![]() ![]() The PtP link requires two radios, both of which send and receive data back and forth. It’s also worth noting the terminology used for the PtP radios. Ubiquiti has many radio models which can be used in a setup like this, but all of them will have a longer range and higher throughput than connecting them via multiple mesh APs. Depending on the equipment used, Site A and Site B can be many miles apart. A PtP link greatly increases the possible range, and allows you to connect to places you can’t run a cable to. If they are further apart, those solutions are less ideal. If these two locations are within a few hundred feet of each other, Ethernet, fiber, or outdoor mesh APs such as the UniFi AC-Mesh could be used instead. You can also selectively allow limited access to shared resources, and many other things when you control the wired network that is feeding the PtP connection. Then, with routing and firewall rules, you can prevent the two layer 2 VLANs from being able to communicate with each other, while still allowing Site B to get to the Internet. A common option is to create a VLAN for Site B. To restrict traffic and prevent Site B from accessing Site A, the wired networking equipment inside Site A can be used. It also allows, by default, all devices in Site A to access devices at Site B, and vice versa. This PtP connection allows users at Site B to use the Internet connection from Site A. Devices within Site B connect to the omnidirectional Wi-Fi router, while the PtP radios shuffle the data back and forth. This serves as the Internet connection for the wireless router inside. The Site B station receives this signal, converting it back to Ethernet. The Site A AP converts this to a wireless signal, which the antenna directs towards Site B. Site A is connected to the Internet over Ethernet. ![]() ![]() Before we dive into the theoretical, let’s look at an example of a place where a point-to-point wireless link would be used. There are many aspects of PtP and PtMP radios to go over. With the right equipment, it’s possible to make fast wireless links that are several miles long. The exact range varies based on frequency, radio and antenna choice, transmit power, and many other factors. Omnidirectional APs have a very limited range, but PtP and PtMP radios are not as limited. In most situations, you need a radio to allow access, and a router, switch, or firewall to prevent it. That is the best way to prevent unwanted access to devices on either side of a PtP or PtMP network. If you want to segment and restrict traffic, you’ll want to add a dedicated router or firewall. Some radios offer basic routing, NAT, or firewall features, but usually other equipment controls the networks and the devices that connect to them. Radios are mainly responsible for transporting traffic and ensuring bits get sent and received reliably. They convert Ethernet into a wireless signal, and a wireless signal into Ethernet. A more accurate description is that they act as a transparent layer 2 wireless Ethernet bridge. At the most basic level, you can think of them as a wireless cable. PtP and PtMP radios bridge a network from Site A to Site B, transporting data back and forth. This guide won’t design your network for you, but it should help you understand how to design your own. First we have to go through the basics of PtP and PtMP radios, explain Ubiquiti’s many product lines, and which frequencies and models to consider. In future parts of this guide I’ll cover link planning, configuration, installation, and maintenance. This introduction focuses on the fundamentals. It’s impossible to cover everything about PtP and PtMP radios in a single post. This allows them to cover longer distances than omnidirectional antennas. Rather than broadcast over an entire area, they focus their energy in a single direction. ![]() They are bad for broad coverage, but much better for long range connections. PtP and PtMP radios use antennas that have higher gain and are more directional. To cover longer distances or extend a network to another location, point-to-point (PtP) and point-to-multipoint (PtMP) radios should be used instead. Additional APs can expand coverage, but a Wi-Fi network’s range is also limited by the low-powered phones and laptops that connect to it. They usually cover a few hundred feet at most, and much less with walls or obstructions in the way. Omnidirectional APs are good at covering the surrounding area, but bad at covering long distances. They broadcast in all directions, allowing nearby devices to connect. In a typical Wi-Fi network, wireless access points use omnidirectional antennas. Intro to Ubiquiti PtP and PtMP Radios Omnidirectional vs. ![]()
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