MikroTik Conversion Guide | Helium Documentation

Prerequisites

High-Level Steps

  1. Deploy the RadSecProxy container and note its IP.
  2. Create a RADIUS profile that points to the RadSecProxy.
  3. Build a Wi-Fi configuration profile for the Helium Passpoint SSID.
  4. Apply the profile to an interface (or create a virtual AP).
  5. Verify operation and troubleshoot, if necessary.

1. Deploy RadSecProxy

At time of writing, RouterOS does not support RadSec natively, download the RadSecProxy container and run it in a Docker.

  1. Un-zip and untar the Helium_RadSec_Docker.tar.gz file into the directory of your choice on the host machine. This will unpack the following items:
    1. Dockerfile - The docker instructions on how to build the container
    2. Radsecproxy.conf - The radsecproxy config file is pre-populated to connect to Helium Network AAA servers
    3. docker-compose.yml - File to start and stop the container as a daemon.
   tar -xvzf  Helium_RadSec_Docker.tar.gz
  1. Into the same directory copy the 3 certificates obtained from Helium Network

    1. ca.pem - the root CA certificate
    2. cert.pem - the user certificate
    3. key.pem - the key file matched to the certificate
  2. Start the container using:

    sudo docker compose up -d
    
  3. If/when needed, stop the container using:

    sudo docker compose down
    

Once the container is running, make sure you can ping it from the MikroTik router.

2. Add a RADIUS Profile

In RADIUS add a new entry:

Field Value
Comment Helium AAA
Service wireless
Address IP_of_RadSecProxy
Protocol udp
Secret mysecret
Authentication Port 1812 (default)
Accounting Port 1813 (default)
Timeout 300 s
Enabled ☑︎

3. Create a AP Configuration Profile

Navigate to WiFi → Configuration and click Add (+).

Configuration Tab

Field Value
Name helium-passpoint
Enabled ☑︎
Mode ap
SSID Helium

Channel Tab

Select the band and channel width appropriate for your deployment. Leave Frequency blank for automatic channel selection.

Security Tab

Check WPA2 or WPA3 EAP under Authentication Types.

EAP Tab

Check EAP Accounting to be enabled.

AAA Tab

Paste a MAC address of the WAN interface (usually ether1 by default) from menu Interfaces. Or enter the NAS-ID provided during Helium Plus onboarding.

Datapath Tab

Setting Value
Bridge bridge1 (or the bridge used for LAN)

Interworking Tab

Fill in as shown:

4. Attach the Profile to an Interface

Assign the configuration profile to the desired WiFi interface. Either click New (this will create a virtual AP) or Edit an existing master interface.

Make sure to select a correct 5/2.4 interface according to the band defined in the configuration profile.

Enable it on the General tab.

5. Verification