RADIUSdesk is a powerful and user-friendly RADIUS management platform designed to simplify the administration of network authentication and accounting.
- User Management: Easy user management with a comprehensive web interface.
- Real-time Monitoring: Monitor user sessions and access logs in real-time.
- Multi-language Support: Available in multiple languages.
- Customizable: Highly customizable to fit your specific needs.
MESHdesk allows you to create and manage mesh networks with ease. It is designed to enhance network coverage and reliability by connecting multiple access points (APs) in a seamless mesh.
- Automatic Configuration: MESHdesk automatically configures and optimizes your mesh network for optimal performance.
- Self-healing Networks: If an AP goes offline, the network automatically re-routes traffic to ensure continuous connectivity.
- Scalability: Easily add or remove APs to scale your network as needed. We use Batman-adv which can potentially scale to hundreds of nodes in a single mesh network.
- Centralized Management: Manage all your mesh nodes from a single, user-friendly interface.
- Firmware Management: Remotely update and manage firmware across all APs.
- Network Visualization: Visualize the mesh network topology and monitor the health of each node.
APdesk provides powerful tools for managing individual access points (APs). It simplifies the process of configuring, monitoring, and maintaining APs to ensure a high-quality network experience.
- Intuitive Interface: User-friendly interface for configuring and managing APs.
- Performance Monitoring: Real-time monitoring of AP performance metrics such as signal strength, bandwidth usage, and client connections.
- Configuration Profiles: Create and apply configuration profiles to multiple APs for consistent setup.
- Security Management: Configure security settings including encryption, firewall rules, and access controls.
- Client Management: Monitor and manage clients connected to each AP.
- Reporting and Analytics: Generate detailed reports on AP performance, client activity, and network usage.
One of the standout benefits of MESHdesk and APdesk is the flexibility to use a wide range of hardware, from current off-the-shelf models to repurposed devices. This includes:
- Using Current Off-the-Shelf Hardware: Deploy modern, off-the-shelf hardware like the Cudy X6, available on Amazon. These devices can be easily flashed with OpenWrt, providing a powerful and customizable networking solution.
- Repurposing Pre-owned Hardware: Utilize cost-effective, pre-owned devices like Meraki MR24s, which are affordable and readily available on platforms like eBay. This significantly reduces the initial investment required to set up your network.
- Cost Savings: Save on hardware costs by leveraging both pre-owned and affordable new devices.
- Sustainability: Repurpose existing hardware to reduce electronic waste and promote environmental sustainability.
- Flexibility: Choose from a wide range of compatible devices to suit your specific needs and budget.
- Accessibility: Make advanced networking solutions attainable for everyone, regardless of budget constraints.
With MESHdesk and APdesk, you can deploy powerful, reliable networks using a mix of repurposed and new hardware, ensuring high-quality connectivity without breaking the bank.
We aim to provide a centralized management system for your Internet users and hardware that is:
- User-Friendly: Intuitive and easy to use, even for those with minimal technical expertise.
- Fully Controlled: Empowering you with complete control over your network.
- Open Source: Entirely open source, ensuring transparency and community-driven development.
Below, you will find pinned repositories, each with its own comprehensive wiki page providing detailed instructions:
- rdcore: Instructions for installing the central administration system.
- openwrt-meshdesk: Guidelines for compiling the OpenWrt firmware with the MESHdesk package.
RADIUSdesk has a rich history spanning over a decade.
- 2012: The project was launched on SourceForge, marking the beginning of our journey.
- 2022: We transitioned to GitHub, embracing modern development workflows.
When we first started, our technology stack included:
- Operating System: Ubuntu 10.04
- RADIUS Server: FreeRADIUS 2.x
- JavaScript Framework: ExtJS 4.0
- PHP Framework: CakePHP 2.x
- Router Firmware: OpenWrt Attitude Adjustment (12.09)
- Hardware: Single radio devices for mesh networks using 802.11n (Wi-Fi 4)
Today, RADIUSdesk utilizes a more advanced and robust stack:
- Operating System: Ubuntu 24.04
- RADIUS Server: FreeRADIUS 3.x
- JavaScript Framework: ExtJS 7.0
- PHP Framework: CakePHP 4.x
- Router Firmware: OpenWrt 23.05.x
- Hardware: Devices with up to three radios supporting 802.11n/ac/ax (Wi-Fi 4/5/6)
- All the code is published under the GNU General Public License v3.0.
- This means that you may make modifications and changes.
This project also received funding through NGI0 Entrust, a fund established by NLnet with financial support from the European Commission's Next Generation Internet program.
Learn more at the NLnet project page.