Ubiquiti Rocket M2 bridged - Does distance/performance drop markedly if units are mounted inside?

Forums › LAN (ethernet/Wifi/routers/Bluetooth) › Ubiquiti Rocket M2 bridged - Does distance/performance drop markedly if units are mounted inside?

clinty

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#119121 21-May-2013 15:41

Hi,

Just wondering if any one had used Ubiquiti Rocket M2 802.11n/b/g 500mW Outdoor AP/Bridges to create a bridge ( either the 200mW or 500mW) and had them mounted inside.
I need to create a wireless bridge over 500m but mounting externally is a no go.

The units would be mounted line of sight but have to travel through some concrete and steel and wood.

Clint

eXDee

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#823025 21-May-2013 16:07

Any obstacle in the way, especially concrete or steel is going to significantly impact wireless performance. Wood will also be detrimental especially if its thick and solid.

If mounting indoors is necessary, your best option would be through a window or i imagine something like gib board would offer much lower resistance.

LennonNZ

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#823030 21-May-2013 16:18

Depending where you are using it.. I would use M5's rather than M2's. 2.4G is too overloaded in a lot of places.

Also Rockets are not very directional (they come with Omni's on top) , Maybe some Nanostations M5's would be better for Point to Point?

sbiddle

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#823038 21-May-2013 16:46

2.4Ghz is a waste of time in an urban environment and will suffer from massive interference.

5Ghz has (virtually) no interference but won't go through solid object.

Reastically your plan isn't a very good one if you want good results. "travel through some concrete and steel and wood" makes this a NLOS connection, not a LOS connection.

LookingUp

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#823050 21-May-2013 17:19

I've got a couple of M2s testing a network in Chch, and they're running fine. I've got one end mounted externally with a 14dBi 120deg directional antenna stuck up a tree, but the other 2 ends have omnis on them and are inside. The outdoors end has to look right through one building in order to get to the other two antennae which are in another building (ie. 3 external walls). I've also got the network power turned right down and it's ticking along nicely.

I'd suspect that it'll come down to the constitution and thickness of the walls and the antennae.

If you stuck a 24dBi RocketDish at either end it might go ok ...?

Also, the area of town I'm in has quite a bit of WiFi activity, including two other networks within out offices, and I've not had an issue with channel selection.

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LookingUp

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#823052 21-May-2013 17:20

Forgot to ask where you are - if you're in Chch you're welcome to PM me and pop around for a look.

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chevrolux

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#823055 21-May-2013 17:41

@LookingUp - That set up is most definitely the exception and not the rule.

Why buy 2.4GHz gear when the 5Ghz stuff is the same price (give or take a few bucks)?

Why is external mounting not an option? My experiences tell me there is always a way to run a cable.

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sbiddle

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#823114 21-May-2013 19:17

LookingUp:If you stuck a 24dBi RocketDish at either end it might go ok ...?

That would be a far worse solution, since you'd need to turn the power way down to comply with eirp levels and with a NLOS connection power is typically important, unlike LOS connections where you typically want the minimum power necessary.

clinty

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#823132 21-May-2013 19:47

Thanks for the input guys,

I was thinking 2.4 as some penetration of objects was needed.

Client is in a mall so no access to roof etc but does have pretty clear line of sight from window to their second office across the road

@lookingup might take u up on that, will be in touch

Will take another look at the 5ghz units

Clint

cyril7

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#823135 21-May-2013 19:51

Hi what receive levels are you getting.

Cyril

clinty

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#823148 21-May-2013 20:14

cyril7: Hi what receive levels are you getting.

Cyril

Hi

haven't implemented the solution yet, was looking for input as to whether or not there would be a major impact as have not had much to do with these units

coffeebaron

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#823166 21-May-2013 20:49

Is there a phone line between the two buildings?

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#823196 21-May-2013 21:18

If you have a short range gap with with line of sight, what about an optical link which would avoid RF congestion?

clinty

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#823262 21-May-2013 23:02

Currently we use VPN over ADSL2 but that is unstable and to slow for the LoB app

The customer has put in for an upgrade to VDSL, ( they are practical on top of the exchange) but if that doesn't resolve the speed issue was looking at this as the next step

LennonNZ

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#823278 21-May-2013 23:28

Personally I would run a couple of Nanostations M5's in this Kit
http://www.gowifi.co.nz/backhaul-point-to-point/ubiquiti-nanostationm5-point-to-point-kit.html?keyword=nanostation

or 2 of these as they are a little cheaper and you only have to go 500m (the Nanosations will go a few Km and the Nanos will go 500M quite easily)

http://www.gowifi.co.nz/backhaul-point-to-point/ubiquiti-nanostation-loco-m5-802.11n/a-200mw-outdoor-ap/bridge.html?keyword=nanostation

Get window mounts which will work with either. On a window I've had some of them stuck on for 2-3 months before they fall off (and normally at that distance if they do you'll just see a decrease in speed)

http://www.gowifi.co.nz/mounting-hardware/ubiquiti-nanostation-window/wall-mount.html?keyword=nanostation

They are a lot more directional (10 Degrees up/down / left/right I think ) as your find with the Rocket you'll have to pump them up a lot to get the distance and Rockets are more expensive.

I guess your problem is you said you had line of sight but you say then there is something in the middle which will affect the speed you will get over the link.

kiwitrc

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#823317 22-May-2013 06:00

sbiddle:
LookingUp:If you stuck a 24dBi RocketDish at either end it might go ok ...?

That would be a far worse solution, since you'd need to turn the power way down to comply with eirp levels and with a NLOS connection power is typically important, unlike LOS connections where you typically want the minimum power necessary.

Thats an interesting point, I wonder who actually bothers about compliance with the regulations these days. The Ministry of Economic Development dont have the resources to oversee the regulations these days, except in cases where they are called out to check. I wonder how much of the cluttered landscape of radio is due to people running max power because they can?