How to adopt a UniFi Gateway into a Hosted Controller

If you’re managing a UniFi network remotely using a hosted controller, and you’ve just unboxed your UniFi Security Gateway (USG), UniFi Dream Machine (UDM), or UniFi Gateway Console (UXG), you might be wondering, how do I get this thing talking to my cloud controller?

Whether your controller is self-hosted on a VPS or running through a provider like UniHosted, this guide walks you through everything you need to get your UniFi Gateway connected, adopted, and managed, no matter where you are.

Let's dive in!

Before we dive in, please don't self-host your UniFi Controller if you take care of client networks. Sooner or later this will cause issues! It's fine for home users, but definitely not recommended for IT service businesses and MSPs. If you want secure, reliable and a scalable hosting solution check out UniHosted.

What Is a UniFi Gateway?

A UniFi Gateway (like the USG, UDM, or UXG) acts as the router and firewall in your UniFi network. It handles:

  • DHCP
  • Routing
  • Firewalling
  • VLANs
  • VPN
  • Threat detection (on some models)

It’s the foundation of any UniFi setup. When paired with a UniFi controller, even a remote one, it gives you total control over your network’s behavior.

Why Use a Hosted Controller?

A hosted controller lets you manage your entire UniFi setup remotely without any on-prem controller hardware. That means:

  • No Cloud Key to maintain
  • Centralized control over multiple sites
  • Easier updates and backups
  • Remote adoption of UniFi devices

If you’re running networks for clients or multiple branches, a hosted controller is simply more practical.

What You Need Before You Start

To connect your UniFi Gateway to a hosted controller, you’ll need:

  • A UniFi Gateway (USG, UDM, UXG, etc.)
  • Internet access at the site
  • A hosted UniFi controller running and accessible (with IP or domain name)
  • Controller credentials (or access to invite a site admin)
  • Basic network knowledge

If you’re using a Dream Machine (especially the UDM or UDM Pro), keep in mind that those act as controllers themselves, so connecting them to another controller isn’t typical. For full integration with a remote controller, use a USG or UXG.

Step 1: Set Up Your Hosted Controller

Your hosted controller must be up and running. Here’s what it should have:

  • Static IP or Domain Name (like controller.example.com)
  • TCP Ports 8080 & 8443 open and accessible
  • SSL certificate installed (optional, but nice for HTTPS)
  • A site already created for this UniFi Gateway (e.g., “Office A”)

Providers like UniHosted offer ready-to-go setups that meet all these conditions.

Step 2: Power On and Connect Your Gateway

Plug in your UniFi Gateway:

  • WAN Port: Connect to your internet modem/router
  • LAN Port: Connect to your switch or local network
  • Let it boot up (takes 2–5 minutes)

Make sure it has internet access. You can connect a laptop directly to a LAN port to test connectivity.

Step 3: SSH Into the UniFi Gateway

To tell the gateway where to “find” your hosted controller, you’ll need to SSH into the device and manually set the inform URL.

Default SSH credentials:

  • Username: ubnt
  • Password: ubnt (or whatever was set previously)

Find the gateway’s IP on your local network (check your modem/router’s DHCP leases).

Then, open Terminal (Mac/Linux) or PuTTY (Windows):

bash
ssh ubnt@192.168.1.1

Once inside, run this command:

bash
set-inform http://your-controller-ip:8080/inform

Replace your-controller-ip with your hosted controller's public IP or domain.

This tells the gateway to report to your hosted controller.

Step 4: Adopt the Gateway in the Controller

Head back to your UniFi controller’s dashboard:

  • Go to the correct site
  • You should see the UniFi Gateway listed as Pending Adoption
  • Click Adopt

The process takes a few minutes. During adoption, firmware may update, and the device will reboot once or twice.

Step 5: Set Up WAN and LAN Interfaces

Once adopted, configure your gateway’s interfaces:

WAN Interface:

  • DHCP (default)
  • Static IP (if your ISP gave you one)
  • PPPoE (if required by your ISP)

LAN Interface:

  • Set the internal subnet (e.g., 192.168.10.1/24)
  • Enable DHCP (if the gateway will serve IP addresses)
  • Configure VLANs, firewall rules, etc.

All of this is done in Settings → Networks in the controller UI.

Step 6: Test the Connection

With everything up and running:

  • Plug in a client device to the LAN port or connect via a UniFi switch
  • Confirm IP address matches your LAN subnet
  • Try accessing websites
  • Check the UniFi controller for live client data
  • Confirm CPU/memory stats show up on the Gateway’s device panel

If all looks good—you’re live!

Bonus: Setup Dynamic DNS (DDNS) for Easier Management

If your controller or site has a dynamic public IP, set up DDNS:

  • Go to Settings → Services → Dynamic DNS
  • Choose your provider (e.g., No-IP, DynDNS)
  • Add your credentials and hostname

This ensures your gateway can always find the controller—even if your public IP changes.

Troubleshooting Tips

Problem Likely Cause Solution
Gateway not showing in UI Inform URL not set, or ports blocked Re-run set-inform, check firewall ports
Can't SSH into Gateway Wrong IP, credentials changed Reset device and retry
Controller not reachable Controller IP/domain not public, port 8080 closed Open firewall, use port forwarding, or use DDNS
Gateway stuck in adopting Slow connection or firmware mismatch Wait 5 mins, then reboot gateway
Adoption fails repeatedly Old firmware, or inform URL points to wrong site Reset gateway and re-do set-inform

Real-World Example: Remote Office Setup

Let’s say you manage a business with multiple remote branches. Your hosted controller (e.g., on UniHosted) lives at https://myunifi.network.

You ship a UniFi USG to a branch in Mumbai. A local technician plugs it in and tells you the IP. You SSH in remotely, run set-inform http://myunifi.network:8080/inform, and boom—it shows up on your controller dashboard in Delhi.

You adopt it, assign it to the “Mumbai Office” site, configure DHCP and VLANs remotely, and even push out policies like guest firewall rules and port forwarding. That’s the power of hosted UniFi management.

Final Thoughts

Connecting a UniFi Gateway to a hosted controller sounds technical, but once you understand how the “inform” URL works, it’s straightforward. Whether you're managing a single office or deploying gateways across a country, this method scales beautifully.

And if you’d rather not deal with hosting, firewalls, and port forwarding, we’ve got you covered at Unihosted. We run fully managed, secure, and scalable UniFi controllers for businesses of all sizes. Just power up your UniFi Gateway, and we’ll help you do the rest.