How to customize UniFi Controller settings: Time, Date, Timezone, IP Address: A step by step guide

Customizing the UniFi Controller settings is a great way of aligning specific network requirements and operational standards. This is especially useful for MSPs or IT-service businesses managing multiple networks at scale.

Adjusting settings such as time, date, timezone, and IP address makes for easier management and troubleshooting.

In this article, I'll go through the process of customizing these settings within your UniFi Controller.

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.

Table of Contents

• Setting Time, Date, and Timezone
• Configuring IP Address settings
• Best Practices for UniFi Controller Configuration
• Final thoughts

Setting Time, Date, and Timezone

Correctly setting the time, date, and timezone in your UniFi Controller helps with accurate logging, scheduling, and network operations. Here's how to adjust these settings:

1. Access the UniFi Controller: Log in to your UniFi Controller through the web interface.

2. Navigate to System Settings: Look for the 'Settings' or 'System Settings' section, which is typically found in the bottom left corner of the UniFi Controller interface.

3. Adjust Time and Date Settings: Within the system settings, locate the 'Time and Date' configuration options. Here, you can set the current time and date, ensuring that all network events are accurately timestamped.

4. Set the Timezone: It's essential to select the correct timezone for your location to ensure that time-based operations (like scheduled reboots or Wi-Fi access restrictions) function correctly. Select your timezone from the provided list.

5. Apply Changes: After making your adjustments, be sure to save or apply the changes to update the system settings.

Configuring IP Address settings

Customizing the IP address settings of your UniFi Controller is important for network integration and accessibility. Here's how to configure these settings:

1. Determine the Controller's Host Device: If your UniFi Controller is hosted on a cloud service, the IP address configuration might be managed through the cloud provider's dashboard. For locally hosted controllers, you'll need to access the host device's network settings.

2. Static IP Assignment: Assigning a static IP address to the host device of your UniFi Controller ensures consistent access to the Controller interface. This can usually be done through the host device's network settings or the DHCP server on your network by reserving an IP address for the host device's MAC address.

3. Update Controller Settings: If the UniFi Controller's IP address changes, update any network devices (like DNS servers or DHCP options) that need to know the Controller's address for management or provisioning purposes.

4. Secure Remote Access: When changing IP settings, consider the implications for remote access. If you're accessing the Controller remotely, ensure that any necessary firewall rules or VPN settings are updated to allow access to the new IP address.

Best Practices for UniFi Controller Configuration

• Regularly Review Settings: Periodically review and update your UniFi Controller settings to make sure they remain aligned with your network requirements.

• Backup Your Controller: Before making any changes, back up your UniFi Controller settings to prevent data loss and ensure a quick recovery in case of configuration issues.

• Security Considerations: When adjusting IP address settings, always consider the security implications. Ensure that your network is protected against unauthorized access by implementing strong firewall rules and secure authentication methods.

Final thoughts

Customizing the UniFi Controller settings such as time, date, timezone, and IP address improves your network management capabilities. Especially, MSPs handling multiple networks and looking for scalability and efficiency in their operations, these are handy configurations.

You make sure that your UniFi deployments are accurately configured and integrated into your environment correctly. At UniHosted, we all here for efficient network management. Our cloud-hosted UniFi Controller services facilitate optimal performance and reliability.

If you would like me to personally walk you through UniHosted, you can schedule a call with me here.