2. Alternative Claiming Scenarios

Not every device follows the standard flow. The table below covers common variations.

Scenario	What happens
Your device has no claim token at all (it was never formally "shipped" through AirQo's process — e.g. a device set up directly by AirQo staff)	You can still claim it with just the exact Device Name and your account — leave the claim token field blank.
Claiming several devices at once	Use the bulk-claim option: add each device name (and token, if it has one) as a row, or upload a spreadsheet/CSV. You'll get a per-device result — some may succeed while others fail, so check the results list.
The device was previously deployed elsewhere (e.g. a returned or reassigned unit)	Claiming it automatically "recalls" it from its old deployment first — its previous location history is preserved, but it comes to you as freshly claimed, not still attached to somewhere else.
You already claimed a device, but it doesn't show up under any group	This is called an "orphaned" device — check your My Devices page for a "Complete Device Setup" prompt, which lets you finish attaching it to a group with one click.
You want to put the device in a specific existing group	During claiming (or via "import cohort"), enter that group's ID — you can use either the internal ID or, for newer groups, a human-readable slug (e.g. wri-nairobi-2026).

Recalling deployed devices

See Recall a Device for more on how deployment history is preserved when a device changes hands.