In reply to a post by pet_griffin:

Hi
I am trying to set up a UniFi home network using UniFiPi as the network controller. I have managed to get my UniFi Security Gateway (USG) to connect to the internet via an EIC modem (BT OpenReach) but that's as far as I have got. I can't reach any other websites once the USG says I am connected and can't even PING the DNS server that the USG has assigned to it. Would appreciate any suggestions as to what to do next. Thanks in advance ...!

Noticed that you're using a UniFiPi - just a thought but is that setup/updated with the latest UI controller software? You've adopted the USG into the controller and can login and access the USG setup from there OK?

Edit - just had a look at my Ubiquiti controllers, running native UniFi OS version 2.2.12 the latest controller version is 6.5.53.

According to the UI website downloads area, this is the same version for controllers running on Windows, macOS or Debian (as for your UniFiPi) then the most up to date (stable) version being 6.5.53. There is a build guide here for UniFiPi that shows you what steps to take (re)build / update the Pi with the latest repositories and packages etc.

Otherwise for a bit more actual setup info on USG setup, see Chapter 10 of the Controller Guide here.

Hope that helps. Good luck.

Edited by Pheasant (Sun 05-Dec-21 21:40:25)

Hi all

thanks for the suggestions and apologies for the radio silence but did not want to fiddle with the existing network over the w/e. I tried setting VLAN=101 in the USG but I can't even connect to the internet now, so have unticked that. I am now back to square 1 - the USG will connect to the internet but if I try to PING the assigned DNS server I get " PING transmit failed. General failure". I need to be able to access the internet to continue the UniFiPi set up, so am stuck just now.

I have a spare Zyxel NBG6404 router knocking around. Unfortunately, I am not able to set this to "bridge mode" (greyed out in the user interface). So looks like I will need to get a third one! Would appreciate any suggestions for this

So to recap the USG is connected via its WAN port to the ECI VDSL modem. The PPPoE client on the USG successfully authenticates - the USG gets assigned an IP address on it WAN interface. Correct so far?

How are you connecting to the USG from laptop/PC - directly into the LAN port? What address is being assigned to the client machine?

You can fully access the USG without the controller running?

Hi Pheasant,

Please see below:

So to recap the USG is connected via its WAN port to the ECI VDSL modem.

yes

The PPPoE client on the USG successfully authenticates - the USG gets assigned an IP address on it WAN interface.

yes - and the DNS servers are assigned as well

How are you connecting to the USG from laptop/PC - directly into the LAN port? .

No - the laptop and USG are connected via a switch

What address is being assigned to the client machine?

The USG DHCP server says has assigned one address - 192.168.0.6. I ipconfig'd the laptop and it currently has the address 192.168.0.6. I thought the DHCP server on the USG would assign IP addresses to the other bits of kit on the network (switches, UniFiPi controller etc) but it currently has only assigned 1

You can fully access the USG without the controller running?

yes - I am connected directly to the USG by typing its IP address into the web browser

Have you configured/checked any firewall and routing steps in the USG?

No - there no are options within the USG interface itself to set these. I think these have to be set by the controller ... but i can't set this up because I can't connect to the internet (it seems I need my Ubiquiti credentials to be validated online ...)

Had a suspicion this may be so. You need to get the controller updated and fully adopt the USG into the controller, similar to other UI components like access points.

Can you get a connection up and running using your existing zyxel router? Just let enough to get the controller updated etc.

Hi
thanks for your patience. I have downloaded the latest version of UniFiPi but that was last updated 2 years ago so i guess it is running an old version of the controller. I will fire up the ZyXel, switch off DHCP and see if I can connect that way. I'm hoping things will be easier once I can access the internet ...

Follow the links in my post a few above. You should be able to get the most recent version running on it. 2 years is way out of date with UI.

Otherwise you can install and run the UI controller (for now anyway) on your laptop/PC and migrate over to the UnifiPi later…the Pi Idea seems nice, but in the here and now probably a distraction.

Edited by Pheasant (Mon 06-Dec-21 14:59:50)