Fix a Failed Unifi Adoption with These Simple Steps

Incorporating a Unifi Access Point into the controller should be a breeze. However, there are situations when it simply will not function. You continually getting Adoption Failed messages, or you might not be able to adopt your access point at all.

The first step is to double-check that the inform URL in the access point is right. If it is right, however, we must take a different approach to resolving the Unifi Adoption Failed problem.

In this essay, I'll go over many options for resolving the adoption problem.

Why is the adoption of Unifi failing?

Let's start with some background information on why the adoption might be failing. To effectively implement a Unifi Access Point in your controller, you'll need a few things:

• Another controller cannot administer the access point.
• The inform url should be correctly specified - learn more here.
• The firmware version of the access point should not be too old.
• The controller should be current.

A firmware incompatibility is the most typical problem. For example, the access point may have the most recent firmware, but the controller may be 10 releases behind. This could make it difficult to adopt the access point.

Fix Unifi Adoption Failed

Method 1: Factory Fix for Failed Unifi Adoption Set the Access Point to New

 We're going to factory reset the access point first to make sure it's not being managed by another (old) controller. Make sure the access point is turned on and then hold down the reset button for 10 seconds.

SSH is another option for remotely resetting the access point.

• Use SSH to connect to the access point (using PowerShell for example)
• To factory reset the AP, type the following command:

"set-default"

After clearing the CFG (configuration), you can reconnect to the access point.

You can now use the Access Point reset to see if the access point in the controller can be adopted.

Method 2: Verify the Access Point's IP Address

You should be able to see the access point in the controller after you've factory reset it. If you don't see it at all, it's conceivable that the access point's IP range doesn't match the controller's.

To communicate with one another, they must both be in the same IP range. The Unifi Discovery Tool may be used to search your whole network for the access point. This allows you to figure out what IP address the access point has.

To convert to the correct view, you may need to click the Unifi Family button in the top right corner.

If the access point is in a different IP range, double-check that only one of your router and Unifi Controller has DHCP enabled. Another acceptable alternative is to link the access point and the controller to the same switch.

Method 3:Update the Unifi Controller 

Before we upgrade the access point's firmware, we'll check to see if the Unifi Controller is up to current.

If you have a Cloudkey or a UDM, you can use it (Pro)

1. Unifi OS should now be open.
2. Updates can be found under Settings > Updates.
3. Make sure the Network app is up to date.

Check the version you're running on the settings screen if you're running the controller in a Docker container or on Windows:

1. The network controller should be opened.
2. Select Settings from the drop-down menu.
3. Note the version and go to https://www.ui.com/download/unifi/ to get the most recent version.

Try to adopt the Access Point again when you've upgraded the Unifi Controller.

Method 4 :Update the Access Point's firmware

You won't be able to adopt the access point in the Unifi Controller if the firmware on the access point is outdated. Normally, firmware is updated via the controller, however there is an alternative.

On the access point, we can manually download the Unifi firmware. To do so, we'll use SSH to connect to the access point. If the IP Address of the access point isn't shown in the controller, utilise Advanced IP Scanner to look it up.

1.Choose Windows PowerShell Connect to your access point by pressing Windows Key + X (or right-clicking the startmenu).

2.Replace the IP address of your access point with the following:

"# Connect to the access point, with username ubnt

3.ubnt is the password to use.

4.Now we must locate the relevant firmware URL. Locate the firmware for your access point on the Unifi download page.

5.Accept the terms by clicking Download.

6.Copy the URL by clicking on it.

7.Type upgrade in PowerShell Windows and paste the URL we just copied: the access point will download and upgrade the firmware. You won't be able to connect to the access point during the upgrading. It could take a few minutes to finish.\

"upgrade https://dl.ui.com/unifi/firmware/U7PG2/5.43.56.12784/BZ.qca956x_5.43.56+12784.211209.2338.bin"

When the upgrade is complete and the status light is solid white, you should be able to use the Unifi Access point.

Final Thoughts

I hope this essay was helpful in resolving the Unifi adoption failure problem. Most of the time, a factory reset is required, and you should double-check your firmware versions. Make sure the relevant ports are forwarded if you're running the controller in a docker container.