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LIONS O-RU (4T4R / 8T8R)

warning

This document is intended to be used as a guide. Variances in firmware and software versions in local setups may require the sample configuration files provided to be changed. As a result please closely follow the specific users guides of your RU in conjunction with this guide.

Overview​

This guide provides further details on connecting the OCUDU CU/DU to a LIONS Technology O-RU using the O-RAN 7.2 split. LIONS radio units feature two series: 4T4R Outdoor O-RU and 8T8R Outdoor O-RU. Three models with respective configurations are covered in this guide for 5 scenarios.

  • RANathon O-RU RS8682 — FR1 4T4R, 100 MHz, tested on band n48 (3.55 - 3.7 GHz).
  • RANathon O-RU RS8612 — FR1 4T4R, 100 MHz, tested on band n78 (3.3 - 3.8 GHz).
  • RANathon O-RU RS8777 — FR1 8T8R, 100 MHz, tested on band n77 (3.7 - 3.98 GHz).

Tested firmware​

RUConfigurationFirmwareApplied Scenario
RANathon O-RU RS86824T4R, single carrier1.0.5.021Scenario 1 & 3
RANathon O-RU RS87778T8R, single carrier1.1.1.017Scenario 2
RANathon O-RU RS86124T4R, single carrier1.0.5.021Scenario 3
RANathon O-RU RS87778T8R as 2 × 4T4R, two carriers1.1.1.017Scenario 4
info

Please contact LIONS for up-to-date configuration and usage guidelines. Contact Lions Technology Inc. (sales@lions.technology) for more information.

Topology of Each Test Scenario​

ScenarioTopologyCellsAntennasRUsFronthaul portsStatus
1Standard 4T4R, 1 cell × 1 RU14T4R11Verified
2Standard 8T8R, 1 cell × 1 RU18T8R11Verified
3Two cells, 4T4R × 2 RU (intra-gNB handover) — RS8612 + RS86822 independent4T4R22Verified
4Two cells, 8T8R × 1 RU (2 × 4T4R)2 independent8T8R split as 2 × 4T4R12Verified

Sample configuration​

Sample configuration files are provided in the configs folder of the OCUDU source files. The configurations described in this guide are specific to the firmware versions and topologies listed above.

Common configuration​

The values of ru_ofh parameters listed below are shared by every topology. Only the per-cell and eAxC settings change between them.

ru_ofh:
  t1a_max_cp_dl: 425
  t1a_min_cp_dl: 140
  t1a_max_cp_ul: 425
  t1a_min_cp_ul: 140
  t1a_max_up: 405
  t1a_min_up: 120
  ta4_max: 420
  ta4_min: 20
  compr_method_dl: bfp
  compr_bitwidth_dl: 9
  compr_method_ul: bfp
  compr_bitwidth_ul: 9
  compr_method_prach: bfp
  compr_bitwidth_prach: 9
  enable_ul_static_compr_hdr: false
  enable_dl_static_compr_hdr: false
  ru_reference_level_dBFS: 0
  subcarrier_rms_backoff_dB: 11.6
warning

The compression settings on the RU must match the DU exactly. A mismatch brings the cell up but leaves the affected plane undecodable.

Cell defaults​

Numerology and random access are the same in every topology.

cell_cfg:
  common_scs: 30
  prach:
    prach_config_index: 148     # format B4, FR1 TDD, 30 kHz
    prach_root_sequence_index: 0
    zero_correlation_zone: 14
    preamble_rx_target_pw: -72

VLAN​

The reference deployment runs the fronthaul untagged — no vlan_tag_cp or vlan_tag_up is set on the DU, and no VLAN is configured on the RU or the switch. If your deployment requires tagging, add both fields to the DU cells entry and configure the matching VLAN ID on the RU.

PTP synchronisation​

The RU must have PTP locked before the DU is started.

The baseline topology: a single 100 MHz TDD cell, 4×4 MIMO, on a RANathon O-RU RS8682. This radio supports frequency range 3.55 - 3.7GHz and normally is configured as n48. But in this test scenario, this radio is configured to n78 as 3.55 - 3.7GHz is also in the n78 frequency range.

CU/DU​

Only the values that differ from Common configuration are shown below.

cell_cfg:
  - pci: 1
    sector_id: 100
    dl_arfcn: 640092          # 3601.38 MHz, band n78
    band: 78
    channel_bandwidth_MHz: 100
    nof_antennas_dl: 4
    nof_antennas_ul: 4
    ssb:
      ssb_block_power_dbm: 2

ru_ofh:
  cells:
    - network_interface: "0000:18:01.0"
      ru_mac_addr: c8:4d:34:f0:00:20        # RS8682
      du_mac_addr: 00:11:22:33:00:00
      prach_port_id: [4, 5, 6, 7]
      dl_port_id: [0, 1, 2, 3]
      ul_port_id: [0, 1, 2, 3]

hal:
  eal_args: "-l 1 -a 0000:18:01.0 --iova-mode=pa"

To expand on the cells field:

  • network_interface : PCI address of the DPDK-bound interface carrying OFH traffic. Lions deployments use DPDK with the PCI address rather than a kernel interface name.
  • ru_mac_addr : MAC address of the Lions RU.
  • du_mac_addr : MAC address of the DU interface used for OFH traffic.
  • prach_port_id / dl_port_id / ul_port_id : eAxC port identities. For 4T4R, ports 0–3 carry PDSCH/PUSCH and 4–7 carry PRACH.

No VLAN tags are set in the reference configuration — the fronthaul link is untagged. If your switch requires tagging, add vlan_tag_cp and vlan_tag_up and configure the matching VLAN on the RU.

RU​

The RS8682 is configured either through its web UI or over the M-Plane interface. Apply the following so that it matches the DU:

  • DU MAC address : must match du_mac_addr. The same address is used for C-Plane and U-Plane.
  • Compression : BFP9 on downlink, uplink and PRACH, with dynamic (per-message) compression headers.
  • eAxC port mapping : 0–3 for PDSCH/PUSCH, 4–7 for PRACH, on carrier CC0.
  • Centre frequency : must match the DU dl_arfcn. ARFCN 640092 corresponds to 3601.38 MHz.
  • Channel bandwidth : 100 MHz (273 PRB) at 30 kHz SCS.
  • PTP : locked before the DU starts.

Initializing and connecting to the network​

Initializing the network​

  1. Power on the LIONS RU and confirm PTP lock.

    PTP status

    netport status:    online
    2RU 1588 status:   locked
    Sys time setting:  yes
    CBRS support:      no
    RF status:         Active
    PA status:         Active
    CC0 status:        Active
    CC1 status:        Active
    -------------------------------------------------------------------
    sync-state:            locked
    ptp lock-state:        locked
    ptp state :            parent
    ptp clock-class :      248
    synce lock-state:      unlocked
    synce state     :      disabled
    synce quality-level:   0

  2. Confirm the fronthaul interface is bound to DPDK and the PCI address in network_interface matches.

  3. Start the CU/DU:

    # Section 1 - 4T4R, one cell
    sudo ./gnb -c gnb_ru_lions_RS8612_tdd_n78_100mhz_4x4.yml

    # Section 2 - 8T8R, one cell
    sudo ./gnb -c gnb_ru_lions_rs8777_tdd_n77_100mhz_8x8.yml

    # Section 3 - two cells on two RUs
    sudo ./gnb -c gnb_ru_lions_RS8612_tdd_n78_100mhz_4x4_2cell.yml

    # Section 4 - 8T8R as two 4T4R cells on two optical ports
    sudo ./gnb -c gnb_ru_lions_rs8777_tdd_n77_100mhz_4x4_2cell.yml

    Check the following CU/DU startup messages. This example illustrates Scenario 1. Cell count, antenna configuration, frequency, bandwidth and compression settings vary with the selected scenario. These messages report CU/DU initialisation and the N2 connection to the AMF.

    --== OCUDU gNB (commit xxxxxxx) ==--

    Initializing the Open Fronthaul Interface for sector#0: ul_compr=[BFP,9], dl_compr=[BFP,9], prach_compr=[BFP,9], prach_cp_enabled=true
    Cell pci=1, bw=100 MHz, 4T4R, dl_arfcn=640092 (n78), dl_freq=3601.38 MHz, dl_ssb_arfcn=637344, ul_freq=3601.38 MHz
    N2: Connection to AMF on 192.168.123.252:38412 completed
    ==== gNB started ===
    Type <h> to view help

  4. Check RU fronthaul packet counters and timing. RU is radiating when FH packets are sent and received ontime.

    rx_total_cuplan_cnt        [0]:124776218
    tx_total_cuplan_cnt        [0]:23697971
    antenna_id                 [0]:0
    rx_up_total                [0]:227447
    rx_up_early                [0]:0
    rx_up_late                 [0]:0
    rx_up_ontime               [0]:227447
    rx_dl_cp_total             [0]:17494
    rx_dl_cp_early             [0]:0
    rx_dl_cp_late              [0]:0
    rx_dl_cp_ontime            [0]:17494
    rx_dl_cp_outrange          [0]:0
    rx_ul_cp_total             [0]:0
    rx_ul_cp_early             [0]:0
    rx_ul_cp_late              [0]:0
    rx_ul_cp_ontime            [0]:0
    rx_ul_cp_outrange          [0]:0

Connecting to the network​

You can now connect a UE to the network. This can be done using e.g. a COTS UE. See the main RU guide for details on this.