installed the controller on my Pi 3 running stretch. Everything seems to go ok. I try to access the controller at port 8443 of my Pi and I get a “site cannot be reached”. Any tips on debugging this? Is there a way from the command line to see if the controller is running? Thanks!
Relative to updating UniFi on Rasperry PI, you’ve included a note from UBNT indicating you should backup your controller settings BEFORE upgrade UniFi controller software versions.
Is that backup suggestion accomplished through the GUI / autobackup functionality? Or something else?
In the Windows space, backing up means to take a copy of c:\Users\user\UniFi directory, which is independent of the autobackup functionality offered via the GUI.
For step 2 I would advise since Unifi 5.10.12 to instead use:
sudo apt-get -y install openjdk-8-jre-headless
Also, if oracle-java8-jdk is included by default in the full Raspbian (I don’t know since I only ever use Raspbian Lite), then I suppose that should be followed by:
Certainly, after dist-upgrading my PiZero from Jessie to Stretch and switching to openjdk-8-jre-headless to get Unifi 5.10.12 working again, it’s still running absolutely fine even on that minimal hardware. Also, the new web UI is a big upgrade!
Newer advice is that the “apt-key adv” command requires too much infrastructure and since the introduction of /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/ then gpg can be used directly; it works fine if instead of installing dirmngr and using apt-key adv, you use: gpg –keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com –recv-key 06E85760C0A52C50
Hi John,
Sorry for the late reply. Thanks for the information, I’ve tested and updated the guide to reflect this.
Thanks again,
Chris.
I followed the instructions and it was working great. I was able to get in and manage the controller several times. Suddenly The page will not load when I try to. ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED
Any ideas?
I learned the hard way you cannot run this on the wheezy build of raspbian.
I’ve installed the controller on my Pi 3 running stretch. Everything seems to go ok. I try to access the controller at port 8443 of my Pi and I get a “site cannot be reached”. Any tips on debugging this? Is there a way from the command line to see if the controller is running? Thanks!
I figured it out. I had another program that was using port 8080. I changed it to use 8081 and the UniFi Controller fired right up.
I’d like to install the unifi 5 controller on a armv5tel (armel) platform. what should I consider then? thanks!
instructions work like a charm for upgrading.
worked a treat thank you for posting
Relative to updating UniFi on Rasperry PI, you’ve included a note from UBNT indicating you should backup your controller settings BEFORE upgrade UniFi controller software versions.
Is that backup suggestion accomplished through the GUI / autobackup functionality? Or something else?
In the Windows space, backing up means to take a copy of c:\Users\user\UniFi directory, which is independent of the autobackup functionality offered via the GUI.
For step 2 I would advise since Unifi 5.10.12 to instead use:
sudo apt-get -y install openjdk-8-jre-headless
Also, if oracle-java8-jdk is included by default in the full Raspbian (I don’t know since I only ever use Raspbian Lite), then I suppose that should be followed by:
sudo apt-get remove –purge oracle-java8-jdk
From what I’ve read, openjdk is quite a bit faster anyway: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/31153584/why-is-there-such-a-performance-difference-on-raspberry-pi-between-open-and-orac
Certainly, after dist-upgrading my PiZero from Jessie to Stretch and switching to openjdk-8-jre-headless to get Unifi 5.10.12 working again, it’s still running absolutely fine even on that minimal hardware. Also, the new web UI is a big upgrade!