Omada Software Controller, Omada Hardware Controller, and Omada Cloud-Based Controller differ in forms, but they have almost the same browser-based management interface for network management. Therefore, they have almost the same initial setup steps, including building your network topology, deploying your controller, and logging in to the controller.

 

This article guides you on how to get started with Omada SDN Controller to configure the network, including the following sections:

 

1. Set Up Your Software / Hardware Controller

2. Set Up Your Cloud-Based Controller

 

 

 

1. Set Up Your Software / Hardware Controller

 

Omada SDN Solution is designed for scalable networks. Deployments and configurations vary according to actual situations. Understanding your network requirements is the first step when planning to provision any project. After you have identified these requirements, follow the steps below to initially set up Omada Software / Hardware Controller:

 

1.1  Determine the Network Topology.
1.2  Install Omada Software Controller / Deploy Omada Hardware Controller
1.3  Start and Log Into the Controller.

 

1.1  Determine the Network Topology

The network topology that you create for Omada SDN Controller varies depending on your business requirements.

The following figure shows a typical topology for a high-availability use case.

 

Note:

When using Omada SDN Controller, we recommend that you deploy the full Omada topology with supported TP-Link devices.

If you use third-party devices, Omada SDN Controller cannot discover and manage them.

 

 

1.2  Install Omada Software Controller / Deploy Omada Hardware Controller

 

 

Deploy Omada Hardware Controller

Omada Hardware Controller comes with the pre-installed controller software, so installation is not necessary.

After deploying Omada Hardware Controller on your network infrastructure, proceed to configure the controller.

 

Install Omada Software Controller

Omada Software Controller is provided for both Windows and Linux operating systems.

Determine your operating system and follow the introductions below to install Omada Software Controller.
 

• Installation on Windows Host

Omada Software Controller can be hosted on any computers with Windows systems on your network.

Make sure your PC’s hardware and system meet the following requirements, then properly install the Omada Software Controller.

 

✔  Hardware Requirements

Omada Software Controller can manage up to 1500 EAPs if the Controller Host has enough hardware resources.
To guarantee operational stability for managing 1500 EAPs, it's recommended to use the hardware which meets or exceeds the following specifications:
CPU: Intel Core i3-8100, i5-6500, or i7-4700 with 2 or more cores and 4 or more threads.
Memory: 16 GB RAM or more.

 

✔  System Requirements

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7/8/10/11/Server. (it's recommended to deploy the controller on a 64-bit OS to guarantee the software stability.)
Web Browser: Mozilla Firefox 32 (or above), Google Chrome 37 (or above), Opera 24 (or above), or Microsoft Internet Explorer 11 (or above).

 

✔  Install Omada Software Controller

Download the installation file of Omada Software Controller from the website. Then follow the instructions to properly install the Omada Software Controller.
After a successful installation, a shortcut icon of the Omada Software Controller will be created on your desktop.

 

• Installation on Linux Host

Two versions of installation package are provided: .tar.gz file and .deb file.

Both of them can be used in multiple versions of Linux operating system, including Ubuntu, CentOS, Fedora, and Debian.

Make sure your PC’s hardware and system meet the following requirements, then choose the proper installation files to install the Omada Software Controller.

 

✔  Hardware Requirements

Omada Software Controller can manage up to 1500 EAPs if the Controller Host has enough hardware resources.
To guarantee operational stability for managing 1500 EAPs, it's recommended to use the hardware which meets or exceeds the following specifications:
CPU: Intel Core i3-8100, i5-6500, or i7-4700 with 2 or more cores and 4 or more threads.
Memory: 16 GB RAM or more.

 

✔  System Requirements

Operating System: 64-bit Linux operating system, including Ubuntu 14.04/16.04/17.04/18.04, CentOS 6.x/7.x, Fedora 20 (or above), and Debian 9.8.
Web Browser: Mozilla Firefox 32 (or above), Google Chrome 37 (or above), Opera 24 (or above), or Microsoft Internet Explorer 11 (or above).

 

✔  Install Omada Software Controller

Download the installation file of Omada Software Controller from the website.
Check the prerequisites and follow the steps based on your file version to install the controller.
For more detailed information about the installation on Linux hosts, refer to this installation instruction.

 

 

1.3  Start and Log Into the Controller

 

Log In to the Management Interface

 

For Omada Software Controller:

 

Double-click the controller icon and the following window will pop up. After a while, your web browser will automatically open.

 

 

Note: 

• If your browser does not open automatically, click Launch. You can also launch a web browser and enter http://127.0.0.1:8088 in the address bar.
• If your web browser opens but prompts a problem with the website’s security certificate, click Continue.

For Omada Hardware Controller:

1) Make sure that your management device has the route to access the Controller.

2) Check the DHCP server (typically a router) for the IP Address of the Controller.
If the Controller fails to get a dynamic IP address from the DHCP server, the default fallback IP address 192.168.0.253, is used.

3) Launch a web browser and type the IP address of the Controller in the address bar, then press Enter (Windows) or Return (Mac).

 

Complete Basic Configurations

In the web browser, you can see the configuration page. Follow the setup wizard to complete the basic settings for Omada Controller.

 

1. Click Let’s Get Started.

2. Specify a name for Omada Controller, and set your region and timezone. Then select the application scenario depending on your needs. Click Next.

3. Select one or more devices to be managed and click Next. You can also skip this step and add devices after completing the wizard.

4. Configure WAN Settings Overrides to preset WAN settings if needed. If you do not have an Omada gateway or you have already configured WAN settings, skip this step.

5. Set a wireless network name (SSID) and password for the EAPs to be managed. You can skip this step and configure the Wireless Network after completing the wizard.

6. Set up Controller Access settings, including setting an Administrator username and password for login to the Omada Controller.

7. Confirm your settings and click Finish.

 

Once the basic configurations are finished, the browser will be redirected to the following page.

Log into the management interface using the username and password you have set in the basic configurations.

 

 

 

 

 

2. Set Up Your Cloud-Based Controller

 

Omada SDN Controller Solution is designed for scalable networks. Deployments and configurations vary according to actual situations. Understanding your network requirements is the first step when planning to provision any project.

After you have identified these requirements, follow the steps below to initially set up Omada Cloud-Based Controller:

1 ) Launch a web browser and enter https://omada.tplinkcloud.com in the address bar.

Enter your TPLink ID and password to log in. If you do not have a TP-Link ID, create a TP-Link ID first.

2 ) Click Add Controller and register for an Omada Cloud-Based Controller. Follow the instructions to complete the setup process.

3 ) Add devices with the serial number, make sure the devices are online and in factory default.

4 ) Assign appropriate licenses in order to manage and configure the devices on the cloud-based controller. Then wait until your controller is deployed.
 

 

 

Note: 

• Only when you have available licenses can you register for the Cloud-Based Controller and manage the devices.

• For detailed information about device-based licensing, refer to Know more about licensing.

• Please refer to Omada Cloud-Based Controller Deployment Guide for deploying your Omada Cloud-Based Controller.