Power on Control and allow it a minute to boot. There are two configuration options:

Web Browser

1. Open your web browser and enter the IP address of the Alta Control device. If you don’t know it, log in to your router to identify it (or use the mobile app instead for setup).
2. Enter the email address of the administrator of the controller. This user will have the ability to upgrade the controller, add administrator SSH keys, and perform other administrative functions over the controller.
3. After a few minutes, you should be automatically redirected to the new URL of your controller. It should be something like https://local.1234abcd.ddns.manage.alta.inc.
   Note: Be sure to bookmark this URL!
4. If you are not automatically redirected after 5 minutes, your router likely has DNS rebinding protection enabled. You will need to use the mobile app to set up the device.
   Tip: If you still want to use the web browser for setup, you can find the hostname for the URL by manually reloading the page. Then, add the hostname to the IP address mapping manually on your system (/etc/hosts or on your router).
5. Create a new account on the controller. Be sure to use the same administrator email address that you used in step 2 to unlock administrator privileges for that account.

Alta Labs Mobile App

1. If the unconfigured controller isn’t automatically presented to you within the app, tap on the Account icon on the Dashboard, and then tap on Controllers.
2. Once the new controller has been discovered via Bluetooth, enter the email address of the controller administrator. This user will have administrative control over the controller.
3. Follow the steps within the app to create your first new user on the controller.

Account Setup and Management

When setting up your Alta Control device, it’s important to note that the local account will not be linked to your Alta Labs Cloud account. The account created during setup will be specific to the individual Alta Control appliance.

If you are deploying multiple Control appliances, each appliance will require its own separate account, even if they are used by the same customer. Although it is possible to reuse the same username and password across multiple Control devices, we strongly recommend using a password manager to generate unique credentials for each device. This approach enhances security and helps manage account details efficiently.

During the setup process, you will need to verify each account through email. Make sure to complete the email verification step to ensure the device is fully functional.

In a future release, seamless integration with your Alta Labs Cloud account will be available, and this article will be updated to reflect that change.

Setting up APs, Switches, and Routers on Your Control Device

1. Power on your Alta Labs network equipment and allow it time to boot up.
2. Devices on the same network as Control will automatically be discovered and presented for setup on your local controller.
3. If your network devices are on a different network than the controller, visit the IP address of the network device in your web browser.
4. Copy and paste the URL of your controller into the device’s web interface. This should be something like https://1234abcd.ddns.manage.alta.inc or https://local.1234abcd.ddns.manage.alta.inc.
5. The device should then show up in your controller for Set Up.

Advanced Notes about Dynamic DNS used by Alta Labs Control

• 1234abcd.ddns.manage.alta.inc will always resolve to the Internet/WAN IPv4 or IPv6 address of the controller.
• local.1234abcd.ddns.manage.alta.inc will always resolve to the local IPv4 or IPv6 address of the controller.
• Both of these hostnames will automatically update if the IP address of the WAN or LAN of the controller changes.
• You can port-forward any port on your Internet connection to port 443 of the Control device and set network devices worldwide to https://1234abcd.ddns.manage.alta.inc:1234, depending on the port you have selected for port forwarding.

Tip: Certificates for the Control device can be altered by modifying the ~alta/server.* files on the controller.

Network and Firewall Configuration

For successful setup and operation of the Alta Control device, it is crucial to ensure that your network configuration does not block critical services.

Key points to consider:

• Make sure firewall rules and DNS rebind protection are configured appropriately to allow access to the Alta Labs services (manage.alta.inc).
• The following ports may need to be open/unrestricted on your network, depending on whether you plan to access Control remotely:
  • 443/tcp: Used for Alta Labs device management and remote access to Control access.
• These are additional ports that may need to be open or unrestricted on the network, mostly 53/udp outbound (for typical Control installations):
  • 53/udp: Used for DNS-over-HTTPS service.
  • 5353/udp: mDNS is used for local device discovery.

Light Patterns

The status LED on the Alta Control device provides useful information about the current state of the device. Below are the key light patterns and their meanings:

• Pulsing Purple: Indicates the boot-up sequence. The device is in the process of starting up and initializing.
• Pulsing Turquoise: Signals that the device is in recovery boot mode, triggered by holding down the reset button while powering on the device. Please wait until the device reboots again, pulses purple, and turns white.
• Solid White: The device is functioning normally and is fully operational.
• Flashing Green: This pattern starts during a factory reset process. It transitions to pulsing turquoise once the reset has been initiated and is progressing.
• Flashing Red: The device is attempting to pull down a recovery firmware (usually triggered by holding the reset button), but it is unable to obtain a DHCP address or establish Internet access.

These light patterns provide key insight into the status of the device. If a pattern is prolonged or not transitioning as expected, further investigation or troubleshooting may be required.

For more detailed information on LED patterns, refer to our support article found HERE.