What to use for CPE for PTMP?

RouterOS Wireless Networking
1

I am in the middle of making a soon decision and I need your thoughts please.

This will be a PTMP network. Average distance from tower to all clients ~450 meters (some thick and thin tree branches in between, but I can see tower from all clients side)

I have several candidates for CPE:

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  1. Metal2SHPn - not anymore, I have read this is giving to much issues (http://forum.mikrotik.com/t/problem-metal-2shpn/64076/1 | http://forum.mikrotik.com/t/metal-2-shpn-problem-in-wifi/62216/1)

  2. SXT G-2HnD - I have read this suffers from water ingress?

  3. or may a RB411 with a R52H

  4. or any other?

Please advice and thank you.

2

I have good luck with the SXTs. seems best bang for the buck, easy to mount and they look nice to boot! it stormed with rain blowing sideways last weekend, the equipment had no problems. The door on the SXTs have a real tight fit, as they should, you have to make sure it’s seated properly and it seems to work great. They also have a small slit in the bottom for any moisture to drain by gravity. Quite happy. I have two at 500m and one at 250m pointing at an omnitik all outside. one at 500m through an evergreen tree that I can hardly see the tower through to line it up.. It actually got a better signal pointing it a couple degrees off center of the omnitik.

When you purchase the SXTs make sure you get the right license level, they come have a variety of combos, 5ghz/2.4ghz, CPE(lvl3)(25deg) vs AP(lvl4)(60deg).

I was going to buy RB411s and RB433s and I still may so that i can put specific antennas and light for a couple thousand people in a specific area. However no experience so far with the RB411s.

Also to note the RB751 routers are also a great bang for the buck for inside office areas..

Edit: To note, I have the SXT G-5HnD 16dbi antennas from the Omnitik Six Pack.

3

I would agree with using the SXT for this project. We have not had any problems at all with them. The price for an SXT compared to using a Metal and antenna, or 411/711 with enclosure and antenna is very hard to beat.

4

Would opt for SXT too. We’ve deployed 200 so far. Good performance for the money and at this small distances you should get best modulations. I would do some frequency scans to decide wether to use 2 or 5GHz. I guess 5GHz will be better due to more usable channels.

5

We had few SXT which had problems with waterproofing.

I would like to ask you another question, because you mentioned about PTMP network, is the 60 deg enough for your application ?

6

The OP said this was for the CPE not the AP, so 60 degrees is fine.

7

Weird - I did not get any reply notification - maybe I forgot to check the “notify me when reply posted”

Thanks all for your replys - I really appreciate your advices.

I see everyone suggested the SXT. I like it and it also has a good cost/benefit.

The only thing that I am worried is what Sergio72 stated “We had few SXT which had problems with waterproofing”
but on the other hand, I see that gravityaddict stated that “it stormed with rain blowing sideways last weekend, the equipment had no problems”


Cheers.