How to Adopt a UniFi Protect Camera Over Teleport
UniFi Protect Teleport lets a camera at one site record over the internet to a Cloud Gateway or NVR at another site. Teleport adoption arrived in UniFi Protect 7.3 (official UniFi article). There is no site-to-site VPN to build, no recorder needed at the remote location, and no additional licenses or subscriptions.
It is a strong fit for multi-site businesses: remote parking lots, storage yards, small branches, and any location where a local recorder does not make sense. The camera goes on the wall, and the footage lands on the NVR you already manage.
We just staged a brand-new G6 Turret for a remote site. Here is the exact flow we used, step by step.
A brand-new G6 Turret, ready for staging.
What you need
- A Teleport-ready camera: G6 series (not G6 Edge), AI series, or Doorbell Lite
- Camera firmware 5.5.29 or later
- A destination Cloud Gateway with Teleport turned on, running UniFi OS 6.0.9+ and Protect 7.3.68+ (a public WAN IP on that gateway is recommended)
- Recording to a separate NVR? Both devices need the right versions: the Dream Machine (the gateway running Teleport) on UniFi OS 6.0.9+, and the NVR on UniFi OS 6.0.9+ with Protect 7.3.68+
- The UniFi Protect mobile app (iOS 3.12+ or Android 3.9+)
- Admin access on the Cloud Gateway (and on the NVR, if it is the recording target)
Step 1. Check the firmware out of the box
Cameras ship with the firmware they were built with. Ours came on 5.0.83, so it needed an update to 5.5.29 or later before Teleport adoption. Connect the camera to your staging network and check its version first.
Out of the box and connected to our staging network.
Out-of-box firmware: 5.0.83.
Step 2. Update the camera on a local Protect console
A direct download link for the Teleport-ready camera firmware (5.5.29 or later) is not published yet. For now, this firmware is delivered through Protect, so the first step is to update the camera at a site that has a Protect console: adopt it there and let Protect update it to the latest version. Ours went from 5.0.83 to 5.5.31 in about two minutes.
That makes the full flow simple. Update the camera at a site with a Protect console, remove it from that console (Step 3), and then take it to the remote site, where no console is needed. Install the camera there and adopt it to the remote console with the Protect app on your phone over Teleport (Step 5).
Adopted on a local console, with Protect updating the firmware.
Updated to 5.5.31, ready for Teleport.
Coming soon: Once Ubiquiti publishes a direct download link for the Teleport-ready firmware, the whole process gets even easier. You will be able to update the camera right at the installation site, with no console needed. We will update this article as soon as the link is published.
Step 3. Remove it from the local console
Once the camera is on 5.5.29 or later, open it in Protect, go to Manage, and choose Remove. This takes it off the console and restores factory settings in one step, so it is ready for Teleport adoption at its new home.
Manage, then Remove: off the console and factory reset in one step.
Step 4. Check the destination site
Before anyone drives to the remote site, confirm the destination is on the right versions and Teleport is turned on. If the site records to a separate NVR, check both the Dream Machine and the NVR, not just one of them. In our case both were on UniFi OS 6.0.11, with Protect 7.3.70 on the NVR.
The recording NVR: UniFi OS 6.0.11 and Protect 7.3.70.
The Dream Machine (Teleport gateway): UniFi OS 6.0.11.
Teleport turned on under Settings, VPN, VPN Server.
Step 5. Install it at the remote site and adopt over Teleport
- Mount and connect the camera at the remote site.
- Connect your phone, with the Protect app, to the same local network as the camera.
- Wait for the camera to appear for adoption.
- Pick the remote recording destination and tap Adopt.
Adopting over Teleport from the Protect app, with the remote NVR selected.
Step 6. Confirm recording
Check live view and make sure new footage is landing on the destination console or NVR. Ours came online in a few minutes, showing Connection: Teleport, 4K at 30 fps, and recording continuously to the NVR at the other site.
Live over Teleport: online, 4K at 30 fps, firmware 5.5.31.
Why pre-stage Teleport cameras
Every step above except the final adoption can happen at our bench, not in the field. When we pre-stage, cameras arrive on site already on Teleport-ready firmware, factory reset, and matched to a destination we have already checked. The on-site work comes down to mounting, connecting, and adopting.
- Cameras arrive ready. Firmware is updated and verified before anything ships.
- Less time on site. No waiting on updates at a remote lot or yard.
- Fewer surprises. Destination versions and Teleport settings are confirmed before install day.
This is where working across the whole UniFi stack helps. Network, Protect, Access, and Talk all touch a multi-site rollout, and we build each design around the specific client's sites and needs.
FAQ
What is UniFi Protect Teleport adoption?
Teleport adoption, introduced in UniFi Protect 7.3, lets a supported camera at one site adopt and record to a Cloud Gateway or NVR at another site over the internet. There is no site-to-site VPN to build and no recorder needed at the remote location.
Which cameras support Teleport adoption?
G6 series cameras (not the G6 Edge), AI series cameras, and the Doorbell Lite. The camera needs firmware 5.5.29 or later. Teleport-ready firmware is delivered through Protect, so we update cameras on a local console before they ship to site.
Can I update the camera firmware without a Protect console?
The Teleport-ready firmware (5.5.29 or later) is currently delivered through Protect, and a direct download link is not published yet. So we update the camera at a site that has a Protect console, then install it at the remote site and adopt it to the remote console with the Protect app over Teleport. Once Ubiquiti publishes the direct link, you will be able to update the camera right at the installation site without a console. We will update this article when the link is published.
What does the destination site need?
A Cloud Gateway with Teleport turned on, running UniFi OS 6.0.9 or later and Protect 7.3.68 or later. A public WAN IP on that gateway is recommended. If footage records to a separate NVR, the NVR also needs UniFi OS 6.0.9 or later with Protect 7.3.68 or later.
Are additional licenses or subscriptions required?
No. Teleport adoption does not require any additional licenses or subscriptions.
Is two-way audio available over Teleport?
Two-way audio is not supported over a Teleport connection. If talk-back is part of the plan for a location, we account for it during design so every camera is matched to its role.
How long does Teleport adoption take?
On our run, the firmware update on the local console took about two minutes, and after adoption at the remote site the camera came online in a few minutes.
Planning a multi-site rollout?
YesTechie is a Certified Ubiquiti UniFi Professional Integrator and California C-7 low-voltage contractor based in Panorama City, Los Angeles. We pre-stage, update, and deploy Teleport cameras for multi-site UniFi Protect projects, so every camera arrives on site ready to adopt.
