Point to Point over 4kms

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Wannabe Geek

#160011 19-Dec-2014 22:37

Sorry another point-to-point question! I'm looking to do a point-to-point connection to a friend that has UFB and is just under 4 kms away (good LoS) - would something like 2 x Ubiquiti Nanobeam M5-400's work ok? (saw them suggested in another post), even in adverse weather? Other than masts, would I need anything else?

Alternatively is there anyone in Upper Hutt/Wellington that installs Ubiquiti?

Thanks,

Matt

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#1200879 19-Dec-2014 23:05

Ubiquiti is great.

If its LoS and only 4km in 5g you prob be fine.

Marmalade

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#1208349 5-Jan-2015 10:19

I'm on the verge of doing something very similar (in Oamaru), though only half the distance. I'm waiting for the M5 AC version to come out (should be within the month, I'm told) which will do a theoretical 450 MBS rather than the 150MBS of the previous versions.

Don't forget the fresnel zone... check out http://community.ubnt.com/t5/airMAX-Getting-Started/airMAX-Plan-a-outdoor-wireless-link/ta-p/487689 for more.

Also, Ubiquity have made a link planning web app (http://airlink.ubnt.com) which can be fun to play around with. Don't forget it knows nothing about trees though.

michaelmurfy

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#1208378 5-Jan-2015 10:57

I'm in Wellington and can help out with this if needed. You should be able to do this using a pair of Nanostation M5's available from here: http://www.gowifi.co.nz/backhaul-point-to-point/ubiquiti-nanostation-m5-802.11n/a-500mw-outdoor-ap/bridge.html along with a couple of mounting brackets if it is only 4km.

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feetup

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#1208938 6-Jan-2015 08:44

Thanks for the replies - we had a good look from the roof yesterday, and unfortunately there's an existing structure (Trentham Racecourse Grandstand!) that appears to be blocking the LoS - and we'd probably need a 15m+ mast to overcome it :(

Shame as it seemed a great way to overcome our woeful (<0.5 mbps) ADSL broadband problems - if I could find an ISP I could a PtP connection to in Upper Hutt (I can see most of the CBD as we're on the top of the hill) that would be great :/

Matt

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#1208945 6-Jan-2015 08:51

If you're in an urban area and getting such poor ADSL speeds you need to firstly look at why this is the case and start by looking at the wiring within your home.

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Wannabe Geek

#1208991 6-Jan-2015 09:57

Nah we're rural - with old school cabinet due to be replaced in 2016 :(

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Marmalade

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#1209113 6-Jan-2015 11:48

Sorry to hear your LOS killed your plans. With plans like this there seem to be so many things that can jump out at the last moment and stop things being possible.

However, if you've got good LOS over a large area, perhaps you can find someone else to supply the signal? Alternatively, do any of your neighbours have LOS to your friend? They might be willing to let you stick a couple of antennas on their roof — one pointing to your friend and one pointing at you.

All depends how desperate you are, but if all I had was 0.5 MB/s I think I'd be pretty desperate :D

feetup

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Wannabe Geek

#1209412 6-Jan-2015 17:35

Yup I'm getting desperate! we have a good LOS to most of Upper Hutt, so hopefully will be able to find someone/local ISP (SmartLinx3?) I can connect to!

Matt

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Wannabe Geek

#1280527 10-Apr-2015 14:59

Luckily my mate has moved and LoS is good now (still just under 4kms away in Upper Hutt), so ordered some Nanostation M5's / mounting brackets and will give em a go next weekend!

Marmalade

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#1280552 10-Apr-2015 15:21

Hey — great news! Thanks for the update.

Just a thought re the Nanostation M5's... I bought a pair of Nanobeam AC 19's (not a huge amount more $) and have been really impressed. They'll do 450Mbps (in my testing today I got 220Mbps in both send AND receive directions), and I've done a 5.5km link with one end handheld and they still worked great. Very impressed with these. If it's not too late to change your order and you're hoping to put a 100Mbps UFB connection over your link (either now or in the future) I'd suggest these.

sbiddle

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#1280574 10-Apr-2015 15:37

Ardgowan: Hey — great news! Thanks for the update.

Just a thought re the Nanostation M5's... I bought a pair of Nanobeam AC 19's (not a huge amount more $) and have been really impressed. They'll do 450Mbps (in my testing today I got 220Mbps in both send AND receive directions), and I've done a 5.5km link with one end handheld and they still worked great. Very impressed with these. If it's not too late to change your order and you're hoping to put a 100Mbps UFB connection over your link (either now or in the future) I'd suggest these.

I'll be brutally honest right now and say as somebody who's installed thousands of UBNT radios I'd quite simply say the UBNT AC gear should be avoided at all costs right now. I'm sure in the future they'll be sorted, but right now the product is terrible.

You've clearly got lucky are aren't experiencing the constant dropouts or concerned about the lack of security on links - but these are very real issues that affect large numbers of people.

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Marmalade

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#1280600 10-Apr-2015 16:11

I've installed 2 UBNT radios, so I'd say you just don't know what you're talking about :p

But seriously — I've not really seen anything online about the two issues you've mentioned. Got any links for me? Is it something you've experienced yourself with their AC radios? I haven't got mine permanently set up yet (waiting on the fibre install at the other end) and I don't want any nasty surprises!

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#1280639 10-Apr-2015 17:58

Ardgowan: I've installed 2 UBNT radios, so I'd say you just don't know what you're talking about :p

But seriously — I've not really seen anything online about the two issues you've mentioned. Got any links for me? Is it something you've experienced yourself with their AC radios? I haven't got mine permanently set up yet (waiting on the fibre install at the other end) and I don't want any nasty surprises!

Haha. You are very brave to say that to sbiddle. LOL

sbiddle

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#1280697 10-Apr-2015 18:48

Ardgowan: I've installed 2 UBNT radios, so I'd say you just don't know what you're talking about :p

But seriously — I've not really seen anything online about the two issues you've mentioned. Got any links for me? Is it something you've experienced yourself with their AC radios? I haven't got mine permanently set up yet (waiting on the fibre install at the other end) and I don't want any nasty surprises!

In which case you clearly haven't looked far!

If you want to read about the issues simply look at the UBNT forums and read the large number of posts about AC issues. The private Beta forum (which you're not going to see) is a slow motion train wreck..

If you want AC that works right now you need to go with Mikrotik, but even that isn't without it's problems.

Marmalade

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#1280720 10-Apr-2015 19:25

I'll post back in a few weeks once I've been using mine 24/7. Given that my requirements are as trivial as they come, I'm hoping for a good stable outcome.

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