Moving From Another UniFi Hosting Provider
Moving a hosted UniFi controller to Cloud UniFi from HostiFi, UniHosted, Ubiquiti's own hosting or any other host works like any controller move: take a backup or a site export from the old controller, restore or import it on your new console, then point your devices at the new address. The old controller has to keep running until your devices have moved, so cancel it last.
What you are moving to
New Cloud UniFi subscriptions are hosted UniFi OS Server consoles. If your current host runs the classic UniFi Network Application, the move takes you to UniFi OS Server at the same time; How to migrate a UniFi Network Application to UniFi OS Server explains what changes. If you would rather stay on the classic Network Application, reply to your welcome email before you run the setup wizard and we will switch it.
- Plans are sized by device count, with no limit on sites. Every adopted UniFi device counts, online or offline, so choose a plan with room for all of them. Upgrading later is self-serve. See plans and prices.
- Your own domain is included: one on every plan, several from P75. See Using your own domain.
- Backups are taken nightly, encrypted and copied to two independent offsite providers. See Backups on UniFi OS Server.
- Updates are yours to schedule: automatic or manual, in a maintenance window you choose. See Updates on UniFi OS Server.
Before you start
- Keep the old service running. Pointing your devices at us is done from the old controller. If it is shut down first, every device has to be pointed at us by hand.
- Check what the old controller runs: UniFi OS Server, or the classic UniFi Network Application (sometimes called the Network Server or just the controller). Your plan with the old provider usually says which. Ubiquiti's own hosting runs UniFi OS.
- Check how your devices reach it. On the old controller, open Devices, click Device Updates & Settings at the bottom of the left panel and expand Device SSH Settings. Inform Host Override shows the address your devices report to. Note the SSH username and password from the same panel too.
- Compare versions. Your new console's Network version must be the same as the old controller's or newer. If the old one is newer, update your console under Settings > Control Plane > Updates, or ask us to.
Choose how to move
Most moves are a backup and restore into the new console you get when you subscribe. Site Export suits moving some sites but not others, or adding sites to a console that already manages other ones.
Moving with a backup
1. Download and restore the backup
From the classic Network Application: on the old controller, open Settings > Control Plane > Backups and download a backup (before Network 10.1 it was under Settings > System > Backups). On your new console, choose Restore from backup in the first step of the setup wizard and upload it. Move a UniFi controller using Backup and Restore has the details.
From UniFi OS, including Ubiquiti's own hosting: sign in as the owner and download a Network-only backup from Settings > Control Plane > Backups, finish the setup wizard on your new console with your Ubiquiti account, then restore the backup with Upload & Restore. Steps 1 and 2 of Moving from a Cloud Key, Dream Machine or Cloud Gateway show each click; the process is the same.
2. Check the inform host on your new console
The backup brings the old controller's device settings with it, including your old provider's address. Before you move any devices, open Devices > Device Updates & Settings > Device SSH Settings on your new console and make sure Inform Host Override is ticked and holds your new console address, such as yourname.netconsole.cloud, or your own domain if your devices use one. Click Apply Changes.
3. Point your devices at us
If your devices report to your own domain, such as unifi.example.com: change that domain's CNAME record to your new console address and add the domain in the customer portal. See Using your own domain. Devices follow the DNS change without being touched.
If your devices report to your provider's address: on the old controller, open Devices > Device Updates & Settings > Device SSH Settings, tick Inform Host Override, enter your new console address and click Apply Changes. Devices start reporting to us within a few minutes, and some restart as they move.
Enter the hostname only
Type the address alone: no http://, no port and no /inform. A full URL or a typo here sends every device to an address that does not exist, and the old controller can no longer reach them to correct it. Each one then has to be fixed by hand over SSH.
If the old controller has already been shut down, restore your most recent backup, then point each device by hand: SSH to it with the device credentials and run set-inform http://yourname.netconsole.cloud:8080/inform, or use the UniFi Toolkit.
Moving one site at a time with Site Export
Site Export works from the classic Network Application, from UniFi OS Server and from Ubiquiti's own hosting. Follow Migrating Sites with Site Export. When the wizard on the old controller asks for the new hostname, enter your console address, for example yourname.netconsole.cloud, and leave the port at 8080. Repeat for each site.
Afterwards
- Count the devices. Every device that was online with your old provider should be online with us within the hour. Devices that were already offline stay offline. If any are missing, see Devices offline after moving.
- Invite your admins if they did not come across. See Users and roles.
- Guest hotspot. If you use one, set the Domain in the hotspot settings to your new console address. See Setting up a hotspot.
- Remote Access, if you use Site Manager or the UniFi mobile app. See Remote Access.
- Cancel the old service once every device is online with us.
Want us to look first?
Send us the details before you start, by email at [email protected] or through the chat on our website: where you are moving from, how many sites and devices you have, and the address your devices report to. We will tell you whether the move is straightforward or fiddly before you commit.
Moving a UISP too? See Moving to us from another UISP.
Related:
UniFi and UniFi OS are trademarks of Ubiquiti Inc. HostiFi and UniHosted are trademarks of their respective owners. Cloud UniFi is an independent hosting provider and is not affiliated with, authorised by or endorsed by Ubiquiti Inc.