2 Omada controllers on one site

2 Omada controllers on one site

2 Omada controllers on one site
2 Omada controllers on one site
3 weeks ago

Just a bit history here: I have a large condominium property running an omada controller  and 40 AP to various units on the property. Currently I am using the Omada network to provide internet and TV service.

 

I am at the point now where I need to bring in another internet connection because 3GB is not enough and BELL doesn’t have anything faster in my area yet. Now normally I would bring both connections into a Gateway and combine the connections but due to the multicasting needed for the TV service, that didn’t work.

So I am looking at splitting the network up into 2 Omada networks.

1st network (3GB main) would take 4 out of 6 buildings and all the cameras.

2nd network (1.5GB) would take 2 other buildings.

 

Now since I would be setting up another Omada controller on site, is it possible to allow roaming between the wireless sites seamlessly?? Or is there a way to make these 2 controllers work together to better mesh the network into one? I don’t believe I can use an omada gateway router to combine the 2 BELL connections due to the multicasting issue with the fibre TV service, unless something has changed in the last 8 months.

Any additional help would be appreciated.

Thanks

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#1
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4 Reply
Re:2 Omada controllers on one site
3 weeks ago

Hi  @Terran158 

 

 

What kind of controller are you using? A software controller, or hardware controller OC300?

How many SDN devices do you need to manage in total?

I don't believe this is to add a second controller thing, since one controller can manage hundreds of devices. Details are as below:

The OC400 Omada Cloud Controller can manage up to 1000 Omada access points, 200 switches, and 100 gateways.

The OC300 Omada Cloud Controller can manage up to 500 Omada access points, 100 switches, and 100 gateways.

The OC200 Omada Cloud Controller can manage up to 100 Omada access points, 20 switches, and 10 gateways.

 

You can create a second site on the same controller to manage a second gateway router. This is a guide:

How to Manage Omada Devices at Different Sites Using Omada SDN Controller via Port Forwarding (Controller 5.0 or Above)

 

We can't mesh different EAP units which are managed by different controllers, or managed in different sites.

For the mesh in different site requirements, are you trying to make all EAP units in the same mesh network? Since you have so many EAPs, I believe it's possible to divide them into two networks.

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#2
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Re:2 Omada controllers on one site
3 weeks ago

  @Vincent-TP What i have right now is OC200 controller and a 8 port jetstream switch.

 

So right now the main connection: BELL modem - Firewall - to jetstream switch w/controller then goes out to the various switches and APs

 

As i said before i tried using a TPlink gateway ER605, however i had to pull that out due to the multicasting issue.

 

My hope was to use 2 controllers with the 2 connections and somehow setup a seamless roaming.

Right now i have wifi all over the property so when people move from indoors to outdoors its all seamless roaming, no connect drops.

 

I just dont know if that is possible when there is 2 controllers and 2 sites.

 

You mentioned that i might be able to setup a second site without a second controller.

But that second BELL connection would still need to route through a multi WAN switch, which wont work because of the multicasting requirement for fibre TV.

 

Or is there any other ideas on how i can sort of mesh they 2 connections, with controllers together into more of a seamless roaming site?

 

Terran

 

 

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#3
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Re:2 Omada controllers on one site
3 weeks ago - last edited 3 weeks ago

From the original post, the problem symptom suspected is that the incoming ISP 3Gbps GPON connection is insufficient to support 40 AP's and uncounted client devices over the expanse of buildings. Splitting and getting additional ISP connections is one attempt at increasing BW, but is it really necessary? The root issue seems to be concurrent video streaming issues... Would that be "buffering" symbol while a streaming device is catching up?

 

Op states that to support fibe TV, multicasting must be supported, which typically remains within a LAN. Can multicasting cross a NAT?

 

Op states ER605 gateway, but that device only supports Gigabit ports which could not fully accept a 3 Gbps GPON connection. Within OMADA family, an ER8411 has 2 x 10G SFP or ER707 has 2 x 2.5G copper ports. All other SFP or Ethernet ports are only Gigabit. If Bell provided you with the HomeHub 4000, then it has one silver 10G Ethernet port which you need to use to connect to the higher speed router/gateway WAN ports mentioned above (ER707-M2). With either router, it seems we have only one LAN port to send 2.5G or 10G trunk to an Omada aggregation switch with the required port speeds to fan out.

 

To connect the bandwidth dots... Not everyone will be streaming 4k video. Over H.264 it takes about 32 Mbps, while over H.265 it is about 19 Mbps. Full 1080p would be 16/9Mbps. Even with individual streams not multicast, seems there is plenty of BW in a 3Gbps ISP connection. There may be other issues at play. Most streaming devices connect at 5GHz WiFi, even if weak. Or they may decide to switch to 2.4 GHz due to poor 5GHz conditions, which is usually 20 MHz and BW limited for multiple simultaneous clients. For streaming TV's in an MDU, I've had similar issues of random "buffering" that have difficult to pin down, including nit-picking Omada logs looking for evidence.

 

Good luck! Watching this thread to learn.

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#4
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Re:2 Omada controllers on one site
3 weeks ago

Hi  @Terran158 

 

We can't configure mesh or fast roaming for different EAP units which are managed by different controllers, or managed in different sites.

 

Sorry, I still don't understand why you want two controllers. For better understanding, maybe you can draw a topology like below article:

How to configure IGMP Snooping on Omada switches for hotel IPTV scenario

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#5
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