My Ubiquiti UniFi Appliance 3.0 – now even more super!

Posted on July 5, 2018 by Justin Paul | 42 Comments

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Update – v3.1

I have updated the appliance to Ubuntu 18.04 as well as the latest version of Unifi as of Feb 2019. The new download links are below. Enjoy!

Out with the old

My Ubiquiti Unifi 2.0 virtual appliance has gotten quite a few downloads. So I decided to revamp it for 2018. This version is easier to use, comes with the latest UniFi server (as of this post), and can be more easily updated in the future.

I also created a post on how to build your own UniFi server in AWS using a few simple steps too, but for those purists who still need a solution that can run on-prem in VMware or Hyper-V… Long live the OVA Virtual Appliance!

In with the new

So what makes my new “Version 3.0” virtual appliance more kick ass? Simplicity.

This new version comes with a console based menu that allows you to update and configure the appliance.

So what does the menu help with?

Shows current IP address
Allows you to easily update Unifi via the official APT repository
Allows you to configure the network interface (DHCP or Static) without knowing anything about Linux
Updates my unifi-va scripts directory from my GitHub Repo (http://github.com/recklessop/unifi-va)
Change the “unifi” user’s password

Basically, all the things that non-Linux people wouldn’t like about running UniFi on a Linux machine can be done via this menu. As I think of more things to add I will update my GitHub repo and you can update your appliance by running option 3 in the menu.

Deploying v3

Deploying v3 is just like deploying any other virtual appliance.

First, download the virtual appliance (select the appropriate version).

VMware 6.5+ SHA256 version

VMware 6.0 and older SHA1 Version

Then import it into your hypervisor. For VMware 6.0 and older go to File, then “Deploy OVF Template”. For VMware 6.0 and newer, with the web interface, right click on your cluster or host and select “Deploy OVF Template”.

Configuring v3

Configuration is already mostly done, all you need to do is make sure the virtual appliance has an IP address. Once it does go to a browser and type in https://<IP ADDRESS>:8443 and you should see the invalid SSL warning page. Click through it, and you will then see the UniFi Configuration page. From there you can either import an old configuration or create a brand new appliance.

Note: the default username and password for this appliance is “unifi” (for both the username and password)

Get Update Notifications

If you want to be kept up to date on my UniFi Virtual Appliance news, fill out the form below to get email updates when it’s time to run the “Unifi-VA Scripts Update” from the menu on your appliance

Feedback

I’m always looking for feedback. So if you come across something that I could do better in the virtual appliance let me know. You can use the Drift chat box in the bottom right corner, or shoot me a message on Twitter (@recklessop), or shoot me an email ([email protected]).

Thanks for reading!

Looking for the UniFi Hardware?

If you haven’t completed your Ubiquiti Unifi hardware deployment, Amazon has great prices on all the UniFi hardware.

UniFi Security Gateway	Unifi PoE Switch	Unifi Wireless Access Point

Justin Paul

Justin is a Technical Alliances Architect for Zerto. He also specializes in all things geek. When not helping people learn about protecting their data from disasters, he is usually working on stuff in his home lab or spending time with his family.

42 Responses to "My Ubiquiti UniFi Appliance 3.0 – now even more super!"

owen July 6, 2018 at 3:50 pm · Edit

Hi~ Justin! thank you for the Ubiquiti UniFi Appliance 3.0 ! It is great!
How about enabling Google TCP BBR for the Appliance?
And Install Certbot to apply a valid SSL certificate from Letsencrypt!

this is the how to I found on the Internet:
https://www.waysquare.com/install-wildcard-ssl-certificate-nginx-and-cloudflare/
Nicholas Golob July 7, 2018 at 4:06 pm · Edit

Hey man, thanks for this! Downloading now and will deploy immediately. Working on funneling all my cloud keys down to here.
Justin Paul July 7, 2018 at 9:43 pm · Edit

awesome to hear! let us know how it goes.
Nicholas Golob July 8, 2018 at 10:21 am · Edit

I tried installing on ESXI 5.5 HP Enterprise and it said incompatible hardward. Need 10/11.
Lilian July 9, 2018 at 1:23 am · Edit

Is it the same with USG?
Justin Paul July 9, 2018 at 9:23 am · Edit

USG, Unifi Security Gateway, is a router that is managed by the Unifi Controller software (which is what this appliance is). the USG does NOT include Unifi Controller, so you must get a Cloud Key, run a windows or linux controller or sign up for the Unifi Enterprise offering.
Fabrizio Saglio August 24, 2018 at 12:27 pm · Edit

updating constantly hangs at 28% on esxi 6.7, i tried it several times
Justin Paul August 25, 2018 at 3:05 pm · Edit

I’m not running vsphere 6.7 yet so i probably cant be much help troubleshooting that issue.
Charles Crisham August 26, 2018 at 4:35 pm · Edit

Any way to you can make it with a larger hard drive. Or how would I expand the partition once I have it up and running.
Badbread August 29, 2018 at 11:41 pm · Edit

Working great for me here on 6.7

Thanks for this, awesome job!
Vinc Duran September 7, 2018 at 5:56 pm · Edit

Nicholas Golob, were you able to get past the “need 10/11” error? I have the same error on HP ESXi.
Justin Paul September 7, 2018 at 6:00 pm · Edit

Hey Vinc are you on 6.7 or what version of esxi? I just got the HP roll of 6.7 on a blade and can test this weekend
Vinc Duran September 7, 2018 at 6:05 pm · Edit

Hi, I’m on 5.5.0 from HP’s download site. Thanks
Nicholas Golob September 7, 2018 at 7:22 pm · Edit

Hey Vic I was never able to get it fixed, I ended up making one from turnkey linux core. Thanks Justin for all your hard work on this!
Jaco De Bruyn September 19, 2018 at 12:07 pm · Edit

Thank you for this. Converted to Hyper-V and works after editing the network interfaces file a bit.
Sebastian September 22, 2018 at 5:28 am · Edit

Hi Justin,
converted via vboxmanage from ova to vmdx and imported into Windows Server 2016 Hyper-V. After renaming the netrwork interface from ens32 to eth0, everything works like a charme. Even updateing Ubunto and Unifi Controller. Thank you very much. Love our appliance!

Kindly from Berlin, Germany
Noman October 18, 2018 at 6:34 am · Edit

How can I startup this kick ass menu after login?
Justin Paul October 18, 2018 at 7:40 am · Edit

when the virtual machine boots the menu should be running on the console of the virtual machine.
Sam Lam November 2, 2018 at 12:14 am · Edit

Hi, Thank you for you work, But I got a problems, when I choose update Unifi Application, after the update it failed to start up the web GUI, I remember when I update the application it asked me to backup the application itself, May I know how can I restore the back up from the Bash shell? I already search the Unifi forum but those method seems not working, would you please suggest what can I do, Thank you again!
Justin Paul November 2, 2018 at 8:00 am · Edit

Let me deploy a new one today, ill update the post if needed and drop you a note when Im done.
Sam Lam November 3, 2018 at 4:12 am · Edit

Thank you for you kindly help !
gil November 18, 2018 at 6:16 am · Edit

Hi Justin, Thanks for the great work !!

One thing that doesnt work for me is the cloud access. My guess is that it has somthign to do with the Esxi firewall.
Any expirience with connecting to clount from virtual host ?

THANKS
Jesper November 23, 2018 at 10:17 am · Edit

Hi Justin

Just found your project and I looks cool. Does it support vpn, s2s and p2s?
/Jesper
Justin Paul November 25, 2018 at 9:50 am · Edit

this is just the controller. what you do with VPN, etc is up to you.
smgj November 30, 2018 at 6:55 am · Edit

Hi!
Tanks for making this.

Ran into “running out of storage” on your v2.
some scripts for cleaning out apt and manipulating/prune mongodb would be nice. I’m not a huge *nix user and found it hard to do. 😀 (Had to change mongodb to smallfiles before bruning.)

Again – love your work with this.
/Selma
Brian December 1, 2018 at 1:22 am · Edit

Hi Justin, thanks for this awesome appliance. I’ve been running your 2.0 version for almost a year and it is very stable. So, how can I upgrade to the new-and-improved 3.0 appliance? Just shutdown the old one and deploy the new one?

Thanks,
Brian
Justin Paul December 1, 2018 at 11:54 am · Edit

Brian, I havent tested this, but if you upgrade the one you have now to the latest unifi, then export the config, you should be able to deploy the new appliance and apply the config to it.

Its been a while since i worked on this, but im sure there is a way to apply the menu to the older appliance, but i havent tested it.
Pingback: Ubiquiti Unifi Virtual Appliance | Justin's IT Blog
Matthew January 4, 2019 at 8:57 pm · Edit

To help anyone converting to Hyper-V. Steps I used are download 7zip and extract the .ova file. Then use the Starwind V2 Image converter to convert the vdmk to a vhdx. Then you can attach that to a VM you create.
Once up in running you need to change the interface.

Edit the /etc/network/interfaces file and replace all occurrences of the old name esn32 with the new one eth0:

# sudo nano /etc/network/interfaces
Justin Paul January 4, 2019 at 9:14 pm · Edit

Hey Matt sorry I didn’t get back to you earlier. I’m on pto this week and my internet access has been limited quite a bit
stevekwok (@stevekwok) January 10, 2019 at 9:52 am · Edit

It is good. It will be better to have an interface to add SSL cert. Thanks!
Michael February 22, 2019 at 9:12 am · Edit

This looks great, but the link appears broken. I’d very much like to check it out, any chance of it coming back?
Mike D February 23, 2019 at 10:41 pm · Edit

been using 2.0 for awhile, 3.0 looks great but the link is dead. Any chance we can get a new one 🙂
Justin Paul February 24, 2019 at 2:24 pm · Edit

Mike, I have updated the appliance this weekend for Ubuntu 18.04 along with the latest Unifi.

Sorry for the downtime, but the links should be good to go now! Also note that I pushed a sha256 and sha1 version this time to make it easier for those with older VMware hosts.
Gurv February 28, 2019 at 7:30 am · Edit

Thank you very much for this new release. Works like a charm. Just had to retrieve the backup from v3 appliance and import it in the v3.1
Do you think we could perform a release upgrade to 18.10 or better leave it in 18.04 ?
Thomas Richter (@thomasesr) March 2, 2019 at 2:25 pm · Edit

how can I configure the management NIC to use VLAN ID tag from the console interface?
Justin Paul March 3, 2019 at 10:03 am · Edit

My console interface only configured the untagged NIC IP. you will need to manually modify the interfaces file in order to setup a tagged interface.
Mick March 6, 2019 at 1:39 pm · Edit

Hi Great App installs really quickly, I have a problem when trying to change the IP address it lets me enter the address but then keeps prompting for subnet enter 255.255.255.0 if i enter this once and then return past the next it gives errors on lines 28, 56, 118, 124 and the IP doesnt change is this something that i am doing wrong thanks in advance
Justin Paul March 6, 2019 at 1:41 pm · Edit

I believe it asks for the mask bits. Meaning 24 not 255.255.255.0
secbitchris March 6, 2019 at 1:46 pm · Edit

Hi, do the scripts update the controller too? Is there an upgrade path to 5.10.19?
Mick March 6, 2019 at 4:18 pm · Edit

Hi Justin – as soon as i hit post i realised my error thanks for the reply 🙂
Donald March 11, 2019 at 6:56 pm · Edit

Loves this v3. Ran better than my cloud key. But my controller wont start. I am trying to repair and shrink the database but I don’t know the Ubuntu admin password to shut down the unifi service. Any help would be much appreciated. I am dead with multiple sites to be reprogrammed and 2 new ones to install.