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PRO VERSION IN DEVELOPMENT — 50% OFF PRE‑SALE
Rapid5GS Pro adds a beautiful web UI, routed IP pools, a real‑time view of which subscribers are attached to which eNodeBs, easier network‑wide APN management, bulk subscriber tools, session control, and more. Purchasing now helps fund development of both Rapid5GS Pro and this open‑source version.
Get it here: Rapid5GS Pro at TheEdgeMile.com
In mobile telecommunications, the Mobility Core (known as EPC in 4G or 5GC in 5G) is the central nervous system of your mobile network. It's responsible for:
- Managing user authentication and security
- Handling voice and data connections
- Routing traffic between users and the internet
- Managing network resources and quality of service
- Supporting mobility as users move between cells
Think of it as the "brain" of your mobile network - without it, your base stations (eNodeBs/gNodeBs) would be like disconnected islands with no way to communicate with each other or the outside world.
Setting up a mobile core network has traditionally been a nightmare:
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Commercial Solutions: Enterprise-grade solutions from companies like Nokia, Ericsson, or Huawei, while powerful, require significant monetary investment and specialized expertise to deploy.
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Open Source Options: While open-source solutions like Open5GS and Magma exist, they're notoriously difficult to configure. You need to:
- Manually install dozens of dependencies
- Configure complex networking rules
- Set up databases and web interfaces
- Deal with cryptic error messages
- Spend days or weeks getting everything working
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Documentation: Most documentation assumes you're already a mobility 4G/5G expert, making it nearly impossible for newcomers to get started.
Rapid5GS is a one-command solution that automates the entire process of setting up a production-ready Open5GS core network for fixed wireless operators. It:
- Works with both 4G (EPC) and 5G (5GC) networks
- Handles all dependencies automatically
- Configures networking and security
- Sets up monitoring and management tools
- Provides a user-friendly web interface
- Includes health checks and troubleshooting tools
Just run this one command on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS or Debian 12:
git clone https://github.com/joshualambert/rapid5gs.git && cd rapid5gs && chmod +x install.sh && sudo ./install.sh- Ubuntu Server 24.04 LTS or Debian 12
- Root privileges (sudo access)
- At least 4GB RAM
- At least 20GB free disk space
- 2 physical network interfaces
IMPORTANT: Rapid5GS is only tested and developed against fresh installations of Ubuntu 24.04 LTS or Debian 12. It is HIGHLY ADVISED to install this on a fresh copy of these operating systems before installing any other packages or making system modifications.
- Automated Installation: Step-by-step menu guides you through the entire process
- Network Configuration: Automatically sets up all required networking rules
- Health Monitoring: Built-in tools to monitor network performance and troubleshoot issues
- Web Interface: Easy-to-use dashboard for managing your network
- Hybrid Support: Works with both 4G and 5G networks simultaneously
After installation, you can monitor and control your network using the built-in control interface:
chmod +x control.sh && sudo ./control.shThe control interface provides several powerful tools:
- EPC Throughput Monitor: Real-time view of network traffic and performance
- eNB Status: Monitor connected base stations and their status
- UE Status: Track connected user devices and their activities
- Live MME Logs: Real-time monitoring of the Mobility Management Entity
- Live SMF Logs: Real-time monitoring of the Session Management Function
This interface makes it easy to monitor your network's health and troubleshoot issues without diving into complex configuration files or logs.
- NAT Mode Only: Currently, the system only supports NAT mode for user traffic. All NAT operations are performed on the local machine.
- Future Enhancements: Support for routed IP pools and upstream NAT is planned for future releases.
- Single Instance: The current version is designed for single-instance deployment. Clustering support will be added in future releases.
The following 4G base stations have been tested and verified to work with Rapid5GS:
- Airspan AirHarmony and AirSpeed units
- Nokia AZQC CBRS
- Baicells 436q and Nova 233
While theoretically any standards-compliant 4G eNodeB should work, only the above units have been thoroughly tested. 5G hardware support is planned but not yet tested.
The following user devices have been tested and verified:
- Global Telecom Titan 4000 (our recommended choice for best performance)
- BEC RidgeWave
- Airspan AirSpot UEs
- Open5GS team for their work on building an open-source mobility code.
- David Peterson (4GEngineer.com) and Michael Halls (nimbussolutions.org) for teaching me the basics of LTE.
- Nick Jones (omnitouch.co.au) for helping me setup my first Open5GS core installation.
- Sarah Kerr (isptechnology.ca) and Anthony Polsinelli (cydrion.com) for lots of patience and help with networking the Mikrotik layer.
I'm available for hire to help deploy this EPC in your network. I also provide other network deployment services including:
- RF planning
- Tower construction
- Network design
- Marketing/sales support
- Software automation
- And more
Contact me for more information on my personal website here: https://joshlambert.xyz/contact/.
Looking to deploy quickly? We offer fully tested and refurbished Nokia AZQC CBRS LTE site kits with sectors, low‑PIM jumpers, SFP/SFP+ modules, RRHs, BBU components, and more — everything you need except DC power and fiber plant. Purchasing these kits helps fund the continued development of Rapid5GS.
Learn more or purchase here: