Unifi Server taking too long to load

[Murph7355]

Have just rebuilt a Win11 laptop and was aiming to use it as a dedicated Unifi controller - the same laptop was used as the controller whilst it was my main machine, IP address is the same etc.

Am having trouble getting the controller to work on the new build, however.

Installs OK (latest version), but stalls when initialising.

Unifi support pages aren't proving too helpful. Tips are mostly around Java, which I don't believe is needed on the latest versions of the server. The help guides seem to be more inclined to try and get you to purchase dedicated hardware.

Anyone experienced similar headaches?

[xeny]

Murph7355 said:

Unifi support pages aren't proving too helpful. Tips are mostly around Java, which I don't believe is needed on the latest versions of the server.

Presuming we're talking about "UniFi Network Server" , the release notes explicitly say

"requires mongoDB 3.6 and Java 17." , so it may be worth looking at that as a potential issue.

[outnumbered]

Are you still running Windows on the laptop ? Most people run the Unifi controller standalone on Linux, so that might be a safer route if you are really going to keep a dedicated machine for it. There's a free script available on the Unifi Community site which will get it up and running painlessly on almost any current Linux setup.

[Murph7355]

xeny said:

Presuming we're talking about "UniFi Network Server" , the release notes explicitly say

"requires mongoDB 3.6 and Java 17." , so it may be worth looking at that as a potential issue.

I installed Java 17 as a result, but....

There are also notes that versions after 7.5 don't require Java, and that mongoDB comes packaged as part of the server software.

It's been some time since I had to install this. Last time it just worked...but foolishly didn't pay sufficient attention to which version it was!

outnumbered said:

Are you still running Windows on the laptop ? Most people run the Unifi controller standalone on Linux, so that might be a safer route if you are really going to keep a dedicated machine for it. There's a free script available on the Unifi Community site which will get it up and running painlessly on almost any current Linux setup.

I'll have a look. But was aiming to keep the laptop Windows so there's the option of using it for other stuff easily if needed - it's generally surplus to requirements but worth nothing on fleabay.

[xeny]

This has just kicked me into updating my Unifi admin installation.

It was 7.0.23, which definitely required separate Java.

The current version uses a bundled OpenJDK instance, presumably to avoid dealing with Oracle software licensing.

I was installing then restoring from a backup. The restore process claimed it would restart the server, and the browser UI just sat there. I waited until task manager showed nothing happening and reloaded the browser window. I could then log in successfully with my old installation's credentials.

[Murph7355]

xeny said:

This has just kicked me into updating my Unifi admin installation.

It was 7.0.23, which definitely required separate Java.

The current version uses a bundled OpenJDK instance, presumably to avoid dealing with Oracle software licensing.

I was installing then restoring from a backup. The restore process claimed it would restart the server, and the browser UI just sat there. I waited until task manager showed nothing happening and reloaded the browser window. I could then log in successfully with my old installation's credentials.

Unfortunately I'm not getting to the point where I can access the UI....fails to get that far.

[Billy Eyelash]

I'm running it in docker, that way you don't need to worry about prerequisites.
It was a very easy installation.

https://www.packetswitch.co.uk/how-to-run-unifi-co...

[Trustmeimadoctor]

just buy a ucg or a ux and use that to run it all

[Murph7355]

Thanks all.

Solved last night.

First uninstalled Unifi fully (leaves crap in various places so removed it). And binned Java.

At this point I also noticed that a Windows update was stuck. So made sure that completed and all updates available had been applied.

Rebooted, double checked all old versions of Unifi were gone and rebooted again.

Redownloaded the latest install files... And it worked.

Have restored my old backup and we're back up and running.

Basics...am finding myself doing the sort of thing my folks do with tech, so just surfing for Dignitas fares now.

Cheers all.

[Murph7355]

Trustmeimadoctor said:

just buy a ucg or a ux and use that to run it all

Fed up of spending "just another £100" when I have gear that should more than cover it... Saves that gear being stuck in the bottom of a drawer too.

And yes, I know I spent more time on this than a UCG would have cost. That's not the point

[xeny]

Have you tried turning the Windows firewall off, in case it's some socket based communication within the server process that is getting blocked?

[Murph7355]

xeny said:

Have you tried turning the Windows firewall off, in case it's some socket based communication within the server process that is getting blocked?

That was off while I was trouble shooting.

It's back on now and still working, so we're set

[xeny]

Teach me not to read further up the thread when on a phone :-(.