OpenWISP vs Zyxel Nebula Cloud

OpenWISP is a free, open-source network deployment and management system built on Linux OpenWrt. It supports API, Linux, self-hosted and web environments in a hybrid deployment model. Reusable templates, tags, group templates and dynamic variables organize configurations for devices, groups and organizations, while policy automation and API access are available. Administrators can create VPN configurations and cryptographic keys or certificates for WireGuard, OpenVPN and ZeroTier. Monitoring covers ping success, round-trip time, Wi-Fi clients, mobile signal quality, traffic patterns and access technology. Firmware upgrades work on individual devices or in batches. The RADIUS module supports SMS verification, user management, social login, SAML single sign-on, session limits, Change of Authorization and REST access. Hotspot captive portals support registration, authentication, phone verification, social login and paid subscriptions. Commercial support and sponsorship plans are available.

Zyxel Nebula Cloud provides centralized control and visibility for compatible Zyxel access points, switches, security firewalls, and mobile routers. Administrators can identify, configure, monitor, update, and troubleshoot distributed networks from one screen, with multi-tenant management across sites and locations. Devices can be configured in the cloud before unboxing and shipped for plug-and-play deployment. The mobile app supports deployment, network visualization and monitoring, live troubleshooting, and real-time alerts. NCC adds AI-powered network diagnostics and optimization, including network health insights and automatic optimization mechanisms. VPN options include L2TP and site-to-site connections, including hub-and-spoke configurations. Management uses the Network Configuration Protocol over TLS. Depending on device and license, security services can include content filtering, intrusion prevention, threat filtering, anti-malware, and sandboxing. Nebula is available on Android, iOS, and the web. Zyxel describes it as suitable for businesses of varying sizes and managed service providers managing multiple customers.