Central management or controller for OpenWrt based access points

[arjuniet]

We have build a wireless controller for openwrt access points , we want to offer a pre launch demo to some selected users for some feedback

Anyone want to see demo ? Please contact

[juppin]

I'm interested... I will test and report.

What features are covered or planned?
Are there also plans for load balancing clients over different ap's?

This week i took a look at DAWN from @PolynomialDivision which looks great but i do not understand the influence of the most config options...

[PolynomialDivision]

I'm working on this topic too with DAWN!
So I would like to see this too.

The decentralized structure makes it very hard to debug. ^^
Furthermore, you have to look at corner cases and so on... (Like clients are not deauthing correctly...)
I think something is still broken in my umDNS Multicast TCP Full Mesh Topology that sometimes, messages are not arriving with full length... -.-
Currently I'm looking at 802.11v and 802.11k...

[arjuniet]

hi juppin ,

I am glad to see your willingness of participation in our project , Actually we started working on it last year . It provides lot of many options that we actually find to be vital and some missing from the big players in this .
modules successfully integrated are for exam :-
grouping of access points ( on basis of certain user selected criteria )
optimizing radio resource allocation
central web auth and local webauth

i am writing blog for all , will updatte soon

regards,

[nemesis]

@arjuniet have you ever heard of OpenWISP?

[arjuniet]

Yes have heard and worked on both the releases of openwisp .. why ?

[nemesis]

Because I wonder what has pushed you to build another solution from scratch, what's the main pain point your solution addresses?

There could be different things, but I would be curious to know if you want to share.

[arjuniet]

See the main thing I noticed and kicked me is the configmakers that openwisp uses is not for a laymen suppose I want to add roaming to my router the parameters that needed to be configured is not knowing to the openwisp and a normal beginner or even admins need to look over the internet for how to do that .. I have added that intelligence and included all possiblities .. this was an example

[arjuniet]

There are some points that made me od that :

1. I remember 1-2 years back when some of my friend tried installing python on his 4M flash router he coudnt , i remember python is must for openwisp2 client
2. i think openwisp dont have any provision for itself to push the updates , the client router polls for that with the polling period you set
   3 their were no provision to read the openwrt router config and edit that instead it forces fetching of templates

THere were few more will post them to you

[nemesis]

Thanks for the reply.

Yes it's true OpenWISP is not good for unexperienced people yet, we are aiming more at providing the base tools to implement a customized network management system.

Regarding point 1, there's no need of a python client on OpenWRT devices, the agent uses shell and lua scripts: https://github.com/openwisp/openwisp-config

Regarding point 2, that is going to change in the next version, the feature that enables OpenWISP to directly connect to devices is already working and available in this branch: https://github.com/openwisp/openwisp-controller/tree/master/openwisp_controller/connection (updated: this feature is now available).
Keep in mind that if you to directly connect to devices a management VPN is needed if devices are located in different geographic areas

Regarding point 3, that is also true and is one of the things on our roadmap, the basics of that features are already implemented but there are some outstanding issues that need to be resolved

[arjuniet]

For point one I remember 4M router caused issue

For point two :- yes the geographic separation is an issue , I have tried VPN , bidirectional sockets , websockets , but in the end landed up udp polling from client if found set client can fetch changes via http response header or even fetch or in plain body

For point 3 :- I ll reply you after I read your link

[WirelessGig]

Hello Arjuniet,

I'm interested, please sign me up.

Thanks,

[lleachii]

FYI all...the OP also explained they discovered how to use OpenWrt to manage other vendors' routers/APs here:

Forcing any vendor access point (non OpenWrt) to do webauth using an OpenWrt router

let me explain what i wanted to do and what i found :- suppose at one of your client site you have a smooth running openwrt accesspoints and you have implemented hotspot using lets say coova chilli now client came with a cisco and ruckus accesspoints and wantto merge these access points in network of openwrt , any solution ? i have done this but just want to see if some better solution comes up

Forcing any vendor access point (non OpenWrt) to do webauth using an OpenWrt router

Yes I ll do it tomorrow evening. . Its not script it's just little changes in default working config and little connection tweek

I'm still awaiting the followup posting...

(This thread and the other topic made by the OP seem quite similar...)

[lleachii]

@WirelessGig, if you're still instersted...he finally mentioned more in another UNRELATED thread:

@arjuniet

Suppose you have 10 access points of different vendors and 5 Cisco , 3 ruckus ,2 unifi .
I just found a way in which an openwrt router will come in picture to manage all the clients accross diff vendor AP and under simple hotspot solution like coova chilli

That is a hotspot of hydrid hardware consisting of openwrt compatible as well as non compatible routers

@arjuniet

This can merged into an ipk kind of package and a optional feature with toggle state

Again, still no details.

[arjuniet]

@lleachii WirelessGig was interested in other thread you pasted my different thread post there so I replied you there

[lleachii]

Please provide the source code or script for the community to see, thanks.

[arjuniet]

I never deny to share , I ll explain when I ll. See community giving interest to it

I even offered you to share over mail with you , but you denied

In last 3 days I approached 3 companies they are ready to deploy it

So you can think what I ll be doing now

[lleachii]

That's wonderful; but again, you didn't provide the code or script so that others can assist in making an IPK.

@arjuniet

I even offered you to share over mail with you , but you denied

Laughable:

@lleachii

If you are not interested in posting to the community now, I'm willing to wait until all can see.

@arjuniet

In last 3 days I approached 3 companies they are ready to deploy it

So you can think what I ll be doing now

It seems someone was willing to pay for it instead of you promising it to the community. I understand now.

[arjuniet]

Yes I am being paid and negotiation is the cause of delay . I ll share this with community for sure