A UniFi gateway is set up through UniFi OS and the Network application. Power it and watch the LED: flashing white and off every half second means it is booting, a steady white LED means it is ready for adoption or setup, and steady blue means it is running. Set up from the UniFi mobile app or a browser on the same network, and Bluetooth is used for first setup on some consoles, shown by a slow flashing blue LED when a client connects over Bluetooth.
The checks in more detail
Connect the WAN port to the modem or ONT, follow the setup, and create your UniFi account. Ubiquiti describes Site Manager at unifi.ui.com as the hub for updates and remote access. After the gateway has internet, adopt other devices: Ubiquiti's adoption article explains that devices on the same network are discovered and adopted in the Network application, and a device that stays in a pending or isolated state needs the connectivity checks, including TCP 8080.
If a device says Managed by Other, it belongs to another controller and must be reset with the Reset button or forgotten by its owner. Reset a console from UniFi OS settings if you are the Owner, or with the Reset button for five to ten seconds. Set DNS, VLANs and firewall later, once the basics work. Keep the recovery codes. Plan the network before you plug anything in: decide the LAN address range, which devices will be wired, where access points will go and which VLANs you need, and keep the default network for management until the rest works.
Take a backup after setup and again after each big change, and store the account details, recovery codes and the serial numbers together. A UniFi network is easy to grow but harder to untangle, so a short written plan saves hours later and makes support conversations much shorter. Choose an admin password you can hand over safely, keep at least one local administrator account as well as your cloud account, and confirm you can sign in locally before you rely on remote access.
Differential
Likely causes of “Ubiquiti UniFi gateways will not complete setup”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
The LED is white and nothing adopts
What separates it The light is white and nothing adopts because the device is ready for adoption
How to confirm Continue the setup in the app, which will adopt the device when you follow the prompts
- 2
A device managed by another owner
What separates it The device says Managed by Other because it belongs to another owner or controller
How to confirm Forget it from the other controller, or reset it, and then adopt it again
- 3
A network loop or wrong VLAN
What separates it The device gets no address because of a network loop or the wrong VLAN
How to confirm Check the tagging on the switch port and look for loops in the cabling
- 4
A blocked TCP 8080
What separates it Adoption fails because TCP port 8080 is blocked between the device and the application
How to confirm Allow TCP port 8080 through any firewall between the device and the application
- 5
A stuck update
What separates it The light is flashing white and blue because an update is running
How to confirm Do not interrupt it, and wait for the update to finish before you go on
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The state of the light on the device
- The step of the setup where it stops
- The device that will not adopt
- Whether the app and device share a network
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedPower on
ReversiblePower on the gateway and wait for a steady white light, which means it is ready for adoption.
Open the app
ReversibleOpen the app and follow the setup, which walks you through each of the steps in turn.
Connect the WAN
ReversibleConnect the WAN to the modem or ONT, using an Ethernet cable in the port for the internet.
Create the account
ReversibleCreate the account and finish the setup, using the details that you want to use for it.
Adopt devices
ReversibleAdopt devices in the Network application, so that the switches and access points join the console.
Update
ReversibleUpdate everything using Update Manager, so that all of your devices run the latest releases.
Configure later
ReversibleConfigure the rest later, including DNS, VLANs and the firewall, once the basic setup works.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- UniFi OS
- The Dream Machine and Cloud Gateway models run UniFi OS with the Network application built in.
- Setup
- The steps are the same across the three gateway models.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If a device will not adopt after reset and connectivity checks, contact Ubiquiti support
- !If the gateway will not boot, request an RMA
- !If the account is locked, use Ubiquiti's recovery process
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
White, blue and port LEDs.
Adopting devices.
Reset button and app reset.
Recovery mode and TFTP.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
What does a steady white LED mean?+
A steady white light means the device is ready for adoption in the application.
What does flashing white and off mean?+
A light that flashes white and off means the device is still booting.
What does a slow flashing blue mean?+
A slowly flashing blue light means a client is connected over Bluetooth on a UDM.
What is Managed by Other?+
Managed by Other means that the device belongs to another controller, and it must be released.
How do I reset a console?+
The UniFi OS settings have a Factory Reset option, and the console also has a physical Reset button.
What is Site Manager?+
Site Manager is the hub at unifi.ui.com, for updates and remote access to your devices.
Which port must be reachable?+
TCP port 8080 must be reachable, since devices contact the application on that port.
Can I use recovery mode?+
Yes, recovery mode can help a stuck device to load its software again.
Which ports must be open for updates?+
UDP ports 53 and 123 must be open for updates, since they carry name lookups and time.