CableLabs and the Telecom Infra Project (TIP) have announced they have collaborated on verification of hardware and software based on the new version 2.9 of TIP’s OpenWiFI specifications. The exercise marked the commissioning of what the partners called a “refreshed” OpenWiFi Community Lab at CableLabs' headquarters.
OpenWiFi is an open source platform designed to lower the cost of developing and operating WiFi networks. The platform includes a cloud controller SDK and an enterprise-grade access point (AP) firmware designed and validated to work seamlessly together. OpenWiFi also supports the Wireless Broadband Alliance’s OpenRoaming capabilities. Version 2.9 of the platform is built on the uCentral communication layer and supports Multi Pre-Shared Key, which enables devices to log in based on MAC address. It also supports a captive portal to require user interaction before they are granted WiFi access.
The recent verification exercises included hardware from ActionTec, EdgeCore, HFCL, Indio Networks, and Lindsay Broadband, and software cloud controllers from HFCL, NetExperience, Wavespot, and Indio Networks.
“CableLabs has supported OpenWiFi since the launch and we believe in the power of open and disaggregated WiFi solutions,” commented Josh Redmore, principal architect, wireless access technologies for CableLabs. “This new version of OpenWiFi leverages open source software and hardware to greatly reduce the barrier to entry of deploying managed WiFi.”
“CableLabs is the guiding light, pointing to the innovation that will soon be adopted by the cable industry,” added Jack Raynor, co-chair of the OpenWiFi program group at TIP. “The OpenWiFi Community Lab is a great resource for CableLabs’ members who are building WiFi networks and want to demo, test, trial, and ultimately deploy OpenWiFi.”
