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Getting Started

Mango Cloud is the cloud control plane for networks built on the OpenLAN ecosystem. It provides centralized management for OpenWiFi Access Points, OpenLAN Switches, and OpenLAN Gateways, enabling operators to provision, configure, monitor, and maintain large numbers of network devices from a single platform.

Operating distributed networks, whether across thousands of homes or across enterprise sites, requires consistent configuration management, remote visibility, and reliable device lifecycle control. Mango Cloud addresses these challenges by providing a cloud-native platform that automates device onboarding, enforces network configuration policies, and collects telemetry from managed infrastructure.

The platform integrates with the OpenLAN device ecosystem to provide unified management of both wireless and wired access networks, allowing operators to manage gateways, switches, and access points through a single operational interface.

This guide introduces the basic concepts of Mango Cloud and explains how to begin working with the platform.

Who should use Mango Cloud​

Mango Cloud is designed for organizations that operate and manage large-scale access networks built on OpenLAN technologies. It is particularly suited for environments where centralized management, automation, and operational visibility are required across distributed network infrastructure.

Internet Service Providers and Broadband Operators​

Service providers deploying residential WiFi networks often manage thousands of gateways and access points distributed across subscriber homes. Mango Cloud enables centralized provisioning, configuration management, firmware upgrades, and operational monitoring for these devices, helping operators maintain consistent service quality across large residential deployments.

Enterprise IT Teams and Managed Service Providers​

Enterprise networks typically consist of switches, gateways, and wireless access points deployed across offices, campuses, and multi-site organizations. Mango Cloud provides centralized visibility and operational control for these environments, enabling administrators to manage configuration policies, monitor device health, and maintain network infrastructure across multiple locations.

Hospitality Networks​

Hotels, resorts, and large hospitality venues rely heavily on reliable guest WiFi and stable internal network infrastructure. These environments often include large numbers of access points, gateways, and switches distributed across floors, buildings, or campuses. Mango Cloud allows operators to centrally manage these devices, maintain consistent network policies, and monitor performance across the entire hospitality network.

MDU Network Operators (Starting in Release 2.0)​

Mango Cloud Release 2.0 introduces support for Multi-Dwelling Unit (MDU) deployments such as apartment complexes, student housing, and residential communities. This deployment model enables operators to manage shared network infrastructure while maintaining network isolation and policy control across individual tenants.

By supporting residential deployments, enterprise networks, and hospitality environments, Mango Cloud enables operators to manage OpenLAN-based wired and wireless infrastructure at scale through a unified cloud platform.

Prerequisites​

Before getting started with Mango Cloud, ensure that you have the required environment and basic familiarity with the technologies used by the platform.

Basic Networking Knowledge​

Mango Cloud manages network infrastructure such as gateways, switches, and wireless access points. Users should be familiar with basic networking concepts, including:

  • IP addressing and routing
  • VLANs and network segmentation
  • Wireless networking fundamentals
  • Basic device provisioning workflows

A general understanding of these concepts will help you operate and troubleshoot managed devices effectively.

Infrastructure to Run Mango Cloud​

Mango Cloud is deployed as a cloud-native application and requires infrastructure capable of running containerized services.

Typical deployment environments include:

  • A Linux server or cloud instance
  • Container runtime such as Docker
  • Kubernetes cluster for production deployments

Detailed deployment instructions and infrastructure requirements are provided in the Deployment section of this documentation.

OpenLAN Devices​

To fully explore Mango Cloud functionality, access to supported OpenLAN devices is recommended. These may include:

  • OpenWiFi Access Points
  • OpenLAN Switches
  • OpenLAN Gateways

Devices connect to Mango Cloud to receive configuration, report telemetry, and allow centralized management of the network.

Network Connectivity​

Devices managed by Mango Cloud must be able to communicate with the Mango Cloud controller over the network. Ensure that:

  • devices have IP connectivity to the controller
  • required management ports are accessible
  • DNS and routing are properly configured

Connectivity requirements may vary depending on the deployment environment.

After ensuring the prerequisites are met, proceed to the Deployment Guide to install Mango Cloud and bring up the controller services.