Antennas airMAX

Ubiquiti’s airMAX line is designed for long distance, wireless network links. Historically airMAX products have been used to operate Wireless ISPs (WISPs), however this is being slowed with the introduction of NBN. Other applications include the mining industry for in-house outdoor networks, and other specialised private needs.

Whether you are opting for a point-to-point (PtP) or point-to-multipoint (PtMP) deployment method, the airMAX range can support your network requirements. Within the range, there are models for short (0-5km), medium (5-15km) and long distance (15km+) connections, as well as a selection of antennas for high performance backhaul. It is also important to consider environmental interference, line of sight, EIRP limits and other key factors in your choice of devices. In the case of PtMP deployments, your network performance will depend on both sides of the link (Base Station & Customer Premise Equipment (CPE)). Picking an appropriate Base Station should be based on the installation point and required coverage. The height of installation will determine maximum coverage, so we recommend planning for an antenna with the smallest coverage possible for your desired area. This is because an antenna with a wider coverage will reach more stations and may be more vulnerable to interference, impacting scalability and performance.

Types of Ubiquiti airMAX Antennas:

Ubiquiti airMAX Omni Antennas: These antennas offer 360 degree beamwidths. They are ideal for deployments with wide coverage Access Point/Base Station Applications

Ubiquiti airMAX Sector Antennas: These antennas offer beamwidths from 45 to 120 degrees. Compared to Omni Antennas, Sector antennas increase signal and decrease noise for better performance when serving multiple connections. As such they are ideal for high performance Base Stations as they offer higher gain and direction than omnidirectional antennas.

Things to Look For

All these antennas (except the single polarity antennas designed for use with a Bullet radio) come with RF jumper cables to connect the Rocket radio. They are also all Multi-In-Multi-Out (MIMO) antennas, meaning that they have two antenna connectors and transmit/receive in two polarities (typically horizontal and vertical).

• Beamwidth: For basestations receiving multiple incoming links, you will need a widebeam antenna such as an Omni or Sector. For stations with only one link, it is best to use a directional antenna to maximise link strength and minimise received noise.
• Gain: The rule of thumb is: The higher the gain, the bigger the antenna, and the longer the range. Higher gain antennas have narrower beams, and reject more unwanted, off-axis noise.
• Isolation shields: Some 'ISO' models include a metal isolation shield to block noise (unwanted) signals coming in from the sides. These models are recommended in RF noisy environments.