I installed Omada Software Controller on a low wattage PC running Windows 10 and was able to access the Omada web UI from another computer on the local network using the IP address of the PC running the controller combined with the port number for the controller softwaer (in this case, 8043). I then set it up as a service so it would start with Windows. After setting it up to run as a service I could no longer access the controller web UI. After some research I found that additional settings need to be configured on the host device. The following guide describes these additional settings.

Set up Omada SDN Software Controller as Service

Prerequisites:

Omada SDN Controller Software

Oracle Java (Omada Controller will ask to install java if not already installed)

NSSM Utility (sorry, can't enter name of nssm utility; it was deemed "offensive")

1) Install Omada SDN Controller Software on Windows PC

2) Configure Omada to Run as a Service

Use NSSM to Configure Omada Controller as Windows Service

See instructions for setting up controller as service using nssm

• Omada Controller installed to: C:|Program Files|Omada
• NSSM installed to: C:|Program Files|Omada\nssm

Following instructions at above link:

Run Windows Command (CMD)

Change to Omada\nssm folder: cd C:\Program Files\Omada\nssm

Enter command: nssm install “Omada Controller” to create the new service

This will start the NSSM GUI

In the NSSM Service Installer GUI, set the following parameters:

Application tab

Application Path Example:

C:|Program Files|Omada Controller|bin|start.bat

Startup directory:

C:|Users|Administrator|Omada Controller|bin|

Note: Here we install Omada controller at C:|Program Files|Omada Controller. You should use the installed path of controller.

Details tab

Details

Display name: Omada Controller (default)

Description: Add one if you want

Startup type: Automatic

Log on tab

Select: “Local System account” and “Allow service to interact with desktop”

3) Create an Inbound Program or Service Rule

See: Microsoft.com - create-an-inbound-program-or-service-rule

By default, the Omada Controller & Java installations will create firewall rules in Windows Defender for the Omada Controller application.

However, Windows Defender Firewall will not allow the newly created NSSM *Omada Controller Service* through the firewall. This will prevent access to Omada Controller from other computers on the local network. (It also may prevent Omada Controller from finding other TP-Link devices on the network, not sure about this).

Additional steps must be taken to allow the Omada Controller Service through Windows Defender Firewall as follows:

Run Windows “Services” app and stop the Omada Controller service

Open a command prompt and enter:

sc sidtype Omada Controller unrestricted

Re-start the Omada Controller service (or, just re-start the PC)

After the service is re-started, run the following command in the CMD window:

sc qsidtype “Omada Controller”

You should receive the following response:

SERVICE_NAME: Omada Controller

SERVICE_SSID_TYPE: UNRESTRICTED

This setting is persistent and will be preserved after PC shutdown and restart.

The Omada Controller should now be accessible from other PCs on the same network by typing in the IP address of the host computer together with the Port:

Example: 192.168.1.117:8043

 

This worked for me, hope others may find it useful. Please add corrections as needed.