WISP Case Study: Troubleshooting Ubiquiti PTP Links vs TP-Link CPE510

Background

At Direct Media Pvt. Ltd., we regularly test different wireless radios for point-to-point (PTP) and last-mile connectivity. Recently, we attempted to deploy Ubiquiti Lite APs and a PowerBeam–LiteBeam link to connect our office, home, and a remote village site.

The Challenge

Two Ubiquiti Lite AP units were installed—one at our office and one at a home site. The office unit was configured in Station mode, while the home unit was set as an Access Point. Despite multiple configuration attempts—including adjustments to frequency, bandwidth, modulation type, and IP settings—the radios failed to detect each other’s SSID.

A second attempt involved linking a PowerBeam at our office tower with a LiteBeam at a remote mountain village (7.4 km link). The LiteBeam was preconfigured and successfully tested before installation, but once deployed at the remote site, it could not detect the PowerBeam’s SSID.

In both cases, antennas were correctly aligned, and environmental interference was ruled out since nearby 5 GHz SSIDs were visible during scans.

Alternative Solution

After hours of troubleshooting without success, we deployed TP-Link CPE510 radios for the office-to-home link. Unlike the Ubiquiti setup, the CPE510 units connected smoothly on the first attempt and delivered stable connectivity.

Observations

• Ubiquiti Strengths: Higher data rates, flexible modulation options (QAM, QPSK), adjustable transmit power, and detailed link monitoring.
• Challenges Faced: Difficulties in SSID detection, frequent hardware failures (3 Lite APs required repair, 1 permanently failed, and 1 PowerBeam was damaged during a transformer surge).
• TP-Link Advantages: Easier deployment, reliable PTP connectivity, and straightforward configuration.

Overview

While Ubiquiti radios offer advanced features and higher throughput potential, reliability issues can impact long-term deployments in WISP environments. On the other hand, TP-Link CPE510 devices may not match Ubiquiti in features, but their ease of use and dependable connectivity make them a practical choice for stable PTP links.

At Direct Media, we continue testing and refining our deployments to balance performance with reliability for our clients.