Datasheet

EWS5204
WIRELESS LAN CONTROLLERINTRODUCTION
The EWS5204 is an enterprise-grade wireless LAN controller that provides establishments such ashotels, universities, or even complete municipalities with a comprehensive set of managed Wi-Fifeatures at a competitive license-free price point. With AP management, user authentication,
policy assignment, traffic shaping, firewall features, and much more all packaged into a single box,
the EWS5204 provides network administrators with a reliable, easy-to-use, and centralized
management console for an entire organization’s wireless network infrastructure.
The EWS5204 is capable of managing up to 1,000 ECW/ECWO-series Wireless Access Points andcan be directly integrated with unified access switches, all of which can be deployed andconfigured easily by anyone, including non-wireless savvy users. For example, automated AP
discovery prevents network administrators from having to go through the hassle of individuallyadding and configuring each access point. Access points as well as connected Wi-Fi devices canthen be monitored and managed from a centralized point, with extensive logging & reporting
features to assist in troubleshooting and maintenance.
As Wi-Fi enabled handheld devices such as smartphones and tablets become ever so prevalent inour daily lives, businesses and network operators alike are faced with a mind-boggling dilemma –how to simultaneously address the needs of BYOD (Bring Your Own Device), manage Wi-Fi users,
and maintain network service quality for mission critical applications. The EWS5204 is designed
exactly with these requirements in mind, and with a total cost of ownership that satisfies even themost price conscious, organizations are guaranteed to receive an unmatched ROI on their wireless
LAN infrastructure.

Copyright © 2022 Edgecore Networks Corporation

ENTERPRISE-GRADE WIRELESS LAN CONTROLLER

FEATURES

EWS5204

ACCOUNT GENERATION

On-demand Account

•••
•
•

SMS registration
Purchase via PayPal
Hotel PMS integration
Selectable Billing Plans
Account Ticket PrinterOn-demand Account
Flexibility••••

Customizable Billing Plans
Account Credentials
Access Codes
Smart Login•

Limitation by duration andvolume
Configurable reactivationtime
E-mail registration andactivation

SECURITY
Security is often one of the most important concerns
when it comes to enterprise wireless networks. Fromthe most basic need of preventing network access byunauthorized users to performing rogue AP detectionand enforcing network isolation, the Edgecore
Controllers provide a complex set of features thatprevent malicious activities in an organization'snetwork.

For deployment flexibility, the Edgecore Controllers
support user authentication via both the industry
standard 802.1X as well as web-based captive portals.
The highly customizable captive portals with integrated
walled garden capability can be adapted to suit theneeds of hotels, schools, and other public venues. For
unregistered users without an account, guest accesscan be provided by simply entering an e-mail address,
logging in with social media accounts, or purchasing adata plan through PayPal.
With various account generation methods, theEdgecore Controllers are able to identify users andtrack user activities, ensuring network security in publicWi-Fi.
The Edgecore Controllers also support remote access
via VPN, which is crucial for travelling businessmen. At
the same time, site-to-site VPN establishes secureconnections between corporate headquarters andbranch offices.
USER SECURITY
Authentication Types•••

802.1XUAM (browser-based)
IP or MAC-based

Authentication
Servers•
•
•
•
••
•
•

Local
On-DemandGuest
RADIUSLDAPNT Domain
SIP
POP3

Customizable Captive
Portal•Yes

Customizable Wild
Card Walled Garden•

Yes

User Blacklisting•

Yes

Guest Wi-Fi Account

•
••

Yes

VPN•
•

RemoteSite-to-Site

Tunneling Protocols

•
•

IPSec
PPTP

Network Isolation••

Intra-VLAN or PortInter-VLAN or Port

Rogue AP Detection•

Yes

Certificates•

Built-in Root CA

Social Media Login

NETWORK SECURITY

MOBILITY
The advent of the era of smartphones and tablets has
opened a chasm between how the Internet is usedand how organizations provide Internet connectivity.
Wireless networks have transformed from a luxury toa necessity, in order to support devices that don't
have legacy wired capability. Furthermore, additionalfeatures need to be provided in order to address therapidly changing usage behavior.
The Edgecore Controllers support a variety of mobility
features that aim to make enterprise Wi-Fi both easier
to use and simpler to manage. For example, bysupporting fast roaming, users on mobile devices canbe on-the-go without worrying about interrupted
connections. It is also not uncommon to see a single
user with multiple handheld devices - with theEdgecore Controller all of the devices can login to WiFi using the same username and password. Finally,
mobile-optimized captive portals and ticket-printed
QR code automatic login are both easy methods for auser to get online from their mobile device.
Copyright © 2022 Edgecore Networks Corporation

ENTERPRISE-GRADE WIRELESS LAN CONTROLLER

DEVICE MOBILITY

EWS5204

SYSTEM MANAGEMENT

Fast Roaming Between Access Points•

Yes

Cross Gateway Roaming•

Yes

WISPr Smart Client•

Yes

Mobile Device Recognition for
Optimized Captive Portal•

Yes

Multiple Device Logins Per Account•

Yes

System Time••NTP synchronization
Manually configured

QR Code Automatic Login•

Yes

Device Plug-and-Play•

Yes

System Backup &Restore•

Yes

On-Demand Smart Login without
Re-Authentication

•

Yes

SNMP•

Yes; v2c•

Yes; built-in packet
captureBrowser-Based
Configuration

Administrator Accounts

Network Utilities

•Yes

•

Multiple tiered accessprivileges
Monitor each admin’s
current accessed page•

MANAGEMENT

AP MANAGEMENT

In a wireless LAN, the Edgecore controller is thecentral point of management for network
administrators, whether it is monitoring current
online users or troubleshooting network connectivity
issues. The management console of the Edgecore
controller is a browser-based GUI that is simple andintuitive to operate. From this interface, network
administrators can configure traffic shaping profiles,
track previous network usage, perform system backup
and restore, and much more.

Automatic AP Discovery•Yes

Automatic APProvisioning•Yes; template-based

AP Configuration Backup& Restore•Yes

AP Firmware BatchUpgrade•

Yes

Tunneled APManagement•

Yes; both L2 & L3 APs

From the user management perspective, one of thecore benefits of the Edgecore controller is its ability toenforce different traffic profiles based on both thelocation (Service Zone) of the user and the time ofaccess. For example, the profiles applied during work
hours can be different from that of during after-workhours. From bandwidth limitations to specific routing
rules, network administrators gain fine-grained
control over Wi-Fi users.

AP Load Balancing•YesAutomatic AP Firmware
Upgrade•Yes

Automatic Periodically
AP Backup•

Yes

Automatic SwitchDiscovery•

Yes

Automatic SwitchProvisioning•Yes; template-based

Switch Configuration
Backup & Restore•

Yes

Switch Power Scheduling•Yes

For access points, the Edgecore Controllers support
automatic discovery and provisioning, eliminating
many repetitive and cumbersome tasks often faced
during initial network deployment. Centralized AP
configuration and monitoring also greatly reduces
maintenance overhead for IT staff.

SWITCH MANAGEMENT

Copyright © 2022 Edgecore Networks Corporation

ENTERPRISE-GRADE WIRELESS LAN CONTROLLER
USER MANAGEMENT
User Policy Assignment

Bandwidth Limitation
Traffic Classification /Remarking

DHCP Server / DHCP Relay•

Yes

Network Address
Translation•Yes

Built-in HTTP Proxy Server•Yes

WAN Port Load Balancing•

Yes

Dynamic Routing•

Yes

Local DNS Records•

Yes

••
•

Innkey PMS
Oracle Hospitality
OPERA
IDS Next••

Role-based
Time & location
dependent•••

User-basedGroup-based
Bandwidth throttling•

Yes; 802.1p / DSCP

•Yes; each rule withindividualenforcement
schedules

Hotel PMS Integration

Integrated Billing &Accounting System•

Yes

Billing Quota Types••

By duration
By traffic volume

Stateful Firewall

Static Route Assignment•Yes

Concurrent Session Limit•

Yes•

Allow clients to obtain
different IP addresses
after authentication

IP Address Reassignment

EWS5204

REPORTINGSERVICEAs wireless networks increasingly become the primary
network used by organizations, it is crucial to take into
consideration fundamental network services, such as
DHCP, NAT, and routing. In addition to providing thesefunctions, the Edgecore controller also implements
the concept of a "Service Zone", which essentiallysegments the controller into multiple virtualcontrollers, each with its own associated network
services, user policies, authentication settings, etc.
On the reliability end, the Edgecore controller
supports WAN port failover, which helps businesses
reduce the chance of network downtime and prevents
lost productivity and revenue. Furthermore, loadbalancing between the WAN ports increases overall
performance by alleviating congestion and distributing
traffic between the two outgoing links.

Finally, the Edgecore controller provides unique valueadded capabilities, such as a direct integration withMicros Opera PMS that greatly simplifies theoverhead of providing managed Wi-Fi in hotels.
NETWORK SERVICES
Redundancy(High Availability)•N+1 with automaticsynchronization

Internet Protocols
Supported•
•

IPv4
IPv6

Whether it is real-time monitoring of network activity
or tracking the usage of previous Wi-Fi users, network
administrators need the appropriate tools at theirdisposal to increase efficiency and reduce workload.
The Edgecore Controllers have an extensive set oflogging and reporting features that allow network
administrators to easily find any information related
to the wireless network.
The built-in system dashboard provides a quick
overview of the current system status, along withgraphical reports of network traffic and system
performance. In addition, there is a simple interface
for viewing online devices and their associateddetailed statistics, including but not limited to theroles they belong to, enforced network policies, andpackets transferred.
Alongside network monitoring, the Edgecore
controller also performs detailed logging of all
network activity. For example, the User HTTP Web Log
allows network administrators to track users who
visited malicious websites, while the DHCP Lease Logcan assist in troubleshooting clients who cannot
receive an IP address. Lastly, the Configuration
Change Log shows administrators which settings havebeen modified in the past, in case there areconfiguration errors that need to be reverted.

Copyright © 2022 Edgecore Networks Corporation

ENTERPRISE-GRADE WIRELESS LAN CONTROLLER

EWS5204

SPECIFICATIONSSYSTEM & NETWORK STATUS
System Dashboard•Yes

SYSTEM CAPACITY*1

Graphical System Performance
Reports•

Yes

Managed APs•

Up to 1,000

Traffic Volume Reports•Yes

Local Accounts•Up to 30,000

System Process Monitor•Yes

On-Demand Accounts•

Up to 30,000

Online Device Monitoring•

Yes

Managed Switches•250

Active Sessions List•

Yes•

10,000; Switchable

Configurable SYSLOG Severity•

Yes

Max. Number ofOnline Users

SMTP (E-mail) Notifications•

Yes

Multiple Concurrent E-mailNotification Receivers•

HARDWARE SPECIFICATIONS
19” (1U) Rack Mount(Mounting bracketincluded)

Yes•

43.8 cm x 30.0 cm x 4.4cm•

5.2 kg (11.46 lbs)•

Input: 100-240 VAC,
50/60 Hz (Power cordincluded)•WAN: 2 x
10/100/1000Base-T
Ethernet, Auto-MDIX, RJ45
WAN: 2 x 100/1000 SFPLAN: 6 x
10/100/1000Base-T
Ethernet, Auto-MDIX, RJ45
LAN: 2 x 100/1000 SFP
USB: 2 x USB3.0
Console: 1 x RJ-45; 1 x
micro USB

NETWORK ACTIVITY LOGS
System Log (SYSLOG)•Yes

Dimensions(W x D x H)

CAPWAP Log•

Yes

WeightConfiguration Change Log•

Yes

RADIUS Server Log•Yes

User Events Log•Yes

User HTTP Web Log•

Yes

Firewall Log•Yes

DHCP Server/Lease Log•Yes

PMS Interface Log•Yes

On-Demand Billing Report•Yes

AP Status E-mail Notification•

Yes

AP Management Event Log•Yes

Logging to External FTP•Yes

Configurable Logs & Reporting
Intervals•

YesPower••Interfaces•••

LED Indicators••

PowerHDD

LCD Display•

Yes•

Operating Temperature:0°C (32°F) to 40°C (104°F)
Operating Humidity: 10%to 90% non-condensing

EnvironmentalConditions

TEL: 886-3-5638888 FAX: 886-3-6686111
1, Creation Rd. III, Hsinchu Science Park, Taiwan 30077•Form Factor

sales@edge-core.com
www.edge-core.com•Copyright © 2022 Edgecore Networks Corporation

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