What is the AWC Plug-in

Overview > What is the AWC Plug-in

The AWC (Autonomous Wave Control) Plug-in is a wireless LAN controller. It lets you centrally and graphically manage wireless access points (APs) that are connected to an AMF network as guest devices or are installed on the same subnet as the AWC Plug-in server.
The plug-in can use AWC to automatically adjust the channel and transmit power for each AP according to the surrounding radio environment.

The AWC Plug-in enables you to:

Batch configure multiple APs in arbitrary groups
Batch upgrade multiple AP's firmware
View a graphical representation of your wireless network
Automatically adjust the channel and power of each AP with the AWC feature
Detect rogue APs

In addition, with Wireless Channel Blanket licenses, you can also configure and operate a hybrid wireless network, which combines blanket and multi-channel wireless networks. This is called AWC-CB (AWC-Channel Blanket).
Please refer to Operation Reference > Channel Blanket > Overview for more details on AWC-CB.

If you are planning to manage guest device APs, please make sure that your AMF network is working correctly before using this software.
Please refer to the AMF Feature Overview and Configuration Guide for AMF networking features.

Note
You can use the AWC Plug-in if your network doesn't use AMF (i.e. there's no AMF master or controller on your network). There are some limitations on the available features. For this to work, you have to install both Vista Manager EX and the AWC Plug-in and enable appropriate licenses. You cannot install and use the AWC Plug-in without Vista Manager EX.

Supported AP Models

The AWC Plug-in can manage the following AP models.

TQ Series:
TQ2450, TQ3200, TQ3400, TQ3600, TQ4400, TQ4400e, TQ4600
Firmware Version 4.3.x Bxx (Limited Support)

Note
"Limited Support" means that the features added to the AWC Plug-in version 3.1.0 or later are not supported by this AP firmware version. Basic management and AWC calculation features are still available with the limited-support firmware version.

Note
If your AP is running a firmware version earlier than 4.2.x Bxx, upgrade the AP to a supported version via its own web interface before putting it under the management of the AWC Plug-in.

TQ1402, TQm1402
Firmware Version 6.0.1-3.x
Firmware Version 6.0.0-0.x to 6.0.0-1.x, 6.0.1-2.x (Limited Support)

Note
The conditions of "Limited Support" differ depending on the firmware version.
With firmware version 6.0.0-0.x, the functionalities added to the AWC Plug-in version 3.2.0 or later are not supported.
With firmware version 6.0.0-1.x, the functionalities added to the AWC Plug-in version 3.3.1 or later are not supported.
With firmware version 6.0.1-2.x, the functionalities added to the AWC Plug-in version 3.3.4 or later are not supported.
With each version, basic management and AWC calculation features are still available.

TQ5403, TQ5403e, TQm5403
Firmware Version 6.0.1-6.x
Firmware Version 5.3.x to 5.4.x, 6.0.1-1.x to 6.0.1-2.x, 6.0.1-5.x (Limited Support)

Note
The conditions of "Limited Support" differ depending on the firmware version.
With firmware version 5.3.x, the functions added to the AWC Plug-in version 3.1.0 or later are not supported.
With firmware version 5.4.x, the functions added to the AWC Plug-in version 3.2.0 or later are not supported.
With firmware version 6.0.1-1.x, the functions added to the AWC Plug-in version 3.3.1 or later are not supported.
With firmware version 6.0.1-2.x, the functionalities added to the AWC Plug-in version 3.3.4 or later are not supported.
With firmware version 6.0.1-5.x, the functions added to the AWC Plug-in version 3.5.0 or later are not supported.
With each version, basic management and AWC calculation features are still available.

Note
If your AP is running a firmware version earlier than 5.2.x, update the AP to a supported version via its own web interface before putting it under the management of the AWC Plug-in.

TQ6602
Firmware Version 7.0.0-1.1 to 7.0.1-0.1 (Limited Support)

Note
For more information on "Limited Support", please refer to the release note on our website.
SDN/OpenFlow-capable TQ Series
TQ4400, TQ4600
Firmware Version 4.1.x Sxx (Limited Support)

Note
The AWC Plug-in distinguishes TQ Series with SDN/OpenFlow-capable firmware from APs with standard firmware.

Note
Features added to the AWC Plug-in version 2.4.0 or later are not supported with this version of the AP firmware. Basic management and AWC calculation features are still available with the limited-support firmware version.

TQ5403, TQ5403e
Firmware Version 5.3.x to 5.4.x, 6.0.1-1.x to 6.0.1-2.x (Limited Support)

Note
The conditions of "Limited Support" differ depending on the firmware version.
With firmware version 5.3.x, the functions added to the AWC Plug-in version 3.1.0 or later are not supported.
With firmware version 5.4.x, the functions added to the AWC Plug-in version 3.2.0 or later are not supported.
With firmware version 6.0.1-1.x, the functions added to the AWC Plug-in version 3.3.1 or later are not supported.
With firmware version 6.0.1-2.x, the functionalities added to the AWC Plug-in version 3.3.4 or later are not supported.
With each version, basic management and AWC calculation features are still available.

Note
If your AP is running a firmware version earlier than 5.2.x, update the AP to a supported version via its own web interface before putting it under the management of the AWC Plug-in.
MWS AP series

Note
The AWC Plug-in no longer supports the management of the MWS AP series. Please note that the setting functionalities for the MWS AP series, such as the AP Profile Type, are retained for compatibility with the backup file of the previous version.

Support Limits

The number of APs, Clients and Floor Maps that can be managed by the AWC Plug-in are as follows.

Wireless AP
500 units
(including up to 100 units each of TQm1402 and TQm5403)
Wireless Client
3,000 units
Floor Map
The number of APs that can be put on a single floor map is limited to 120 units.

Account Types

The AWC Plug-in shares the account database with Vista Manager EX and other plug-ins.

Table 1: Account Types
Type	Description
Admin	Can use all wireless management functions.
User	Can perform wireless management operations except the ones listed below. Create Management Group View the AWC Calculation Result Log Initialize the system and view version information Admin can permit Users to configure and view permissions per Management Group.

See the "Managing user accounts" section of the Vista Manager EX User Guide for more information.

C613-04110-00 Rev B

09 Sep 2021 17:37