Installation - Callbox/UEsim trx over ip

The purpose of this tutorial is to show you how to install Callbox and UEsim software on a single PC with trx ip mode. This mode allows you to use Callbox and UEsim on a single PC without using any SDR card. In this mode, Callbox and UEsim communicate over IP instead of SDR cards.

NOTE : This option may require a specific license and it is recommended to consult to sales@amarisoft.com for the license.

NOTE : Overall installation procedure is almost same as regular Callbox software installation or UEsim software installation. The only differences are with some of the options you need to take during the installation process.

Table of Contents

• Installation - Callbox/UEsim trx over ip
• Introduction
• Summary of the Tutorial
• Download the New Release
• Install
• Directory Structure of Installed Release
• Contents of ots Config
• Checkup Software Run

Introduction

Callbox and UEsim are specialized software solutions developed by Amarisoft for wireless network simulation and testing, widely used in research, development, and quality assurance environments within the telecommunications sector. Callbox functions as a complete cellular network emulator, capable of simulating the behavior of 2G/3G/4G/5G base stations (eNodeB/gNodeB) and core networks, while UEsim acts as a configurable user equipment (UE) simulator, emulating thousands of devices to test network performance, stability, and compliance. Traditionally, these solutions require Software Defined Radio (SDR) hardware cards to facilitate radio frequency signal transmission and reception. However, with the advent of trx IP mode, it is now possible to run both Callbox and UEsim entirely on a single PC, leveraging IP-based communication for baseband signal transport. This architecture eliminates the need for physical SDR hardware, enabling a more flexible, cost-effective, and scalable testing environment for protocol validation, performance benchmarking, and end-to-end network emulation. The use of trx IP mode is particularly significant for development labs, continuous integration pipelines, and virtualized testing environments, as it accelerates deployment and simplifies infrastructure requirements. It is important to note that operating in trx IP mode may necessitate a dedicated license from Amarisoft, and the installation process closely mirrors standard procedures for both Callbox and UEsim, with only a few option-specific adjustments during setup. This tutorial provides a step-by-step guide on how to install and configure Callbox and UEsim on a single PC in trx IP mode, ensuring seamless emulation and communication without the need for SDR cards.

• Context and Background
  • Callbox is a software-based network emulator that replicates the functionalities of real cellular networks, supporting a range of wireless standards including LTE and 5G NR.
  • UEsim simulates multiple user devices, enabling comprehensive testing of network infrastructure under various load and mobility scenarios.
  • Trx IP Mode is an operational mode where Callbox and UEsim exchange baseband signals over IP networking, bypassing the need for SDR hardware and facilitating virtualized test setups.
  • Both software tools are commonly used for functional validation, regression testing, network optimization, and research.
• Relevance and Importance of this Tutorial
  • Enables organizations to deploy scalable, hardware-independent network testing environments.
  • Reduces infrastructure costs and complexity by utilizing a single PC setup.
  • Accelerates development and testing cycles by simplifying installation and configuration.
  • Provides step-by-step guidance tailored for users transitioning from SDR-based setups to IP-based emulation.
• What Learners Will Gain
  • Understanding of the architectural differences between SDR-based and IP-based setups for Callbox and UEsim.
  • Hands-on experience installing and configuring both Callbox and UEsim on a single PC using trx IP mode.
  • Knowledge of best practices for license management and configuration adjustments specific to trx IP mode.
  • Ability to troubleshoot common issues encountered during installation and initial setup.
• Prerequisite Knowledge and Skills
  • Familiarity with basic Linux system administration and command-line operations.
  • Understanding of IP networking concepts and local network configuration.
  • Prior experience with Amarisoft software products (Callbox/UEsim) is helpful but not mandatory.
  • Awareness that a specific license for trx IP mode may be required and should be obtained from Amarisoft prior to installation.

Summary of the Tutorial

This tutorial provides a detailed procedure for installing the Amarisoft LTE software package with a focus on utilizing the TRX IP functionality. The following summarizes the key test and verification procedures described:

• Download and Preparation:
  • Download the installation tarball from the Amarisoft Extranet account.
  • Place the downloaded package in any suitable directory (e.g., /root or /tmp, noting that /tmp is cleared on power cycles).
• Installation Procedure:
  • Untar the downloaded package to extract the installation directory.
  • Navigate to the untarred directory and list its files to locate the install.sh script and associated installation files.
  • Execute ./install.sh to start the installation process.
  • During installation, follow interactive prompts to:
    • Install LTE automatic service and related packages (e.g., screen).
    • Migrate configuration files from the current running version where prompted.
    • Enable options such as NAT for IPv4/IPv6, hyperthreading control, EPC, IMS, eNB, UE simulator, and web interface as required.
    • Select TRX radio frontend as "ip" for both eNB/gNB and UE simulator components.
    • Choose other optional components (e.g., N3IWF, Spectrum viewer, LTE probe, LTE scanner, MBMS gateway, license server, LTE monitoring) as needed.
    • Determine whether to start services automatically after installation.
  • Monitor the import and migration of configuration files, noting any warnings about conflicts or modifications.
  • On completion, confirm successful installation as indicated by the script.
• Directory and Configuration Verification:
  • Check the installation directory structure (e.g., /root/enb, /root/mme, /root/ue, /root/ots, /root/trx_ip).
  • Verify that the rf_driver directory in both enb/config and ue/config is mapped to the ip directory, confirming TRX IP mode configuration.
  • Examine the config.cfg files within each component to ensure correct driver mapping (detailed analysis of these files is reserved for other tutorials).
• OTS Configuration Reference:
  • Review the ots configuration file for general error handling, logging, component mapping, and system configuration parameters.
  • Understand component registration for MME, IMS, ENB, and UE within the OTS configuration, ensuring that all necessary services are properly listed and configured for startup.
• Software Operation Verification:
  • After installation, execute service lte restart to restart the LTE service.
  • Run screen -r to attach to the service screen and confirm that all components are running without errors.

This systematic procedure ensures the correct installation and configuration of Amarisoft LTE components with TRX IP mode, and includes verification steps to validate both the file structure and the operational status of the installed software.

Download the New Release

The trx ip functionality does not require any special software, it is included in the regular installation package. Soyou can download the installation package (Tarball) from Amarisoft Extranet account as you download your regular installation packageas shown below.

You can place the downloaded package anywhere you like. In this tutorial, I put it in /root directory as shown below.

NOTE : you may put the file into /tmp if you like, but be aware that the contents of /tmp will be deleted when you power cycle the PC.

NOTE : The contents (components) contained within the downloaded tarball varies with the license options registerred in the extranet download site.

Install

Untar the package as shown below

You will get the untared directory as shown below. You will see all the software packages for installation in this directory.

Go to the untarred directory and list the files in it. You will see the installation shell program and other files required for installation (In this specific case shown above, go do the directory '2021-11-19' to get the contents as shown below.)

NOTE : The contents (components) contained within this directory would vary with the license options registerred in the extranet download site.

Go through the installation procedure as shown below.

Directory Structure of Installed Release

This is just to check up the result of installation. If you check up the file list in the installation directory (/root) you can see enb/mme/ue/ots/trx_ip directories.

If you go into /root/enb/config, you would see rf_driver directory is mapped to the directory ip.

If you go into the directory 'ip', there is a config.cfg file that is mapping the rf driver to ip. (The details of the config.cfg will be explained in another tutorial)

If you go into /root/ue, you would see rf_driver directory is mapped to the directory ip.

If you go into /root/ue/config, there is a config.cfg file that is mapping the rf driver to ip. (The details of the config.cfg will be explained in another tutorial)

Contents of ots Config

This is just for a reference. Usually you may not need to check on this. You may want to check on this only when screen mode (i.e, the user interface with 'screen -r') does not behave as expected.

The contents of the file is as follows.

Checkup Software Run

Once every check up is done, run 'service lte restart' and 'screen -r' just to make it sure the installed software is running without any error.