Tech help: Ubiquiti Unifi access point setup

[RobA]

I had my home WiFi extended to my tractor barn using Ubiquiti Nanostations. Basically the house WiFi signal is beamed to our horse barn and then onto the tractor barn. This configuration was used since line of sight between the house and tractor barn was a problem. Internet is provided via a Ubiquiti Unifi UAP-AC-PRO access point in the tractor barn. This was done professionally by a local company. Since the installation included a Netgear power over ethernet switch in the horse barn I figured I could add internet at the horse barn by installing another Unifi UAP-AC-PRO access point myself.

The problem is that the access point has its own internet login and password unlike the installed initial access point which shows up with the same WiFi name and password as the one in my house. I can access the internet but it requires a different login. Both access points were installed as standalone devices and I am not using a controller.

Does anyone know how to make this additional access point show up the same as my home WiFi like the other access point does?

(I'm probably not explaining this too well)

 

[LittleBill21]

do you have a smart phone? can you u get the ubiquiti ap? the controller makes a lot of things easier.

Setup Unifi ap without Controller — LazyAdmin

 

[RNeumann]

The horse barn has the netgear product? That location isn’t an access point or switch (I think you refer to it as both)- it’s a repeater. I think you will need to ditch the Netgear product and get something in line with the Ubiquiti stuff you already have.

I hate to say it but what you are trying to do isn’t exactly straight forward. It may be best to call the pros back. Otherwise you have a big learning curve....access point, repeater, switch etc etc. But once you have the proper devices and the devices configured properly it’s all doable.

 

[aczlan]

The horse barn has the netgear product? That location isn’t an access point or switch (I think you refer to it as both)- it’s a repeater. I think you will need to ditch the Netgear product and get something in line with the Ubiquiti stuff you already have.

I hate to say it but what you are trying to do isn’t exactly straight forward. It may be best to call the pros back. Otherwise you have a big learning curve....access point, repeater, switch etc etc. But once you have the proper devices and the devices configured properly it’s all doable.

As I read it, he has an access point on the horse barn that connects to the house (running in Client mode) and another access point on the horse barn (in AP mode)that connects to the access point in the tractor barn (which is in Client or possibly Repeater mode). Both of those access points then run off of a Netgear power over ethernet switch.
So: House network>House AP (Bridged AP Mode)>Horse Barn Client (Bridged Client mode)>Horse Barn Netgear Switch>Horse Barn AP(Bridged AP Mode)>Tractor Barn Client (Bridged Client mode>Tractor Barn Netgear Switch>Tractor Barn AP(AP Mode)

Or: House network>House AP (Bridged AP Mode)>Horse Barn Client (Bridged Client mode)>Horse Barn Netgear Switch>Horse Barn AP(Bridged AP Mode)>Tractor Barn Client (Repeater mode)

All he's trying to do is add a access point to the switch in the middle (in the horse barn).

It sounds to me like what needs to be done is to login to the access point in the horse barn and look for the section where you set the SSID.

if I think about it when I get home, I can take a screenshot of what it looks like an older version of that access point (my internet comes through a pair of a Nanostation M2 Loco access points), not sure if the interface still looks the same.

Aaron Z

 

[RobA]

All he's trying to do is add a access point to the switch in the middle (in the horse barn).

It sounds to me like what needs to be done is to login to the access point in the horse barn and look for the section where you set the SSID.
Aaron Z

Exactly. Just trying to add an access point in the middle. The Netgear equipment is just a a power over ethernet switch. Setting the SSID is what I can't figure out. I have the iPhone app and can't seem to find where I set the SSID.

 

[johncanfield]

If you aren't using the Unifi controller then you need to log in to the new Unifi access point. I think default IP address is 192.168.1.20 and the default login and password is ubnt ubnt. I think you want to configure the new access point as a station. Without complete details it's really difficult to provide more help.

 

[RNeumann]

Exactly. Just trying to add an access point in the middle. The Netgear equipment is just a a power over ethernet switch. Setting the SSID is what I can't figure out. I have the iPhone app and can't seem to find where I set the SSID.

If the Netgear POE switch has an extra port are you putting in a new AP or are you wanting to change the settings in the Ubiquiti so it’s a repeater/ap

Why are you using a Netgear POE vs the Ubiquiti POE?

 

[LittleBill21]

If the Netgear POE switch has an extra port are you putting in a new AP or are you wanting to change the settings in the Ubiquiti so it’s a repeater/ap

Why are you using a Netgear POE vs the Ubiquiti POE?

does it matter poe is poe, i gave directions on the first post, your suppose to be able to set this up from the phone app.

if not you can install the controller on a laptop for setup, it doesn't need to run 24/7, is the light white? if not factory default the radio and start over.

UniFi - Getting Started with the UniFi Mobile App – Ubiquiti Networks Support and Help Center

 

[DerbyRunner]

Does anyone know how to make this additional access point show up the same as my home WiFi like the other access point does?

The Ubiquiti access points are nice, but are also kind of an odd duck. You think you can plug one in, connect directly to it, and configure it just like you can with others. Wrong.

My experience has been that ... somewhere ... in your system a Unifi controller is running. This is a software application. Don't mistake this for the Unify Security Gateway which is a hardware device and is entirely optional. The unify controller is where the settings are managed. It must talk to the access point, and you talk to it. You don't talk directly to the access point.

Is this the software (Unifi controller?) you are using on your phone? And is this same software running (to your knowledge) in the background of a PC somewhere else?

You need to first get to the "dashboard" of the Unifi controller. If you don't get to that, you can't do anything. At least that's how my Ubiquiti models work.

 

[aczlan]

If you aren't using the Unifi controller then you need to log in to the new Unifi access point. I think default IP address is 192.168.1.20 and the default login and password is ubnt ubnt. I think you want to configure the new access point as a station. Without complete details it's really difficult to provide more help.

Correct on both counts.

If the Netgear POE switch has an extra port are you putting in a new AP or are you wanting to change the settings in the Ubiquiti so it’s a repeater/ap

Why are you using a Netgear POE vs the Ubiquiti POE?

Adding an AP.

The Ubiquiti access points are nice, but are also kind of an odd duck. You think you can plug one in, connect directly to it, and configure it just like you can with others. Wrong.

My experience has been that ... somewhere ... in your system a Unifi controller is running. This is a software application. Don't mistake this for the Unify Security Gateway which is a hardware device and is entirely optional. The unify controller is where the settings are managed. It must talk to the access point, and you talk to it. You don't talk directly to the access point.

Is this the software (Unifi controller?) you are using on your phone? And is this same software running (to your knowledge) in the background of a PC somewhere else?

You need to first get to the "dashboard" of the Unifi controller. If you don't get to that, you can't do anything. At least that's how my Ubiquiti models work.

By default they do not need a controller, they are standalone. I have 2 at home and many at work that started as standalone units.

Aaron Z

 

[DerbyRunner]

Correct on both counts.
Adding an AP.By default they do not need a controller, they are standalone. I have 2 at home and many at work that started as standalone units.

Aaron Z

Possibly a version change with newer/older software and firmware. Or a different model? I have multiple access points at home and none will work standalone. (All purchased maybe 6 months ago.) Even if you know the IP address, login and password for the access point, on my system you cannot directly access the access points. You can ping them, but not do such direct access. On my system you must do any config through the Unifi controller.

I recall there is also a "discovery" process the Unifi controller needs to do for any new devices. Basically, I would recommend the OP get the Unifi controller dashboard up and running, then plug the (new) access point into the same network segment where the other access points are successfully running. Wait about 10 minutes and see if the dashboard "discovered" the new access point. If it did, connect to it and confirm all is well. At that point it can be moved out to the location where it is desired to be long term.

 

[DerbyRunner]

Just checked my system. To get to the dashboard:

- first launch the Unifi controller software. It takes a minute to initialize.
- in your browser, type https://localhost:8443

That takes me to the dashboard. Port 8443 is the default used by Unifi.

 

[RNeumann]

does it matter poe is poe, i gave directions on the first post, your suppose to be able to set this up from the phone app.

if not you can install the controller on a laptop for setup, it doesn't need to run 24/7, is the light white? if not factory default the radio and start over.

UniFi - Getting Started with the UniFi Mobile App – Ubiquiti Networks Support and Help Center

I’m going through a systematic diagnostic. We know it “should” work but it’s not. What could be preventing him from “seeing” the new access point? Is that switch doing that for some unknown reason?

Has the OP tried to login to the settings from the tractor/first barn? It has Ubiquiti equipment. All the Ubiquiti equipment in the system should show up when he logs in. Maybe the OP is trying to login from say a different branded wireless router in the house. Maybe that’s blocking him somehow.

Bottom line. If you had all Ubiquiti equipment, it should all show up when you login....and you should be able to setup the AP. But with other equipment in the mix it could be a compatibility issue.

 

[RobA]

Thanks for the suggestions. I finally got it to work. I used the controller software on my laptop to configure the new access point. So now I have the original access point as a stand alone and the new one managed by the controller. Not 100% sure what I did but it works so I'm happy.

 

[LittleBill21]

I知 going through a systematic diagnostic. We know it 都hould work but it痴 not. What could be preventing him from 都eeing the new access point? Is that switch doing that for some unknown reason?

Has the OP tried to login to the settings from the tractor/first barn? It has Ubiquiti equipment. All the Ubiquiti equipment in the system should show up when he logs in. Maybe the OP is trying to login from say a different branded wireless router in the house. Maybe that痴 blocking him somehow.

Bottom line. If you had all Ubiquiti equipment, it should all show up when you login....and you should be able to setup the AP. But with other equipment in the mix it could be a compatibility issue.

na ubiquiti doesn't work like that, the m series stuff is not supported by unifi, you need to useunms which is yet a different software package. these system are generally design to be managed by the controller, thats kind of the point since they were originally designed for business with hundreds of them.

 

[johncanfield]

Gen 2 radios can be managed by the controller but not the earlier versions.