My current setup has my DHCP + DNS on my Unifi USG. However, as I have all my apps hosted on a different server (unifi, plex, home assistant, NAS, etc.) I’ve ran into issues trying to get things set up.

Basically, Unifi needs to know where the unifi server is, but it’s assigning the IP address to it.

Should I put DHCP+DNS onto it’s own system? Should I put it on my current server? And any non-Pi recommendations for systems? (I’ve had the PI filesystem clobber itself too many times)

Edit: I’m starting to think that the real problem is having UNIFI on the same system as the server, as it prevents me reconfiguring any of the server routing information without also disconnecting unifi…

Edit 2: I’m going to try switching the server from a static DHCP lease to a static IP. If that’s doesn’t work, then I think I’ll move the unifi server onto it’s own system. Thanks!

  • Ecclestoned@lemmy.world
    OPEnglish
    1·
    6 months ago

    So this is where I’m a little confused. The USG had the option to assign a static IP (which I’ve done), but if you ever need to CHANGE that IP… Chaos. From what I understand the USG needs to propagate that IP to all your devices, but it uses the controller to do that. Then you also run into issues with IP leases having to time out. Same problem occurs if I ever upgrade my server and change out the MAC address. Because now the IP is assigned to the old MAC.

    I’m not sure if there’s any way around this. But it basically locks me in to keeping the controller (and thus my server) at a single, fixed IP, without any chance of changing it.

    • farcaller@fstab.shEnglish
      1·
      6 months ago

      Here’s how it works: unifi devices need to communicate with the controller over tcp/8080 to maintain their provisioned state. By default, the controller adopts the device with http://controller-ip:8080/inform, which means that if you ever change the controller IP, you’ll must adopt your devices again.

      There are several other ways to adopt the device, most notably using the DHCP option 43 and using DNS. Of those, setting up DNS is generally easier. You’d provision the DNS to point at your controller and then update the inform address on all your devices (including the USG).

      Now, there’s still a problem of keeping your controller IP and DNS address in sync. Unifi, generally, doesn’t do DNS names for its DHCP leases, and devices can’t use mDNS, so you’ll have to figure a solution for that. Or, you can just cut it short and make sure the controller has a static IP―not a static DHCP lease, but literally, a static address. It allows your controller to function autonomously from USG, as long as your devices don’t reach to it across VLANs.

      • Ecclestoned@lemmy.world
        OPEnglish
        1·
        6 months ago

        make are the controller gas a static IP – not a static DHCP lease

        Ahhh that makes complete sense. I’ll look into it. Thanks!