General information

SoftWLC is a software Wi-Fi controller that provides a complex solution for organizing guest and service networks. SoftWLC software package combines Wi-Fi access points, access switches and routers manufactured by Eltex into a single product. The package allows configuring and maintaining networks and user services in accordance with a client's requirements.

Key features of SoftWLC

• Automation of access point commissioning
• Providing functions for network elements monitoring: access points, access switches, routers
• Providing functions for network element individual control
• Providing functions for network element group control
• Providing functions for group policies, customer lists, individual/group shapers configuring and other service functions management
• Providing access points' firmware automatic update
• Providing guest portal authorization of Wi-Fi users with different identification methods: incoming SMS, outgoing SMS, voice call, vouchers, preconfigured accounts of mass events participants
• Possibility to create flexible portal scenarios with time or traffic limits for users. Paid scenarios are also available
• Possibility of identification portal to flexibly work on schedule
• Possibility to set up scheduled network operation including password rotation for primary connection to the portal identification network
• Providing Enterprise user authorization with traffic encryption. The identification can be performed with a login/password or with an integrated TLS certificate
• Possibility of “portal” user roaming between access points and user id keeping between sessions
• Providing a graphical provider console for system management and monitoring
• Possibility to deploy a supervisory-level system with some settings and monitoring functions possible to be transferred from a provider to a client in accordance with B2B
• Providing enterprise clients of the provider with B2B Admin Panel graphical interface that comprises basic elements for obtaining network operation statistics and tools for Wi-Fi users' accounts management
• Providing GUI for setting guest portals for enterprise clients (in accordance with B2B), that includes basic elements for design, identification options and other features
• Providing service interface (Northbound) for system settings automation and connection with the provider's or its B2B clients' OSS
• Controller redundancy in active/standby mode

Main SoftWLC modules and their functions

• EMS server
  • management and monitoring of other modules of the system
  • receiving and processing of SNMP traps sent by system components
  • device initialization and configuration
  • performing group operations with devices
  • notification on failures occurred
  • scheduled activation of monitors controlling the proper operation of the system
  • providing Graphical User Interface (GUI)
  • monitoring with saving data to a Round-Robin Database (RRD)
• WEB portal
  • an application providing a set of WEB portals for user authorization in Hotspot networks
• Portal Constructor
  • a tool that allows creating and configuring virtual portals for user authorization in Hotspot networks
• B2B Admin Panel
  • providing interface for new Wi-Fi users' accounts creation and basic service management operations
• Database
  • MySQL
  • MongoDB
• RADIUS server
  • AAA operations
  • WPA-Enterprise authorization
• DHCP Server
  • assigning primary (external) IP addresses to access points with option 43 (suboptions 11 and 12) that allows creating GRE tunnels to ESR
  • assigning secondary (management, tunnel) IP addresses to access points with option 43 (suboptions 10 and 13) for management, detection and automatic initialization of access points
  • assigning IP addresses to Wi-Fi users connected to access points
  • classification of DHCP clients by 82, 60 options and giAddr Field
• APB service 
  • roaming of users authorized via WEB portal
  • configuration and transmission of public IP address lists for portal authorization
• Notification Gateway
  • centralized interchange between platform elements and external systems (SMS gateways, Call centers and E-mail servers) via SMTP, SMPP, HTTP, WebSocket
• PCRF
  • authorization and authentication of users connected via BRAS (a server which allows providing user service based on third-party vendors' access points)
  • accounting information collection for all authorization mechanisms and transferring it to a database
  • controlling the number of Wi-Fi users' simultaneous sessions for all authorization mechanisms
  • deauthentication of Wi-Fi users authorized via WPA-enterprise modes and BRAS
• Airtune
  • management of access points radio resources
• NBI

  • connection between SoftWLC components via the SOAP protocol

  • service operation maintenance

    • Customer Cab
      
    • Portal Constructor
    • PCRF
  • generation of TLS authorization certificates

System requirements for SoftWLC server

• Operation systems: Ubuntu Server 18.04 LTS / Astra Linux Common Edition 2.12.44 / Debian 9 / Astra Linux Special Edition 1.7.1

When selecting a server, the following system requirements must be taken into account (requirements are provided for the VM without taking into account system redundancy):

System requirements for SoftWLC server (multihost installation)

• Operation systems: Ubuntu Server 18.04 LTS / Astra Linux Common Edition 2.12.44 / Debian 9 / Astra Linux Special Edition 1.7.1

When selecting a server, the following system requirements must be taken into account (requirements are provided for the VM taking into account system redundancy):

Minimum requirements for the system operator's workstation

Dual core processor with 2.5 GHz or more frequency

RAM 4 GB or more

Monitor resolution 1920x1080 or more

Stable server connection, recommended speed 10Mbit/s or more, keyboard, mouse

java jre 1.8 (with relevant updates)

Chrome or Firefox browser (with relevant updates)