Thought I might jump in with a couple comments. While I am not an expert, I have been running some side by side tests with a Ubiquiti Rocket 5AC PtMP radio on a Ubiquiti 60 degree AC sector next to an ePMP 1000 GPS into a RF Elements 120 degree sector.
Radios are on a tower 1700' above town. Users are 1.5 miles to 3 miles out. RF environment is somewhat quiet. Gets a little noisy on some 5.8 channels at tower.
Test clients for these two radios are wanting 50 - 75 Mbps. This is being tested to be an alternative to cable Internet. Low CPEs per AP (10 - 15 subs). Ubiquiti CPEs are mostly NBE-5AC-19's with a couple PBE-5AC-300's. Cambium CPEs are currently ePMP 1000 integrated's. Ordered a couple Force 110's to test.
I have much more experience with Ubiquit gear than Cambium, so my natural tendency is to push for UBNT for this deployment.
What I have discovered:
- Ubiquiti software is much better for RF surveys and general RF picture. Especially the AirMax 7 and 8 versions. Very well done. Big benefit to look at the RF picture at AP and CPE without taking any links down.
- Ubiquiti PtP with AirMax 7 and 8 is very fast and reliable.
- Ubiquiti PtMP is extremely inconsistent. There are too many firmware versions. Few are compatible. Some flat out don't work (AirMax 8 will not connect PtMP at all in our environment).
- As soon as the SNR creeps up, Ubiquiti dies off. Trust me, I want them to work - simply because of my comfort level and the software.
- Every time I plug in a ePMP radio, it trains up and works. In speed tests, it beats the Ubiquiti radio 75% of the time and is 100% more reliable.
I've put both UBNT and Cambium CPE's on a tripod and tested them side by side all over town for hours and hours. UBNT is really fast when it works, but it simply has not been reliable enough for us. Despite my dislike of the Cambium firmware, we are starting to buy more Cambium gear and rolling out more test customers on Cambium CPEs. And they are happier than the Ubiquiti customers.
My next test customer wants to ditch all television providers and use our wireless for 4K Netflix streams. He is getting the first Force 110 to test. Luckily, as a co-op, we have customers that are willing to play along with us and be part of a test. Some of our customers have both a UBNT and Cambium CPE on their roof and bounce back and forth for us. I'm trying to do as complete of a real world test as possible before choosing one solution. Cambium is moving to the front.
Oh, and being able to do 5.2 is a huge plus...