For the complete documentation index, see llms.txt. This page is also available as Markdown.

Manage Networks

The Onyx Portal enables you to add, configure, and manage your networks and network parameters such as throughput and bandwidth, and the usage policies around what the equipment can access.

The Onyx Portal supports the creation of 4G and 5G specific networks. For more information, refer to Create Networks.

Networking Modes

The Onyx Platform supports multiple networking modes that determine how the Onyx Edge integrates with enterprise networks and how it manages UE and AP/FHM traffic. Each mode varies in its balance of security, visibility, operational complexity, and integration requirements. Selecting the correct mode allows enterprises to meet their architectural, security, scalability, and management objectives.

The Onyx 4G Platform supports the following networking modes:

  • 4G NAT Modes

    • 4G NAT Classic Mode

    • 4G NAT Flat Mode

  • 4G Bridge (APN-on-VLAN) Modes

    • 4G Bridge (APN-on-VLAN) Classic Mode

    • 4G Bridge (APN-on-VLAN) Flat Mode

For comprehensive information on each networking mode see the 4G & 5G Networking Modes Application Note.

Throughput Comparisons

The following table presents a comparison of the approximate throughputs for different DL/UL Distribution (SA) and Radio Range (SSF) configurations in a Band 48 TDD system operating at 3600 MHz with a bandwidth of 20 MHz. Note that the actual throughput may vary depending on specific network conditions, radio conditions, and system configurations.

DL/UL Distribution (SA)
Radio Range (SSF)
DL Throughput
UL Throughput

85% DL, 15% UL (SA2)

Normal (SSF7)

112.32 Mbps

11.52 Mbps

6miles (SSF5)

97.2 Mbps

11.52 Mbps

70% DL, 30% UL (SA1)

Normal (SSF7)

82.08 Mbps

21.6 Mbps

6miles (SSF5)

66.96 Mbps

21.6 Mbps

60% DL, 40% UL (SA6)

Normal (SSF7)

66.96 Mbps

26.64 Mbps

6miles (SSF5)

51.84 Mbps

26.64 Mbps

Switch Default Network

When you log on to Onyx Portal, from the list of networks available under the selected Onyx Portal account, you must select the default network for your session. When you select a particular network, the Onyx Portal screens display data for that network.

To switch the default network:

1

After you log on to the Onyx Portal, in the header area of the page, click (switch default network).

The Networks page displays the list of networks configured under the selected Onyx Portal account.

2

Click the name of the network that you want to switch to.

A confirmation dialog box is displayed.

3

To confirm the switch, click Yes. The default network switches, and the selected network's name is displayed in the header area.

indicates the default network is a 4G network.

indicates the default network is a 5G network.

View Default Network's Details

To view details of the default network:

1

In the navigation pane, click Network.

The <network name> page displays the default network's details.

  • Network:

    • Name – The network's name.

    • UE Display Short Name – The network's short name that is displayed in UE screens.

    • Description – The network's description.

    • The number of Onyx Edge, APs, Mesh Nodes, subscribers, and APNs associated with the network.

  • Core:

    • IP Allocation Mode – The UE IP allocation mode—NAT, DHCP Broadcast.

    • Primary PLMN ID – The primary PLMN ID.

  • RAN:

    • Radio Range (SSF) – The Radio Range parameter, also referred to as Signal Strength Floor (SSF), for all APs in the network. SSF determines the signal strength thresholds for different coverage areas within a network, ensuring optimal connectivity and handover performance across varying distances and terrain conditions.

      • Normal (SSF7) – This SSF category represents the typical signal strength threshold for cell selection and handover within a network. It is used for areas where the network coverage is considered standard, and the signal strength is within the normal operating range.

      • > 6miles (SSF5) – This SSF category represents an extended coverage area where the signal strength may be weaker compared to the normal operating range. It is used for areas where the distance between the cell site and the UE exceeds six miles, requiring a lower signal strength threshold for cell selection and handover.

    • DL/UL Distribution (SA) – The DL/UL Subframe Assignment (SA), which determines the percentage of transmission resources in downlink and uplink—"85%DL, 15%UL (SA2)", "70%DL, 30%UL (SA1)", "60%DL, 40%UL (SA6)".

      NOTE: If, at the venue level the optional DL/UL Distribution (SA) and Radio Range (SSF) parameters are not configured, and the Use network-level configuration check box is selected, the network-level SA and SSF configurations are applied to all APs in that venue.

    • AP Reboot on Neighbor Update – Controls whether APs automatically reboot when neighbor configuration changes are applied.

      • Enabled – APs reboot automatically when neighbor configuration changes are saved. For frequency changes, the AP and its neighboring APs also reboot automatically.

      • Disabled – APs do not reboot automatically. Changes take effect only after the AP is manually rebooted, either immediately or at a scheduled time.

      NOTE: In existing networks, this parameter is enabled by default to maintain pre-4.0.1 behavior. In networks created in release 4.0.1 or later, it is disabled by default.

  • Physical Cell ID (PCI) – The range used to assign a PCI value to AP cells in the network.

    • Min PCI – The minimum PCI value.

    • Max PCI – The maximum PCI value.

    For example, if the range is set to 0–2, and you have two APs and one Onyx Edge, they will be allocated values 0, 1, and 2. That is, for a range of 0–2, only three nodes (Onyx Edge + AP), and for 0–1, only two nodes (Onyx Edge + AP) can be added to the network.

  • SAS – Spectrum Access System (SAS) related information.

    • SAS Provider – The SAS provider's name.

  • Venues – The list of venues associated with the network.

View Available Networks

This section describes how to:

View Summary Details of All Networks

To view the summary details of all networks under the selected Onyx Portal account:

1

In the header area, click (switch network).

The Networks page displays the summary details of all networks configured under the selected Onyx Portal account.

  • Name – The network's name.

  • Venues – The number of venues configured in the network.

  • 4G/5G – The network's type—4G or 5G. To sort the table by network type, click the column header.

  • Onyx Edge Appliances – The number of Onyx Edge configured in the network.

  • Access Point – The number of APs configured in the network.

  • Mesh Node – The number of Mesh Nodes configured in the network. In the current release, Mesh Node is specific to 4G networks.

  • FHM – The number of FHMs configured in the network. In the current release FHM is specific to 4G networks.

  • Actions – Options to view details, edit and delete a network.

View a Network's Details

To view a network's details:

1

In the header area, click (switch network).

The Networks page displays the summary details of all networks configured under the current Onyx Portal account.

2

To view the details of a specific network, in the Actions column, click the corresponding ⋮ (options) icon, then click View.

The <network name> page displays the selected network's details.

  • Network:

    • Name – The network's name.

    • UE Display Short Name – The network's short name that is displayed in UE screens.

    • Description – The network's description.

    • The number of Onyx Edge, APs, Mesh Node, subscribers, and APNs associated with the network.

  • Core:

    • IP Allocation Mode – The IP allocation mode—NAT, DHCP Broadcast.

    • Primary PLMN ID – The primary PLMN ID.

  • RAN:

    • Radio Range (SSF) – The Radio Range parameter, also referred to as Signal Strength Floor (SSF), for all APs in the network. SSF determines the signal strength thresholds for different coverage areas within a network, ensuring optimal connectivity and handover performance across varying distances and terrain conditions.

      • Normal (SSF7) – This SSF category represents the typical signal strength threshold for cell selection and handover within a network. It is used for areas where the network coverage is considered standard, and the signal strength is within the normal operating range.

      • > 6miles (SSF5) – This SSF category represents an extended coverage area where the signal strength may be weaker compared to the normal operating range. It is used for areas where the distance between the cell site and the UE exceeds six miles, requiring a lower signal strength threshold for cell selection and handover.

    • DL/UL Distribution (SA) – The DL/UL Subframe Assignment (SA), which determines the percentage of transmission resources in downlink and uplink—"85%DL, 15%UL (SA2)", "70%DL, 30%UL (SA1)", "60%DL, 40%UL (SA6)".

      NOTE: If, at the venue level the optional DL/UL Distribution (SA) and Radio Range (SSF) parameters are not configured, and the Use network-level configuration check box is selected, the network-level SA and SSF configurations are applied to all APs in that venue.

    • AP Reboot on Neighbor Update – Controls whether APs automatically reboot when neighbor configuration changes are applied.

      • Enabled – APs reboot automatically when neighbor configuration changes are saved. For frequency changes, the AP and its neighboring APs also reboot automatically.

      • Disabled – APs do not reboot automatically. Changes take effect only after the AP is manually rebooted, either immediately or at a scheduled time.

      NOTE: In existing networks, this parameter is enabled by default to maintain pre-4.0.1 behavior. In networks created in release 4.0.1 or later, it is disabled by default.

  • Physical Cell ID (PCI) – The range used to assign a PCI value.

    • Min PCI – The minimum PCI value.

    • Max PCI – The maximum PCI value.

    For example, if the range is set to 0–2, and you have two APs and one Onyx Edge, they will be allocated the values 0, 1, and 2. That is, for a range of 0–2, only three nodes can be configured, and for 0–1, only two nodes can be configured.

  • SAS – Spectrum Access System (SAS) related details.

    • SAS Provider – The SAS provider's name.

  • Venues – The list of venues associated with the network.

  • Download Root CA Certificate – To download the network's Root CA certificate file, in the upper-right corner of the page, click Download Root CA Certificate. The .pem file is downloaded.

NOTE: On enabling IPSec for an AP, this Root CA Certificate file, the AP Certificate and AP Private Key must be uploaded to the AP equipment's configuration interface. For more information see Enable and Configure IPSec on AP Equipment.

Create Networks

This section describes how to create 4G networks.

NOTE: You can create networks only if you are a GXC Administrator, Partner Administrator, or a Super Administrator.

NOTE: You can create networks only under customer accounts. Before you create a network, make sure you have selected the appropriate customer account.

To create a 4G network:

1

In the header area, click (switch network).

The Networks page displays the summary details of all networks configured under the selected Onyx Portal account.

2

In the upper-right corner of the page, click Add Network.

The Create Network page > Network tab is displayed.

3

Enter the following details on the Network tab:

  • Network Name – (Required) The network's name. The network name must be unique within the customer account and must be an alphanumeric string of 1–32 characters.

  • UE Display Short Network Name – (Required) The network's short name that is displayed in UE screens.

  • Description – (Required) The network's description.

4

At the bottom of the page, click Configure Core/RAN.

The Create Network page > Core/RAN tab is displayed.

5

In the Core/RAN tab, enter the following details:

  • 4G / 5G – Click the toggle button to select the 4G network type. Default setting: 4G.

    NOTE: After you create a network, its type cannot be changed.

  • APN on a VLAN – To enable the Bridge (Multi-APN-VLAN) networking mode, turn on the toggle button. To enable the NAT mode, turn off the toggle button. Default setting: disabled (NAT mode). For more information, see Networking Modes.

  • DL/UL Distribution (SA) – (Required) Select the DL/UL Subframe Assignment (SA). The DL/UL Distribution SA configuration refers to allocating specific subframes within the radio frame for downlink and uplink data transmissions, facilitating efficient data exchange between the AP and UE. Default value: 85%DL, 15%UL (SA2).

    • 85%DL, 15%UL (SA2) – Subframe Assignment 2. Allocates approximately 85% subframes within each radio frame for downlink transmission and the remaining 15% for uplink transmission.

    • 70%DL, 30%UL (SA1) – Subframe Assignment 1. Allocates approximately 70% subframes within each radio frame for downlink transmission and the remaining 30% for uplink transmission.

    • 60%DL, 40%UL (SA6) – Subframe Assignment 6. Allocates approximately 60% subframes within each radio frame for downlink transmission and the remaining 40% for uplink transmission.

    For a comparison of the approximate throughput for the different DL/UL Distribution (SA) and Radio Range (SSF) configurations, see Throughput Comparisons.

  • Radio Range (SSF) – (Required) Select the Radio Range Special Subframe (SSF). The Radio Range (SSF) is a configuration of subframes within the radio frame structure, optimized for communication efficiency over varying distances. It adjusts the allocation of time slots to match specific propagation characteristics, ensuring reliable communication between the AP and UE across different coverage areas. Default value: Normal (SSF7).

    • Normal (SSF7) – For areas where the distance between the AP and UE is within standard operating range. SSF7 ensures optimal network performance and reliability by evenly allocating time for downlink and uplink transmissions.

    • > 6miles (SSF5) – For areas where the distance between the AP and UE exceeds six miles. SSF5 ensures effective communication over extended ranges by optimizing time slot allocation to match the propagation characteristics of longer distances.

NOTE: If, at the venue level, the optional DL/UL Distribution (SA) and Radio Range (SSF) parameters are not configured and the Use network-level configuration check box is selected, the network-level SA and SSF configurations are applied to all the APs in that venue.

  • MCC – (Required) The Mobile Country Code. A three-digit code that uniquely identifies the country or geographical area within the IMSI. Default value: 315.

  • MNC – (Required) The Mobile Network Code. A three-digit code when combined with the MCC, uniquely identifies a mobile network operator within a country. Default value: 010.

  • AP Reboot on Neighbor Update – Click to control whether APs automatically reboot when neighbor configuration changes are applied. Default: Off.

    • On – APs reboot automatically when neighbor configuration changes are saved.

    • Off – APs do not reboot automatically. Changes take effect only after the AP is manually rebooted, either immediately or at a scheduled time.

6

At the bottom of the page, click Configure Users.

The Create Network page > Users tab is displayed.

7

In the Users tab, enter the following details:

  • Users – Click to select one or more users from the customer account who should have permission to manage this network. To remove access for a particular user, clear the corresponding checkbox. Default value: All Users.

8

To save the network, in the upper-right corner of the page, click Save Network.

Edit Networks

This section describes how to edit networks.

NOTE: You can edit networks only if you are a GXC Administrator, Partner Administrator, or a Super Administrator.

To edit a 4G network's settings:

1

In the header area, click (switch network).

The Networks page displays the summary details of all networks configured under the selected Onyx Portal account.

2

For the network that you want to edit, in the Actions column, click the corresponding ⋮ (options) icon, then click Edit.

The Edit Network page > Network tab is displayed.

3

In the Network tab, edit the following details as required:

  • Network Name – (Required) The network's name. The name must be unique within the customer account and must be an alphanumeric string of 1–32 characters.

  • UE Display Short Network Name – (Required) The network's short name that is displayed in UE screens.

  • Description – (Required) The network's description.

4

In the lower-left bottom of the page, click Configure Core/RAN.

In the Core/RAN tab, edit the following details as required:

  • 4G / 5G – (Read only) Indicates the network type is 4G.

  • APN on a VLAN – To enable the Multi-APN-VLAN (non-NAT) mode, turn on the toggle button. To enable the NAT mode, turn off the toggle button. Default setting: disabled (NAT mode). For more information, see Networking Modes.

  • DL/UL Distribution (SA) – (Required.) Select the DL/UL Subframe Assignment (SA). Default value: 85%DL, 15%UL (SA2).

    • 85%DL, 15%UL (SA2) – Subframe Assignment 2.

    • 70%DL, 30%UL (SA1) – Subframe Assignment 1.

    • 60%DL, 40%UL (SA6) – Subframe Assignment 6.

    For a comparison of the approximate throughput for the different DL/UL Distribution (SA) and Radio Range (SSF) configurations, see Throughput Comparisons.

  • Radio Range (SSF) – (Required) Select the Radio Range Special Subframe (SSF). The Radio Range (SSF) is a configuration of subframes within the radio frame structure, optimized for communication efficiency over varying distances. It adjusts the allocation of time slots to match specific propagation characteristics, ensuring reliable communication between the AP and UE across different coverage areas. Default value: Normal (SSF7).

    • Normal (SSF7) – For areas where the distance between the AP and UE is within standard operating range. SSF7 ensures optimal network performance and reliability by evenly allocating time for downlink and uplink transmissions.

    • > 6miles (SSF5) – For areas where the distance between the AP and UE exceeds six miles. SSF5 ensures effective communication over extended ranges by optimizing time slot allocation to match the propagation characteristics of longer distances

NOTE: If, at the venue level, the optional DL/UL Distribution (SA) and Radio Range (SSF) parameters are not configured and the Use network-level configuration check box is selected, the network-level SA and SSF configurations are applied to all the APs in that venue.

  • MCC – (Required) The Mobile Country Code. A three-digit code that uniquely identifies the country or geographical area within the IMSI. Default value: 315.

  • MNC – (Required) The Mobile Network Code. Default value: 010.

  • AP Reboot on Neighbor Update – Click to control whether APs automatically reboot when neighbor configuration changes are applied. Default: Off.

    • On – APs reboot automatically when neighbor configuration changes are saved.

    • Off – APs do not reboot automatically. Changes take effect only after the AP is manually rebooted, either immediately or at a scheduled time.

5

In the lower-right bottom of the page, click Configure Users.

In the Users tab, edit the following details as required:

  • Users – Click to select one or more users from the customer account who should have permission to manage this network. To remove access for a particular user, clear the corresponding checkbox. Default value: All Users.

6

To save your edits, in the upper-right corner of the page, click Save Network.

Delete Networks

NOTE: You can delete networks only if you are a GXC Administrator, Partner Administrator, or a Super Administrator.

NOTE: You cannot delete a network if there are any venues, Onyx Edge, or APs associated with it.

To delete a network:

1

In the header area, click (switch network).

The Networks page displays the summary details of all networks configured under the selected Onyx Portal account.

2

To delete a particular network, in the Actions column, click the corresponding ⋮ (options) icon, then click Delete.

A confirmation dialog box is displayed.

3

To confirm, click Yes.

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