Which Omada Controller Do You Need?

An Omada controller is what turns separate TP-Link switches, access points and routers into one managed network. There are five ways to run one. This guide shows which suits your site.

Zenith Security Co is an official TP-Link VAR Partner with UK stock.

Omada controller options at a glance

Controller	Capacity (TP-Link figures)	Best for
OC200 hardware controller	Recommended for 25 Omada devices	Small offices, shops and CCTV sites that want a controller on site with no PC
Omada Fusion gateway	Fusion 2.5G: recommended for 30 devices and 300 clients	New installs: the router and the controller in one box, with licence-free cloud
OC300 hardware controller	Up to 500 access points, 100 routers and 100 switches	Larger sites, schools, hotels and multi-building campuses
Software controller	Depends on the PC or server it runs on	IT teams who already run a server; free download from TP-Link
Omada Cloud	Hosted by TP-Link	Installers and MSPs managing many customer sites from anywhere

How to choose

Count your Omada devices (switches, access points and routers), not your users. Under 25: an OC200 is enough. Up to about 30 on a new install: a Fusion gateway does the job of router and controller together. More than that: an OC300, the software controller or Omada Cloud.
Decide where it should live. A hardware controller (OC200, OC300) or a Fusion gateway sits on site and keeps working if the internet drops. Omada Cloud has no box on site.
Think about remote access. All options can be reached from the Omada app and web portal, so you can monitor and fix a site without visiting.

OC200 vs OC300

The OC200 is a small desktop unit, powered by PoE or USB, for small sites. The OC300 is a rack-mountable unit for much larger networks: up to 500 access points, 100 routers and 100 switches. If your site might grow past 25 devices, the OC300 saves replacing the controller later.

Hardware controller vs Fusion gateway

If you also need a router, a Fusion gateway is usually the better buy: one box replaces both the router and the OC200, and cloud management is licence-free. If you already have an Omada router such as the ER605, add an OC200 or OC300 instead.

Omada controller FAQs

Do I need an Omada controller?

Many Omada devices work on their own, but the controller gives you one dashboard, site-wide settings, seamless roaming and remote monitoring. Easy Managed switches can also be managed through the free Omada app.