--- title: "AmpliFi login, restart, updates and UPnP: a practical guide" url: "https://kilobat.app/routers/amplifi" description: "Manage an AmpliFi Alien, HD or Instant: the app and amplifi.lan, restart, firmware, devices, UPnP, QoS, channels, guest Wi-Fi, DNS and diagnostics." --- Mesh system · Ubiquiti # AmpliFi login, restart, updates and UPnP AmpliFi is Ubiquiti’s consumer mesh Wi-Fi line, with a touchscreen router and MeshPoints. You manage it mainly in the AmpliFi app; a web interface at amplifi.lan covers setup and a few advanced options. AmpliFi Sign in `amplifi.lan` App The AmpliFi app (iOS and Android) Password There is no password on a label. You set the admin password during setup. By default it is the same as the Wi-Fi password, and you can change it separately. Models AmpliFi Alien, AmpliFi HD, AmpliFi HD Mesh Router, AmpliFi Instant, AmpliFi HD Gamer’s Edition, AmpliFi MeshPoint HD **Checked 1 November 2026.** AmpliFi Alien (firmware 4.0.x) and AmpliFi HD, Instant and Gamer’s Edition (firmware 4.0.x), with the AmpliFi app for iOS and Android (menus as of 2026). Android and iOS show some screens slightly differently. ## Sign in to the AmpliFi The app is the main tool. The web interface works from a Mac or Windows PC on the AmpliFi network. 1. Join the AmpliFi Wi-Fi or plug the Mac into the router. 2. Open `http://amplifi.lan` in a browser, or the router’s IP address. 3. To find the IP address, tap the router’s touchscreen until it appears. 4. Click the router in the middle of the page and enter the admin password. 5. To change that password, open the app, tap the router icon, then **General › Change password**. There is no password recovery. Try the Wi-Fi password first. Otherwise, press the **Reset** button under the router with a paperclip for about 5 seconds (10 on the Alien) until the screen shows “Rebooting”. This erases all settings, so reset MeshPoints first if you have a kit. ## Restart it properly 1. Open the AmpliFi app and tap the router icon. 2. Tap **General** and scroll down to **Actions**. 3. Tap **Reboot**. The network drops until the router is back up. Don’t use the reset button to restart: holding it is a factory reset. Unplugging the router, waiting a few seconds and plugging it back in is AmpliFi’s own advice when it loses the modem. ### Restart a MeshPoint 1. In the app, tap the MeshPoint you want to restart. 2. Under **Actions**, tap **Reboot**. ### Schedule a restart AmpliFi’s help centre documents no scheduled restart. **Kilobat can help.** Kilobat Pro’s [router check-up](https://kilobat.app/docs/home-network#router-checkup) learns how fast this router usually answers, says when a restart is due, and checks the next day whether it helped. ## Update the firmware 1. Open the AmpliFi app and tap the router icon. 2. Under the **Information** section, tap **Update**. 3. If a newer version exists, the app offers it; tap **Update All** to update the router and MeshPoints. 4. To see the installed version, open **About** and read **Device Information**. The router reboots during an update. In the web interface, **Support** offers a roll-back to the previous version and manual uploads at `http://amplifi.lan/sysupdate.php`. The Alien cannot roll back. ## See connected devices 1. Open the AmpliFi app and tap the **Family** tab (**Devices** in some app versions). 2. The list shows each device’s name, band and live traffic. 3. Tap a device, then **Client Details**, for its IP address, MAC address, signal and the router or MeshPoint it uses. 4. Tap the pause button next to a device to cut its internet access. **Kilobat can help.** Kilobat’s [new-device alerts](https://kilobat.app/docs/home-network#new-devices) tell you when a device you haven’t seen joins your home Wi-Fi. **Tools › Devices** lists what answers on the network, and you can name each one. ## UPnP and port forwarding AmpliFi supports UPnP, and it is on by default. 1. Open the AmpliFi app and tap the router icon. 2. Under **Settings**, tap **Internet**. 3. Turn **UPnP** on or off, then tap ✓ to save. UPnP lets any app or device on your network open ports in the firewall without asking. Turn it off if nothing you use needs it. In bridge mode, UPnP, port forwarding, QoS and DNS settings all disappear. ### NAT-PMP AmpliFi’s help centre and user guide don’t mention NAT-PMP; only UPnP and port forwarding are documented. ### Port forwarding instead 1. Tap the router icon, then **Port Forwarding** under **Advanced**. 2. Tap **+**, enter the device’s IP address, ports and protocol, then tap ✓. **Kilobat can help.** On supported routers, Kilobat’s [call reports](https://kilobat.app/video-calls) can read available traffic counters, read-only, to identify another device that was busy when a call froze. Correlation does not prove the cause. Kilobat never opens ports. ## Prioritise calls and gaming AmpliFi QoS gives a Wi-Fi device one of three priorities. Wired devices already get priority over wireless ones. 1. Open the AmpliFi app and tap the **Devices** (or **Family**) tab. 2. Tap the wireless device you want to change. 3. Choose **Gaming** (highest), **Streaming** or **Normal** (no priority). 4. Tap ✓ to save. A small icon under the name confirms the setting. On the Alien and Gamer’s Edition, **Latency Optimization** in the web interface caps each device’s speed to reduce lag spikes. QoS is not available in bridge mode. **Kilobat can help.** Run Kilobat’s [stutter test](https://kilobat.app/guides/recipes/test-call-stutter) before and after you change priorities, to see whether calls really got smoother. ## 2.4 and 5 GHz, and the channel The main network uses one name for 2.4 and 5 GHz, with **Band Steering** on by default. 1. Open the AmpliFi app, tap the router icon, then **Wireless**. 2. On an Alien, turn off **Common SSID Name** to give each band its own name. 3. On HD, Instant or Gamer’s Edition, turn on a band under **Router Additional SSID** instead. 4. Add the same extra SSID to each MeshPoint, or it only works near the router. 5. Tap ✓ to save. Extra SSIDs use the main Wi-Fi password. ### Change the channel 1. Tap the router icon, then **Wireless**. 2. Scroll down and tap **Advanced**. 3. Turn off **Automatic** for 2.4 or 5 GHz and pick a channel and width. 4. Tap ✓ to save. Channels can only be changed in the app, not in the web interface. **Kilobat can help.** Kilobat shows which band and channel your Mac is on, and `kilobat channels` suggests the least crowded channel. More in [crowded Wi-Fi channels](https://kilobat.app/guides/wifi-channel-congestion) and [Wi-Fi on a Mac](https://kilobat.app/wifi-analyzer-mac). ## Mesh: which node a device uses You can’t pin a device to one MeshPoint on the main network. AmpliFi moves devices itself. 1. To favour the router, tap the router icon, then **Wireless**, and turn on **Router Steering**. 2. To see where a device is connected, open its **Client Details** and read **Access Point**. 3. To change a MeshPoint’s link to the router, tap the MeshPoint and choose 2.4 or 5 GHz from the drop-down. 4. Tap ✓ to save. AmpliFi suggests 2.4 GHz for MeshPoints far from the router. Router steering is off by default; turn it off again if speeds get worse. **Kilobat can help.** When your Mac moves to another node or band, Kilobat’s Health says so, so a weaker node isn’t taken for a router problem. See [find a better Wi-Fi spot](https://kilobat.app/guides/recipes/find-better-wifi-spot). ## Guest network 1. Open the AmpliFi app and tap the **Guest** tab. 2. Set how many guests may join and for how long. 3. Tap **Start**, or **Always on** to leave it running. 4. To name it or add a password, tap the guest network bar and edit the **Guest** section, then tap ✓. The guest network has no password by default; choose WPA2 PSK. Guests can’t reach your main network but are not isolated from each other. For smart-home gear, the **IoT Network** switch under **Wireless** creates a separate isolated SSID. **Kilobat can help.** Kilobat can show a network as a QR code, so guests join with their phone’s camera: [share Wi-Fi with a QR code](https://kilobat.app/guides/recipes/share-wifi-qr-code). ## DNS settings 1. Open the AmpliFi app and tap the router icon. 2. Under **Settings**, tap **Internet**. 3. Enter the primary and secondary DNS addresses. They look greyed out but can be edited. 4. Tap ✓ to save, then reconnect your devices to pick up the change. DNS can’t be changed in bridge mode. The web interface adds **Bypass DNS cache** and a DNS-based **Ad Blocker**. **Kilobat can help.** Before you change DNS, [compare resolvers with Kilobat](https://kilobat.app/guides/recipes/pick-faster-dns) to see which answers fastest from your home. ## Connection status and logs 1. Open the AmpliFi app. The dashboard shows network status, connected devices and live speeds. 2. Open **Diagnose** to check the modem link, IP address, gateway, DNS, internet and MeshPoints. 3. Tap **Speed Test** to test the line between your provider and the router. 4. Tap the router, then the **Health** icon, for seven days of traffic and past speed tests. The router’s touchscreen also shows live speeds and usage. AmpliFi has no event log you can read; **Support Info** only builds an encrypted file for Ubiquiti support. **Kilobat can help.** When the line keeps dropping, Kilobat’s [provider report](https://kilobat.app/docs/health#report) lists outages, latency and speed tests against your plan, ready to send to your provider. ## Manuals and downloads - [AmpliFi User Guide](https://amplifi.com/user-guide/) Links go to the maker’s own pages. ## Questions **Is AmpliFi still getting updates?** Ubiquiti’s release notes list firmware 4.0.3 (May 2024) for HD, Instant and Gamer’s Edition, and 4.0.6 (January 2025) for the Alien. The UK Alien’s stated support period ran until 31 January 2026. **Should AmpliFi sit behind my provider’s router?** Only if the provider box is in bridge mode. If it still routes, AmpliFi suggests putting AmpliFi in bridge mode instead, which turns off UPnP, QoS, DNS and port forwarding on AmpliFi. ## Sources - [AmpliFi Help Center: Does AmpliFi have a web interface?](https://help.amplifi.com/hc/en-us/articles/220978907-Does-AmpliFi-have-a-web-interface) - [AmpliFi Help Center: Changing the Admin Password](https://help.amplifi.com/hc/en-us/articles/219046397-Changing-the-Admin-Password) - [AmpliFi Help Center: Troubleshooting: Lost Password](https://help.amplifi.com/hc/en-us/articles/218568898-Troubleshooting-Lost-Password) - [AmpliFi Help Center: How to Reset your Devices to Factory Default Settings](https://help.amplifi.com/hc/en-us/articles/115000404608-How-to-Reset-your-Devices-to-Factory-Default-Settings) - [AmpliFi User Guide: Chapter 6, System](https://amplifi.com/user-guide/System.html) - [AmpliFi User Guide: Chapter 9, Family](https://amplifi.com/user-guide/Family.html) - [AmpliFi User Guide: Chapter 10, Diagnose](https://amplifi.com/user-guide/Diagnose.html) - [AmpliFi Help Center: Updating or Rolling Back the AmpliFi Firmware](https://help.amplifi.com/hc/en-us/articles/360017450154-Updating-or-Rolling-Back-the-AmpliFi-Firmware) - [AmpliFi Help Center: Firmware Release Notes](https://help.amplifi.com/hc/en-us/articles/231456348) - [AmpliFi Help Center: Configuring the DHCP Server Settings](https://help.amplifi.com/hc/en-us/articles/219134627) - [AmpliFi Help Center: Does AmpliFi have a firewall?](https://help.amplifi.com/hc/en-us/articles/115009611867-Does-AmpliFi-have-a-firewall) - [AmpliFi Help Center: Configuring Port Forwarding](https://help.amplifi.com/hc/en-us/articles/219134387) - [AmpliFi Help Center: Enabling QoS](https://help.amplifi.com/hc/en-us/articles/115005226567-Enabling-QoS) - [AmpliFi Help Center: Advanced Settings in the Web UI](https://help.amplifi.com/hc/en-us/articles/360018569574-Advanced-Settings-in-the-Web-UI) - [AmpliFi Help Center: Configuring SSIDs](https://help.amplifi.com/hc/en-us/articles/360010201854-Configuring-SSIDs) - [AmpliFi Help Center: Changing Wireless Broadcast Channels](https://help.amplifi.com/hc/en-us/articles/360039339174-Changing-Wireless-Broadcast-Channels) - [AmpliFi Help Center: Configuring Band and Router Steering](https://help.amplifi.com/hc/en-us/articles/219132457-Configuring-Band-and-Router-Steering) - [AmpliFi Help Center: Changing the MeshPoint’s Backhaul Frequency](https://help.amplifi.com/hc/en-us/articles/360020990074-Changing-the-MeshPoint-s-Backhaul-Frequency) - [AmpliFi Help Center: Enabling a Guest Network](https://help.amplifi.com/hc/en-us/articles/218562288-Enabling-a-Guest-Network) - [AmpliFi Help Center: Configuring a Guest Network](https://help.amplifi.com/hc/en-us/articles/219135537-Configuring-a-Guest-Network) - [AmpliFi Help Center: AmpliFi IoT Network and Device Isolation](https://help.amplifi.com/hc/en-us/articles/8296383333143-AmpliFi-IoT-Network-and-Device-Isolation) - [AmpliFi Help Center: Changing the Network’s DNS Address](https://help.amplifi.com/hc/en-us/articles/360010195354-Changing-the-Network-s-DNS-Address) - [AmpliFi Help Center: Viewing AmpliFi’s Performance Statistics](https://help.amplifi.com/hc/en-us/articles/219135847-Viewing-AmpliFi-s-Performance-Statistics) - [AmpliFi Help Center: Enabling Bridge Mode](https://help.amplifi.com/hc/en-us/articles/220979347) - [AmpliFi Help Center: UK PSTI Support Period](https://help.amplifi.com/hc/en-us/articles/23388821711255) Checked on 1 November 2026. ## See what your router can’t tell you Kilobat is a Mac menu-bar app that watches the network from your side: which app is using it, whether the Wi-Fi, the router or the provider is slow, and why a call froze. [Download for Mac ↓](https://kilobat.app/downloads/Kilobat-1.31.1.dmg?via=site) ``` brew install seifip/kilobat/kilobat ``` ## More router guides - [Apple AirPort](https://kilobat.app/routers/apple-airport): AirPort Extreme, AirPort Time Capsule and AirPort Express are Apple’s Wi-Fi base stations. - [ASUS router](https://kilobat.app/routers/asus): ASUS RT, ROG Rapture, TUF Gaming and ZenWiFi routers all run ASUSWRT. - [Cudy Wi-Fi router](https://kilobat.app/routers/cudy): Cudy’s Wi-Fi routers and mesh systems, such as the WR3000 and M3000, share one web interface at cudy.net. - [DrayTek Vigor](https://kilobat.app/routers/draytek-vigor): DrayTek Vigor routers are business-grade DSL, fibre and Wi-Fi routers, popular with small offices and enthusiasts, especially in the UK and Europe.