New device

I just saw that Ubiquiti, who caught my interest with the inexpensive
Nanostation (runs DDWRT), has now got a new device to add to the
problem solving toolbox:

Product: http://www.ubnt.com/products/bullet.php

Datasheet: http://www.ubnt.com/downloads/b2_datasheet.pdf

Looks very interesting. LEDs for pointing are a great Ubiquiti
feature, as well as a (reportedly) powerful firmware, good radio and
sufficient memory onboard. I wonder what the POE deal is....


Also, I see another new one called a "Picostation". Looks to be the
Bullet with an antenna, RPSMA instead of N connector.

http://www.ubnt.com/products/picostation.php


WAIT, here's yet another:

http://www.ubnt.com/products/loco.php

It's really a good site. They offer various calculators, including
this page for help on POE "homebrew" :

http://www.ubnt.com/support/poe.php



I'm not (yet) a Ubiquiti user or anything, just liking the products
they are bringing to market. I think these could displace the Linksys
and Buffalos etc. that a lot of us are using as APs or clients.

Steve

On Nov 12, 3:18*pm, Jeff Liebermann <je...@cruzio.com> wrote:

> Yep. *Also 1 watt RF power.

I think you misunderstood where it says "up to 1000mw". That depends
on the product. For the Bullet and Picostation, they offer regular
versions and ALSO HP versions with 1 watt transmit.

The regular version of the Bullet or Picostation is not particulary
powerful transmit (20 dbm @24 Mbps). The "HP" version of the Bullet
and Picostation is the one claiming 1 watt. The NanoLoco doesn't seem
to come in an HP version.

So, three of the five new products do not have transmit amps and two
do. Other than that, how do they look? Not carrier class ? They
do offer SNMP with the AIR OS, plus DDWRT is being ported over to
Ubiquiti products, it seems. Go here to see features and demo the AIR
OS firmware: http://www.ubnt.com/airos/#feat

And MMTR: Is having an expensive device that's easy to repair better
than having several $40-$50 devices that are easy to swap out?

Does Ubiquiti's offering linux SDKs and courting of the replacement
firmware community add any value?

Also, is there value in a weatherproof wireless product with powerful,
supported stock firmware yet a price that compares to a Linksys? One
that works with homebrew (or included) POE?

Back to the issue of the 1W transmit on the Bullet HP- lets suppose
you wanted to make a long distance link with two of the HP bullets:
you put each of them on a matching directional antenna, some x miles
apart. In this case, having the transmit power on each end balances
out and actually helps? It seems that the alligator critique would
not apply when using matched radios, or would it?
Two guys with very loud voices and average ears can still talk from
farther away than two guys with average voices and average ears,
right?

Also, the targeted user for these products should know enough to turn
an HP down to the power level needed for the application, right?
Checking the forums, it seems to be a professional user base.

Any other comments? Don't you think it looks like a nice product for
CPE and AP applications? Isn't it cool that somebody came out with a
tiny weatherproof AP/CPE that costs less than many USB adapters? And
runs a quality firmware instead of using some crappy drivers? And POE
(non-standard) and one model even comes with an N connector?

On Nov 13, 11:37*am, Jeff Liebermann <je...@cruzio.com> wrote:

Thanks for the great comments, Jeff. Ever critical yields a sharper
eye. And great point about distant sites.

You made me laugh (yet again) about the "rock band" comment.
Definitely the issue I was not mentioning is that putting 1 watt
systems out there is like the TSA letting new cars put extra bright
lights on cars - it increases the noise level, ups the ante for
everybody and results in lower overall effectiveness of the system
when the rules move.

>Incidentally, I'll wager a few pennies that we're going to see these
> devices being hung on peoples laptops.

Yep. I think my next client adapter for problem solving will be one
of these guys - I would buy the non-"HP" bullet and spend the
difference on a small directional antenna. Or maybe just get one of
the nanostations with a built in panel antenna and included
injector.

Only thing is that the POE adds an extra device to the setup which USB
doesn't. Greatly reduces the portability factor. USB will still
have it's place.