From time to time, you may have some issues getting a new UniFi device adopted to the UniFi Controller. In this guide, we'll be exploring some of the ways you can troubleshoot.

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Device does not show up in UniFi

We recommend using our free app, the HostiFi Device Discovery Tool which makes the adoption process simple with no need for SSH.

Otherwise, make sure your set-inform URL is correct. It must start with http:// and end with :8080/inform. Always use the DNS name of the server instead of IP address

Log in via SSH and issue the "info" command to look for an error message there

If "info" command shows the set-inform URL is still the default of http://unifi:8080/inform, try factory resetting with "set-default" and then use the SSH adoption method.

​Device stuck in "Pending Adoption (Update Required)" Loop

With some devices, a firmware update is required before the device can be adopted. In some cases, clicking the "Adopt and Upgrade" button does not successfully update the device's firmware and a manual update is required.

See our guide here covering how to upgrade a UniFi device via SSH.