Rapid5GS: The Open-Source LTE/5G Core
Rapid5GS is our open-source LTE/5G packet core installer. It turns a stock Ubuntu 24.04 LTS box into a production-ready Open5GS core with one command, in about twenty minutes. It is free, GPL v3, and it exists because we are WISP operators who got tired of six-figure core quotes. The code lives on GitHub and the documentation lives at rapid5gs.com.
This page is the map: what the free build does, the hardware we have verified it against, when the paid Pro version makes sense, and every guide we have written for running it.
The Free Build: One Command to a Running Core
Two scripts do the whole job. install.sh handles the parts you would otherwise burn a weekend on: dependency installation, network interface setup and routing, database initialization, web interface deployment, and system services with health checks. control.sh is the day-2 menu: real-time EPC throughput, connected eNB status, attached UE status, and live MME and SMF logs for troubleshooting.
On a fresh Ubuntu 24.04 LTS machine:
git clone https://github.com/joshualambert/rapid5gs.git
cd rapid5gs
chmod +x install.sh
sudo ./install.shRequirements are modest: root access, 4 GB or more of RAM, 20 GB of free disk, and two physical network interfaces. Plenty of operators run this on used mini PCs that cost less than dinner for four.
Verified Hardware
These are radios we have personally run against Rapid5GS, not a compatibility list copied from a datasheet.
| Hardware | Role | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Nokia AZQC (also as a single Micro RRH) | eNB / RRH | Recommended |
| Baicells 436Q | eNB | Recommended |
| Baicells 430i | eNB | Verified |
| Baicells Nova 233 | eNB | Verified |
| Airspan AirSpeed / AirHarmony | eNB | Verified |
| Nokia FastMile | UE / CPE | Verified |
Own a FreedomFi-locked Baicells unit? We convert 436H units to standard 436Q firmware remotely so they work with a standard core.
Free vs Rapid5GS Pro
| Rapid5GS (free) | Rapid5GS Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| License / price | GPL v3, free forever | Commercial license |
| Core | Open5GS | Same proven lineage |
| Management | Stock Open5GS WebUI + control.sh menu | Full web GUI, point and click |
| APNs | Single APN is the safe path | Multiple APNs |
| Support | GitHub issues | 12 months of updates and 8 hours of remote consulting |
| Best for | Operators comfortable at a shell | Operators who want it running this week |
The honest version: if you can read logs and you only need one APN, the free build will serve you well and we will not talk you out of it. Pro is for operators who want the GUI and want us on the phone while the first sectors come up.
Guides We Have Written
- How to add subscribers in the Open5GS WebUI (free Rapid5GS)
- Exporting IMSI, Ki, and OPC from the Baicells CloudCore, for migrating existing SIMs into your own core
- Baicells 436Q firmware downloads with published checksums
- Antennas and jumpers for the Baicells 436Q
- Choosing a DC plant for a Nokia AZQC site
The Complete Stack
A private LTE/5G site is the core plus radios, antennas, power, and a tower. We sell and support the whole path: complete Nokia 3-sector site kits, bench-tested Baicells radios, tower construction through Vertical Axis, freight through DNA Supply Chain, and financing if you need it. Rapid5GS is the piece we gave away.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rapid5GS really free?
Yes. Rapid5GS is licensed GPL v3, forever. Clone it from GitHub, run the installer on a stock Ubuntu 24.04 box, and you have a working core. There is no trial clock, no subscriber cap we sneak in later, and no license fee. Rapid5GS Pro is the paid product for operators who want the full web GUI and our help.
What is the difference between Rapid5GS and plain Open5GS?
Rapid5GS is built on Open5GS. The difference is everything around it: install.sh configures dependencies, network interfaces, routing, the database, the web interface, and system services in one run, and control.sh gives you a live menu for throughput, eNB status, attached UEs, and MME/SMF logs. You get a working Open5GS core without spending the weekend in its documentation.
What hardware do I need to run it?
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, root access, 4 GB or more of RAM, 20 GB of disk, and two physical network interfaces. Operators run production cores on used mini PCs. The radios we have verified against it are listed above, and the two we recommend are the Nokia AZQC and the Baicells 436Q.
When should I buy Rapid5GS Pro instead of running the free build?
Run the free build if you are comfortable with the stock Open5GS WebUI and a single APN. Buy Pro when you want a real management GUI instead of the stock WebUI, multiple APNs, and 8 hours of our time to stand the network up with you. The core underneath is the same lineage either way.
Is the free build actually used in production?
Yes. It runs production networks today, including our own deployments, and it was presented at ALANOG-06, the Alabama Network Operators Group. It is not a lab toy that falls over at the first real subscriber.
Do I still need a SAS subscription to go live on CBRS?
Yes. The core does not change your regulatory situation. To transmit on CBRS legally you register your radios with a SAS provider under FCC Part 96. GAA use does not require buying spectrum. The consulting hours that come with our kits cover getting this set up correctly.
Where do I get help if the installer breaks?
Open an issue on GitHub for the free build. If you want a human on the phone who has deployed this exact stack, that is what Pro and our site kits include.