This guide will explain the process to move your existing UniFi Network installation that is running on UniFi OS Server either with HostiFi, or any other cloud hosted provider to a UniFi Dream Machine (UDM, UDM Pro, UDM SE, UDR or any other UniFi OS Console).

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Prerequisites

The way this kind of migration is approached will be a bit different to normal. When moving from a UDM to a publicly accessible HostiFi server for example, it doesn't matter how things are connected, so long as those individual UniFi devices have internet access. Because the UniFi devices need to able to access the internal IP address of the UDM, this does change the way this migration process will happen.

The best way we have found to achieve this the following, steps - although everything is outlined in depth below.

1. Plug in the UDM device to the network, but only with its WAN port
2. Update the UDM software
3. Restore the UniFi OS Server backup to the UDM
4. Make sure the internet access works as intended. (If you have restored from a server using a UXG previously, this will inherit this settings. If not, make sure this is working and configured.)
5. Connect the UDM to the existing network and remove the UXG or third party gateway
6. Setup the inform host override in the old server

More in-depth steps below.

Plug in the UDM/UniFi OS Console to the existing network

First thing to do is get the UDM plugged in to the existing network. Only plug in the WAN port into the network, so the UDM can get online. Nothing should be plugged into the LAN ports just yet.

Update the UDM/UniFi OS Console firmware

Once the UDM is plugged in and has internet access via DHCP, run through the setup process and set up as a brand new device so that it can update the firmware to the latest version.

Download a UniFi OS Backup file

Once everything is updated, the next thing to do is to download a system level backup file from the UDM/UniFi OS Console

To do this go to to the Control Plane > Backups and then click on Download to generate an up to date file.

After clicking Download, it'll ask whether you want a Backup for All Applications and Settings. This is not required, so instead untick and select the network icon instead, then click Download. This will download a .unf file which we can then restore into the UDM/UniFi OS Console.

Restore the backup to the UDM/UniFi OS Console

The next step is to upload the backup that was downloaded from the UniFi OS Server to the UDM/UniFi OS Console.

To do this, log into your UDM/UniFi OS Console. Then visit Settings > Control Plane > Backups then click on Upload & Restore.

Upload the .unf file downloaded from the UDM/UniFi OS Console earlier and click Restore.

The restore process will then take 2-4 mins depending on backup size. Once done, move to the next step.

Check all the settings

Now tat the backup has been restored to the UDM, check all the settings for WiFi Networks, VLANs and more and make the backup has successfully completed.

Important: If you previously used a UXG with the UniFi OS Server, then the UDM/UniFi OS Console will inherit those WAN settings. Depending on your WAN type, this might cause the UDM to be offline. If you used a third-party gateway, enter in the correct WAN configuration into the UDM settings.

Swap out your existing gateway with the UDM/UniFi OS Console

Next, leave every network device in place, including switches and access points. Remove the UXG or third party gateway from the setup and replace with the UDM.

Now, back in the old UniFi OS Server dashboard, check the switches and access points and other UniFi devices have reconnected. Once every single device has connected, move to the next step.

Configure the Inform Host Override

The final step is to tell the existing UniFi devices on the UniFi OS Server where the new UDM/UniFi OS Console is located. Log into the UniFi OS Server and go to Devices.

In the Devices page, there is a link to Device Updates and Settings in the bottom left, click on this to open up a side panel.

Once the side panel is open, click Device SSH Settings to open more settings and then tick the box for Inform Host Override and click Confirm.

Next, enter the local IP address for the UDM/UniFi OS Console. If your UniFi devices are on their own dedicated management VLAN, then this should be the gateway IP address for that VLAN. This should be an IP address that the devices will be able to access.

Important: This section is extremely critical, as any mistake can cause the UniFi devices to try and connect to any URL IP address that is entered, even if it is wrong. If a wrong hostname is entered, those UniFi devices will go offline and will need local SSH access to rectify or to be factory reset.

This needs to be entered in as the IP address only without http:// or https:// and without any port afterwards. Once the IP address is entered, double check everything and click Apply Changes.

After a few minutes, all of the UniFi devices will come online in the new UDM/UniFi OS Console.

During this time, leave the UniFi OS Server instance active until all the devices have dropped offline in the UniFi dashboard on the UniFi OS Server.