Unifi Camera Won't Sync: Troubleshooting Syncing Issues

Understanding the Unifi Syncing and Adoption Process

For your Unifi camera to work, it must first successfully connect, or "sync," with your Unifi Protect controller. This process is called "adoption." When it works, it's a seamless experience. When it fails, it can be a source of major frustration, leaving you with a camera that is powered on but completely unusable.

If you're facing an adoption failure or a camera that constantly disconnects, this guide will walk you through the most common causes and how to resolve them.

Common Symptoms of Syncing Failures

• Adoption Failed: You see this explicit error message in the Unifi Protect interface.
• Managed by Other: The camera is visible but cannot be adopted because it's tied to a different controller.
• Camera Disconnecting: The camera adopts successfully but then randomly disconnects and reconnects.
• Stuck on 'Adopting': The process starts but never completes, remaining in an 'Adopting' loop.
• Camera Not Appearing: The camera doesn't even show up as an adoptable device.

Step-by-Step Troubleshooting for Syncing Issues

Let's systematically troubleshoot the problem, starting with the most likely culprits.

Step 1: Perform a Factory Reset

If the camera was ever connected to a different Unifi Protect controller, or if it's in a strange state from a failed adoption, you must factory reset it.

1. Ensure the Camera is Powered On: The camera needs to be fully booted up.
2. Locate the Reset Button: This is usually a small, recessed button near the ethernet port or under a cover. You will need a paperclip or a similar tool to press it.
3. Press and Hold: Press and hold the reset button firmly for at least 10-15 seconds.
4. Observe the LED: The camera's status LED should change its pattern or colour to indicate that it is resetting and then rebooting into its factory default state.
5. Attempt Adoption Again: Once the camera has rebooted, it should appear in your controller as 'Ready to Adopt'.

Step 2: Verify Network Configuration

Network issues are the number one cause of adoption failures.

1. Confirm Same Subnet/VLAN:
   • For automatic discovery to work, your Unifi camera and your Unifi Protect controller must be on the same Layer 2 network (i.e., the same subnet and VLAN).
   • If your controller is on VLAN 10 and your camera is on VLAN 20, they will not be able to see each other for adoption. Temporarily move the camera to the same VLAN as the controller to adopt it.
2. Check Physical Connections:
   • Bad Cable: A faulty ethernet cable can cause intermittent connectivity that allows the camera to power up but prevents a stable data link for adoption. Replace the cable with a known-good one, even if the old one "looks" fine.
   • Bad Port: Try plugging the camera into a different PoE port on your switch to rule out a single faulty port.
3. Disable Advanced Network Features (Temporarily):
   • Some advanced features like 'Spanning Tree Protocol' (STP), 'Port Security', or custom firewall rules can sometimes interfere with the adoption process. Try temporarily disabling these on the port the camera is connected to and see if the adoption succeeds.

Step 3: Advanced Troubleshooting

If the basics have failed, you may need to use more advanced methods.

1. Check Controller and Camera IP Addresses:
   • Log in to your Unifi Network controller and find the IP address that has been assigned to the camera.
   • Ensure it has a valid IP address from your network's DHCP server.
   • Try to 'ping' the camera's IP address from a computer on the same network. If it doesn't respond to a ping, there is a fundamental connectivity issue.
2. Manual Adoption via SSH (for advanced users):
   • If the camera has an IP address but won't adopt, you can force the adoption manually.
   • You will need to SSH into the camera (the default credentials are often ubnt/ubnt or root/ubnt).
   • Once logged in, you can use the set-inform command to manually tell the camera the IP address of your Unifi Protect controller. The command looks like this: set-inform http://CONTROLLER_IP:7442/inform
   • After running the command, the camera should appear in your controller for adoption. You may need to run the command a second time after clicking 'Adopt'.

By methodically working through these steps, you can solve the vast majority of Unifi camera syncing and adoption problems.