To answer this and all related questions in other topics - well, most likely you have heard about global chip shortages. In one way or another, this affects all industries. Sometimes existing plans need to be changed to other chips, sometimes orders are delayed, etc. It is harder than ever to predict when a product will be available, if we are talking about devices in early stages of development.
I can appreciate this for sure.
Here's kinda where my thoughts are. We have multiple vendors in the space, the two most visibly in the need are both looking at this as a way to start generating reoccuring revenue essentially by renting us the management of the product in some form or another. Ubiquiti has teased that they're launching as well by selling an 'ax CPE in their beta store. I know that doesn't mean that mikrotik should magically produce something, but to say something like 'we are hoping to launch some 5Ghz wifi6 outdoor products in 6 months' would be quite welcome... and here's why.
I'm going to have to deploy multiple vendor products. dont worry, mikrotik is getting my router buys
, so I'm already going to be multi-vendor. I'm planning out about a year and I'm making big purchases to try to protect myself against supply chain issues. So, do I order up a huge mimosa order or a huge cambium order or should I anticipate some wifi6 hardware from mikrotik in June 2023?
These other products have a specific design process, they want to by a tower on the hill with 4-8 sectors and 25dB CPE with all the fancy features enabled. I've asked repeatedly for a micro-pop solution and it's just not interesting for them. When we start talking mikropops, we have the foundations of a rock star in the Omnitik PoE, it just needs a CPU upgrade, a 4x4 (or 8x8) antenna arraged in like 4 180 degrees overlapping (like mimosa's A5 or N5-omni) or 8 90s etc... and the wifi6 chip to back that up. We don't need GPS sync, we don't need coloring, etc. An SXT or DISC 2x2 CPE and you've solved the micropop. Do some pro CPE with 4x4, or swap the omnitik setup for a netmetal with 4x4 or 8x8. That's really the entire product line I'm looking for. I would be stacking this on top of mikrotik 60Ghz gear as well. I'm going to make another post on 60Ghz so I wont make this one any longer than it is. Frankly, I'd be pretty happy with the current netmetal and a wifi6 4x4 mini-pcie card today with the prospect of an upgrade in 2023..
Thanks for reading. You guys are awesome and I just want to see this wifi6 stuff come along so I can get back in bed with mikrotik on wireless.
Thanks.