General features

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

• Automated launching of access points
• Providing functions for monitoring of network elements: 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 Captive Portal authorization of Wi-Fi users with different identification methods: incoming SMS, outgoing SMS, voice call, Government Services, vouchers, preconfigured accounts of mass events participants
• Opportunity 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
• Opportunity to set up scheduled network operation including password rotation for portal identification network primary connection
• Providing Enterprise authorization with traffic encryption. 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 management and monitoring system
• Possibility of deploying a supervisory-level system which means that some settings and monitoring functions can be transferred from a provider to a client in accordance with B2B
• Providing provider's enterprise clients with B2B Admin Panel graphical interface that comprises basic elements for obtaining network operation statistics and tools for Wi-Fi users' accounts management
• Providing enterprise clients with guest portal setting GUI (in accordance with B2B) that includes basic elements for design, identification options and other features
• Providing service interface (Northbound) for system settings automatization and connection with the provider's or its B2B clients' OSS

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
  • scheduled monitors to control system operation
  • providing graphical user interface
  • monitoring with saving data to a Round-Robin Database
• WEB portal
  • A module providing a set of WEB portals for user authorization in Hotspot networks
• Portal Constructor
  • A tool that allows virtual portal creating and configuring for user authorization in Hotspot networks
• B2B Admin Panel
  • providing interface for 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 access point management, detection and automatic initialization
  • 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 for users authorized via WEB portal
  • configuration and transmission of public IP address lists for portal authorization
• Auth Service
  • system authentication and authorization
    • B2B Admin Panel
    • Portal Constructor
• Notification Gateway
  • centralized interchange between platform elements and external systems (SMS gateways, Call centers and electronic mail servers) via SMTP, SMPP, HTTP, WebSocket
• PCRF
  • authorization and authentication of users connected via BRAS (the mechanism allows providing user service based on third-party vendors' access points)
  • accounting accumulation 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
• NBI
  • connection between SoftWLC components via the SOAP protocol
  • service operation maintenance
    • Customer Cab
    • Portal Constructor
    • PCRF
  • TLS authorizaton certificates issuing

System requirements for the SoftWLC server

• Ubuntu Server 1618.04 LTS operating system

Minimum requirements for a system operator's work station

Dual core processor with 2.5 GHz or more frequency
Random access memory size 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)