Simple PFCP Client
March 14, 2026 ยท View on GitHub
This describes how to use a simple PFCP client to configure UPF. This is intended as a preparation for measuring the performance of open source UPFs (Open5GS UPF, free5GC UPF, UPG-VPP, eUPF and OAI-CN5G-UPF).
Sample Configurations and Miscellaneous for Mobile Network
Table of Contents
- Simple Overview of PFCP Client, TRex and DUT (UPF)
- Install Simple PFCP Client
- Set parameters in pfcp_request.py
- Run pfcp_request.py
- Sample Configurations
- Changelog (summary)
Simple Overview of PFCP Client, TRex and DUT (UPF)
This describes a simple configuration of PFCP Client, TRex and DUT (UPF). Note that this configuration is implemented with Proxmox VE VMs.
The following minimum configuration was set as a condition.
- One PFCP client, TRex and DUT (UPF)
The built simulation environment is as follows.
The PFCP client in Python was created using the following.
- Scapy v2.6.1 - https://github.com/secdev/scapy
Each VMs are as follows.
| VM | SW & Role | IP address | OS | CPU | Mem | HDD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VM1 | Simple PFCP Client | 192.168.0.111/24 | Ubuntu 24.04 | 1 | 1GB | 10GB |
| VM-TG | TRex Traffic Generator | 192.168.0.131/24 | Ubuntu 24.04 | 3 | 8GB | 10GB |
| VM-DUT | each UPF DUT (Device Under Test) | 192.168.0.151/24 | Ubuntu 24.04 | 2 | 8GB | 10GB |
The network interfaces of each VM are as follows.
| VM | Device | Model | Linux Bridge | IP address | Interface | Under DPDK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VM1 | ens18 | VirtIO | vmbr1 | 10.0.0.111/24 | (NAPT NW) | -- |
| ens19 | VirtIO | mgbr0 | 192.168.0.111/24 | (Mgmt NW) | -- | |
| ens20 | VirtIO | vmbr4 | 192.168.14.111/24 | N4 | -- | |
| VM-TG | -- | |||||
| ens19 | VirtIO | mgbr0 | 192.168.0.131/24 | (Mgmt NW) | -- | |
| ens20 | VirtIO | vmbr3 | 192.168.13.131/24 | N3 | x | |
| ens21 | VirtIO | vmbr6 | 192.168.16.152/24 | N6 | x | |
| VM-DUT | -- | |||||
| ens19 | VirtIO | mgbr0 | 192.168.0.151/24 | (Mgmt NW) | -- | |
| ens20 | VirtIO | vmbr3 | 192.168.13.151/24 | N3 | -- | |
| ens21 | VirtIO | vmbr4 | 192.168.14.151/24 | N4 | -- | |
| ens22 | VirtIO | vmbr6 | 192.168.16.151/24 | N6 | -- |
Linux Bridges of Proxmox VE are as follows.
| Linux Bridge | Network CIDR | Interface |
|---|---|---|
| vmbr1 | 10.0.0.0/24 | NAPT NW |
| mgbr0 | 192.168.0.0/24 | Mgmt NW |
| vmbr3 | 192.168.13.0/24 | N3 |
| vmbr4 | 192.168.14.0/24 | N4 |
| vmbr6 | 192.168.16.0/24 | N6 |
UE IP address and TEID are as follows.
| UE IP address | UpLink TEID | DownLink TEID |
|---|---|---|
| 10.45.0.2/24 | 0x00000001 | 0x00000002 |
Install Simple PFCP Client
Install required packages
# apt install python3 python3-pip python3-venv
Setup venv
Set venv to ~/venv.
# mkdir ~/venv
# python3 -m venv ~/venv
Note. From now on, when using Python, first type as follows.
# source ~/venv/bin/activate
(venv) root@pfcp:~#
To exit Python venv, do the following.
(venv) root@pfcp:~# deactivate
Install Scapy
# source ~/venv/bin/activate
(venv) root@pfcp:~# pip3 install scapy
Modify pfcp.py
According to 3GPP TS 29.244 - 8.2.118 3GPP Interface Type, add interface types SGi and N6 in pfcp.py as follows.
~/venv/lib/python3.12/site-packages/scapy/contrib/pfcp.py
--- pfcp.py.orig 2024-12-14 06:09:59.763278982 +0900
+++ pfcp.py 2024-12-17 22:00:09.601881929 +0900
@@ -363,6 +363,8 @@
13: "N3 Untrusted Non-3GPP Access",
14: "N3 for data forwarding",
15: "N9",
+ 16: "SGi",
+ 17: "N6",
}
Install pfcp_request.py
Get pfcp_request.py written in Python.
# wget https://github.com/s5uishida/simple_pfcp_client/raw/refs/heads/main/src/pfcp_request.py
Also, referring to 801room/upf_p4_poc/test_script/pfcp_request.py, I wrote this script to configure the open source UPFs - Open5GS UPF, free5GC UPF, UPG-VPP, eUPF and OAI-CN5G-UPF.
If using UPF which requires QER in PFCP Session Establishment Request, please refer to pfcp_request_qer.py.
Set parameters in pfcp_request.py
Set the following parameters written in pfcp_request.py.
| Item | Value (my environment) |
|---|---|
| PFCP_CP_IFACE | "ens20" |
| PFCP_CP_IP_V4 | "192.168.14.111" |
| PFCP_UP_IP_V4 | "192.168.14.151" |
| N3_IP_V4 | "192.168.13.151" |
| GNB_IP_V4 | "192.168.13.131" |
| UE_IP_V4 | "10.45.0.2" |
| UL_TEID | 1 |
| DL_TEID | 2 |
| NWI | "internet" |
| APN_DNN | "internet" |
| COUNTER | 100 |
If using pfcp_request_qer.py, please set the following additional parameters. The unit is Kbps.
| Item | Value (my environment) |
|---|---|
| UL_MBR | 200000000 |
| DL_MBR | 200000000 |
| UL_GBR | 200000000 |
| DL_GBR | 200000000 |
Run pfcp_request.py
First start UPF. Then, to configure UPF, run pfcp_request.py as follows.
# source ~/venv/bin/activate
(venv) root@pfcp:~# python3 pfcp_request.py
2026-01-17 03:18:58,381 - __main__ - INFO - REQ: <PFCPAssociationSetupRequest IE_list=[<IE_NodeId id_type=IPv4 ipv4=192.168.14.111 |>, <IE_RecoveryTimeStamp timestamp=3977608738 |>, <IE_CPFunctionFeatures |>] |>
.
Sent 1 packets.
2026-01-17 03:18:58,399 - __main__ - INFO - REQ: <PFCPSessionEstablishmentRequest IE_list=[<IE_NodeId id_type=IPv4 ipv4=192.168.14.111 |>, <IE_FSEID v4=1 seid=0xa0374f94eb52b387 ipv4=192.168.14.111 |>, <IE_CreatePDR IE_list=[<IE_PDR_Id id=1 |>, <IE_Precedence precedence=65535 |>, <IE_PDI IE_list=[<IE_SourceInterface interface=Core |>, <IE_NetworkInstance instance=b'internet' |>, <IE_UE_IP_Address SD=1 V4=1 ipv4=10.45.0.2 |>, <IE_3GPP_InterfaceType interface_type=N6 |>] |>, <IE_FAR_Id id=1 |>] |>, <IE_CreatePDR IE_list=[<IE_PDR_Id id=2 |>, <IE_Precedence precedence=65535 |>, <IE_PDI IE_list=[<IE_SourceInterface interface=Access |>, <IE_FTEID V4=1 TEID=0x1 ipv4=192.168.13.151 |>, <IE_NetworkInstance instance=b'internet' |>, <IE_UE_IP_Address SD=0 V4=1 ipv4=10.45.0.2 |>, <IE_SDF_Filter FD=1 flow_description=b'permit out ip from any to assigned' |>, <IE_QFI QFI=1 |>, <IE_3GPP_InterfaceType interface_type=N3 3GPP Access |>] |>, <IE_FAR_Id id=2 |>, <IE_OuterHeaderRemoval |>] |>, <IE_CreateFAR IE_list=[<IE_FAR_Id id=1 |>, <IE_ApplyAction FORW=1 |>, <IE_ForwardingParameters IE_list=[<IE_DestinationInterface interface=Access |>, <IE_NetworkInstance instance=b'internet' |>, <IE_OuterHeaderCreation GTPUUDPIPV4=1 TEID=0x2 ipv4=192.168.13.131 |>, <IE_3GPP_InterfaceType interface_type=N3 3GPP Access |>] |>] |>, <IE_CreateFAR IE_list=[<IE_FAR_Id id=2 |>, <IE_ApplyAction FORW=1 |>, <IE_ForwardingParameters IE_list=[<IE_DestinationInterface interface=Core |>, <IE_NetworkInstance instance=b'internet' |>, <IE_3GPP_InterfaceType interface_type=N6 |>] |>] |>, <IE_PDNType pdn_type=IPv6 |>, <IE_APN_DNN apn_dnn=b'internet' |>] |>
.
Sent 1 packets.
2026-01-17 03:19:00,901 - __main__ - INFO - REQ: 1
2026-01-17 03:19:00,902 - __main__ - INFO - REQ: <PFCPHeartbeatResponse IE_list=[<IE_RecoveryTimeStamp timestamp=3977608738 |>] |>
.
Sent 1 packets.
...
Now that the UPF is ready, you may measure its performance with TRex.
The maximum number of times in which PFCP Heartbeat Response can be sent to UPF is the value of the COUNTER parameter.
Please change the value as necessary.
I would like to thank the excellent developers and all the contributors of Scapy and 801room/upf_p4_poc/test_script/pfcp_request.py.
Sample Configurations
- Install TRex
- Simple Measurement of UPF Performance 6
- Simple Measurement of UPF Performance 9
- Simple Measurement of UPF Performance 10
Changelog (summary)
- [2026.01.14] Added
UE IP address IEtoPDI IEinCreate PDR IE within PFCP Session Establishment Requestfor UpLink inpfcp_request.pyandpfcp_request_qer.py. - [2025.01.25] Added the description of the case when using UPF which requires QER in PFCP Session Establishment Request.
- [2025.01.16] Initial release.