Cambium Networks in administration: what it means for your Wi-Fi
Your Cambium access points keep working. What is at risk is the cloud controller that manages them, so the job this month is to move that management somewhere safe while Cambium’s cloud is still running.
The CloudWLC team at Optaro · · updated · 6 min read
If you run Cambium Wi-Fi in a hotel, a group of venues or across client sites, the last fortnight has been unsettling. This article sets out what is confirmed, what it means in practice, and what to do, in that order.
What has happened
On 14 September 2026, administrators from RSM UK were appointed to Cambium Networks Limited, the group’s main trading company. In its statement the company says the administrators are “actively progressing a number of potential going concern transactions”, which means parts of the business may be sold and continue.
Two details matter most to Wi-Fi customers. Production of Wi-Fi access points, NSE devices and cnMatrix switches has been discontinued, while the fixed wireless broadband business is expected to largely resume. On the controller, Cambium’s 23 September company statement expects cnMaestro Cloud to keep operating at least through October 2026, with Enterprise support time-bound rather than guaranteed indefinitely.
A great many people at Cambium lost their jobs this month. They built hardware that is working in ceilings all over the world this morning, and nothing below is a criticism of them.
What it means for your network
Your access points do not stop working. Guests, staff and devices stay connected, because day-to-day Wi-Fi does not depend on the cloud. What the cloud controller does is management: changing a WLAN, adding or replacing an access point, seeing what is online, pushing firmware. Lose the controller and the network keeps running, but you can no longer change it.
Cambium’s guidance to enterprise customers is direct: plan for cnMaestro Cloud support that may not extend indefinitely for Enterprise devices, and move to cnMaestro On-Premises, the edition you host yourself, while Cloud is still available.
What to do now
- Export what you can today. While cnMaestro Cloud is up, your configuration is recoverable: WLANs, AP groups, site structure and device lists.
- Decide where management will live. You can build and run your own server, have a controller hosted for you, or move to a controller that does not depend on Cambium at all. We compare them in cnMaestro Cloud alternatives.
- Move while Cloud is still running, not after. Redirecting access points to a new controller is straightforward while the cloud is available, and much harder once it is not.
- Do not rip out working hardware. Replacing every access point is the most expensive possible answer to a controller problem.
Where CloudWLC fits
CloudWLC is built for exactly this moment. It gives Cambium-based networks a new home: a controller that is hosted and run for you, a guided migration from Cambium Cloud, and OpenWLC Control, our own controller for Cambium access points, which needs no Cambium cloud, no Anchor account and no licence server. You keep every access point you own, and you can add new ones.
It comes from Optaro, the network assurance specialists, who have deployed more than 10,000 access points for major hospitality venues around the world. CloudWLC is independent: it is not affiliated with, endorsed by or operated by Cambium Networks.
Quick answers
Will my Cambium access points stop working?
No. Access points keep serving Wi-Fi without the cloud. What you lose without a controller is the ability to manage them: changing settings, adding or replacing devices and monitoring the network.
When does cnMaestro Cloud close?
Cambium’s Sep 2026 statements expect cnMaestro Cloud to continue at least through October 2026. Enterprise device support is time-bound, not indefinite. Plan to move management while Cloud is still running.
Do I have to replace my Cambium hardware?
No. The hardware is fine. You need a new controller, not new access points.
Sources
CloudWLC is an independent service from Optaro. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or operated by Cambium Networks, HPE Aruba Networking, RUCKUS Networks, Ubiquiti or any other equipment vendor.