Ubiquiti UniFi Cloud Key (UC-CK),White

This cloud key avoids having to install the UniFi controller onto a computer to configure the network. Allows you to run a local instance and you do not need to connect the cloud key to unifis cloud. To do so brings additional benefits, but even without connecting it to the cloud, it works well locally. Happy customer.

Its worth it. Get this to run your network controller.

I used to have the controller software running as a service on a server. This let me run the controller on a dongle that I can access from outside the office via the unifi.ubnt.com site. Well worth it.

This works flawlessly and seamlessly with the UNifi app

Makes managing multiple Unify Pro Access Points so much easier to manage. This is a necessary tool for the job.

A great solution if you dont want to run your own Unifi Controller on a dedicated PC.

easy setup great product

I bought the Unifi Cloud Key to use in my home network setup. Currently it is managing 2 Unifi UAP-AC-Lites. Ive used Ubiquiti products in the past and Ive always had mixed emotions about them. I work in the Server Administration end of the technology field, but prior to that I was also doing network support. Ive supported the 1st gen UAP AC in a business environment and that made me despise Unifi products. Unstable firmware and nonexistent support. It was very frustrating whenever we would have problems. Yet, I still had high hopes for utilizing Ubiquiti in my home network setup one day. The Cloud Key comes in a small box with a short 3 inch Ethernet cable and minimal instruction manual. It would be nice if this guide also gave you a place to go for a more detailed/in-depth manual online. Perhaps troubleshooting info. But there is nothing further online that Ive found. The quick start guide does walk you through the setup fairly easily though. I ran into issues though that Id like to outline for anyone else to help them to avoid or provide them with a few steps if the issue does arise. Hopefully my mistake will help someone else if they find themselves in the same predicament. If you are not using a PoE switch for the Cloud Key, the Quick Start Guide mentions in small text to use a USB charger with 5V minimum 1A. This exact power output is very important. Having not noticed that text I initially used a 5V with 0.7A USB charger. It allowed me to setup the Cloud Key and it ran for about 10 mins before I lost connection to it and was unable to connect back up to it though the status light was on. After removing the power cord and trying to reboot it the initializing light would blink but never boot. Cue 3 hours of internet searching, resetting, and rebooting. If you unplug the Cloud Key and hold the reset button and plug it back in, continue holding until the light blinks white and blue. This enters the Cloud Key into an Emergency Restore state. The default IP address of the Cloud Keys Emergency Restore page is 192.168.1.30 but it may be a different IP based on your networks DHCP settings. Once at this page you can reset the device to factory defaults, reboot, or upload a new firmware file. I tried uploading a new firmware file multiple times but it would never succeed. It kept rebooting before the firmware update finished successfully. Then I finally thought, maybe this thing is rebooting because of a bad charger cable. That’s when I noticed the power rating info of the charger vs the Cloud Key requirements. Searched through my old USB charger cables and finally found one from my Chromecast audio that had the right power rating. Used that cord and entered the device into the Emergency Restore state and uploaded a new firmware file. After about 1 min, the Cloud Key rebooted and I was back to the original setup page. Setup the Cloud Key again and added my UAP-AC-Lites and its been running great since. Im only giving 4 stars because although this device is great, simple to setup and leave hanging on a wall, I wish there was more troubleshooting steps to follow either in a manual or online. They could have also setup the Cloud Key to produce an error flash code for low/incorrect power and saved me a huge headache.

Was psyched to get this. Powered up fine, found the UI fine, attempted to update Firmware and controller and thats where things blew up. After installing latest firmware, the device could not initialize. Tried the Emergency UI to factory reset, same result. Chat to support was worthless. 3 hours wasted. Told to RMA would be a 10 dollar charge. Pissed. Returning. Rev 2 - Tried a couple last things before returning. Turns out the usb power supply I initially used (not included in box) must have not had the right amp output or something. The thing lit up, I could get to the interface, but after firmware upgrade could not initialize. Tried a second P/S and it came up fine. An additional 20 minutes later my APs were up and running on the CloudKey. Majorly frustrated in tech support for not catching this in the first 15 minutes of chat - never asked anything about PS. Anyway, I am very relieved because I really like Ubiquiti and the Unifi line and did not want to have to return. All looks well! Keeping a star off cause Im still just a little bitter :)

Loses access to SD card intermittently, requires reboot from inside the software to fix - sometimes takes a while. Not a worth while inclusion into a unifi system. Better off with a raspberry pi or a server PC.