Getting Started with Sentinel Nerd

Setting up security monitoring for your UniFi network has never been easier. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the initial setup process and have you monitoring your network in under 10 minutes.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:

• An active Sentinel Nerd subscription
• A UniFi Network controller (Cloud Key, Dream Machine, or self-hosted)
• Admin access to your UniFi controller

Step 1: Connect Your UniFi Controller

After logging into your Sentinel Nerd dashboard, navigate to Settings > Integrations and click “Add Controller.”

Enter your controller’s URL and credentials. We support both local and remote UniFi.ui.com connections.

Step 2: Configure Syslog Forwarding

To receive real-time events, you’ll need to configure your UniFi controller to send syslog data to Sentinel Nerd:

1. Log into your UniFi controller
2. Go to Settings > System > Remote Logging
3. Enable syslog and enter your Sentinel Nerd syslog endpoint
4. Save your changes

Events should start flowing within seconds.

Step 3: Set Up Alerts

Navigate to Alerts > Rules to configure your notification preferences. We recommend starting with these essential alerts:

• IDS/IPS Events: Get notified of intrusion detection alerts
• Failed Logins: Monitor for brute force attempts
• New Device Connections: Track when new devices join your network

What’s Next?

Now that you’re set up, explore these resources:

• Understanding Detection Rules
• Configuring Active Response
• Integrating with Slack

Welcome to Sentinel Nerd! Your network is now protected with enterprise-grade security monitoring.