Build srsRAN 4G UE / RAN with ZeroMQ by disabling RF plugins

srsRAN 4G software suite includes a virtual radio which uses the ZeroMQ networking library to transfer radio samples between applications. Therefore, in order to confirm the facilities of EPC, I will describe the simple procedure for building these virtual eNodeB and UE instead of the real devices. Note that the RF plugin is disabled and the ZeroMQ library is built into the virtual eNodeB and UE.

Please refer to the following for building srsRAN 4G UE / RAN with ZeroMQ.

• srsRAN 4G - https://docs.srsran.com/projects/4g/en/latest/

2GB or more memory is required to build.

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Sample Configurations and Miscellaneous for Mobile Network

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Table of Contents

• Install the required libraries including ZeroMQ
• Clone srsRAN_4G
• Build srsRAN 4G UE / RAN by disabling RF plugins
• Create configuration files of eNodeB
• Create the configuration file of UE
• Create the configuration file of NR-UE
• Issues
• Confirmed Version List
• Sample Configurations
  • For 5G
  • For 4G
• Changelog (summary)

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Install the required libraries including ZeroMQ

apt install build-essential cmake libfftw3-dev libmbedtls-dev libboost-program-options-dev libconfig++-dev libsctp-dev libzmq3-dev

Clone srsRAN_4G

git clone https://github.com/srsran/srsRAN_4G.git

Build srsRAN 4G UE / RAN by disabling RF plugins

Configure that RF plugins is disabled to directly link the ZeroMQ library into the virtual eNodeB and UE.

cd srsRAN_4G
mkdir build
cd build
cmake ../ -DENABLE_RF_PLUGINS=OFF
make

Create configuration files of eNodeB

cd srsRAN_4G/srsenb
cp enb.conf.example ../build/srsenb/enb.conf
cp rr.conf.example ../build/srsenb/rr.conf
cp rb.conf.example ../build/srsenb/rb.conf
cp sib.conf.example ../build/srsenb/sib.conf

Then, edit according to your environment.

Create the configuration file of UE

cd srsRAN_4G/srsue
cp ue.conf.example ../build/srsue/ue.conf

Then, edit according to your environment.

Create the configuration file of NR-UE

When used as 5G NR-UE with ZeroMQ support, it can connect to srsRAN_Project 5G RAN with ZeroMQ. For 5G NR-UE configuration, get UE config of ZeroMQ-based Setup as the original file. Also, see here for how to build this RF simulated gNodeB.

cd srsRAN_4G/build/srsue
wget <link of "UE config">

For reference, ue_zmq.conf on 2023.12.07 is as follows.

[rf]
freq_offset = 0
tx_gain = 50
rx_gain = 40
srate = 23.04e6
nof_antennas = 1

device_name = zmq
device_args = tx_port=tcp://127.0.0.1:2001,rx_port=tcp://127.0.0.1:2000,base_srate=23.04e6

[rat.eutra]
dl_earfcn = 2850
nof_carriers = 0

[rat.nr]
bands = 3
nof_carriers = 1
max_nof_prb = 106
nof_prb = 106

[pcap]
enable = none
mac_filename = /tmp/ue_mac.pcap
mac_nr_filename = /tmp/ue_mac_nr.pcap
nas_filename = /tmp/ue_nas.pcap

[log]
all_level = info
phy_lib_level = none
all_hex_limit = 32
filename = /tmp/ue.log
file_max_size = -1

[usim]
mode = soft
algo = milenage
opc  = 63BFA50EE6523365FF14C1F45F88737D
k    = 00112233445566778899aabbccddeeff
imsi = 001010123456780
imei = 353490069873319

[rrc]
release = 15
ue_category = 4

[nas]
apn = srsapn
apn_protocol = ipv4

[gw]
netns = ue1
ip_devname = tun_srsue
ip_netmask = 255.255.255.0

[gui]
enable = false

Then, edit according to your environment.

Issues

1. If you're having an issue with a registration request from NR-UE with [slicing] section in the configuration to Open5GS, this might be helpful.

Confirmed Version List

I simply confirmed the operation of the following versions.

Version	Commit	Date	Issues
23.11+	ec29b0c1ff79cebcbe66caa6d6b90778261c42b8	2024.02.01	1
23.11	eea87b1d893ae58e0b08bc381730c502024ae71f	2023.11.23	1
23.04.1	fa56836b14dc6ad7ce0c3484a1944ebe2cdbe63b	2023.06.19	1

Sample Configurations

For 5G

• Open5GS 5GC & srsRAN 5G with ZeroMQ UE / RAN Sample Configuration
• free5GC 5GC & srsRAN 5G with ZeroMQ UE / RAN Sample Configuration

For 4G

• Open5GS EPC & srsRAN 4G with ZeroMQ UE / RAN Sample Configuration

Changelog (summary)

• [2024.03.25] Updated a list of confirmed versions.
• [2023.12.02] Updated a list of confirmed versions.
• [2023.10.10] Added a list of confirmed versions.
• [2023.08.10] Added 5G NR-UE configuration file.
• [2023.05.06] Initial release.