Ubiquiti Networks today announced PowerStation, an open 802.11 product platform designed for the outdoor wireless community featuring Ubiquiti’s patented radio and antenna innovations.
The PowerStation (pdf datasheet) features a powerful 400 mW radio with a built-in 18dBi antenna and (software) switchable polarity. It is designed to be cost-effective with flexible, open-software, and has gained software partners including OpenWRT, OSWave, Antcor Ikarus, and StarOS. Ubiquiti makes publicly available the full Linux SDK and Toolchains necessary for OEM’s and Carriers to tailor software solutions for their specific needs.
“Today, much of the broadband Wireless Internet Service Provider community depends on low-end solutions to expand their network subscriber base cost-effectively. While these CPE solutions can provide some benefits such as cost-savings and flexibility, they also have their disadvantages which may include performance limitations, installation difficulties, and product reliability,” said Robert J. Pera, President at Ubiquiti Networks.
“With PowerStation, Ubiquiti has introduced a new platform with hopes to solve these problems while maintaining a cost-effective price point as well as a flexible, open-software approach for OEM customization. Best of all, it features numerous design innovations which we believe will contribute to superior network deployments capable of smarter operation and greater performance,” explained Pera.
At the core of the product is Ubiquiti’s hi-power radio combined with an advanced receiver architecture and an adaptive antenna. Ubiquiti claims it enables link distances beyond 25km and TCP/IP throughput greater than 50Mbps. It may also be useful as municipal wireless client for users who can’t get a reliable connection in their residence.
Integrated with the radio is an embedded hi-gain antenna based on Ubiquiti’s patent-pending Adaptive Antenna Polarity (AAP) technology. With AAP technology, the antenna can be statically software switched between vertical and horizontal polarities. The adaptive mode allows for the beam polarities to be switched dynamically on the fly. A single 18dBi antenna with better than 25dB polarity isolation is integrated into the unit.
A custom die-cast metal hardware capsule and an industrial grade plastic housing produce a reliable, weatherproof solution said to be capable of sustained operation over temperatures ranging from –45C to +85C. LED alignment indicators allow for quick, tool-less installation.
Based on Atheros Silicon and compliant with the MADWIFI driver, it ships with 5/10/20/40 MHz channel width support, bridging, routing, multiple AP/Station modes, and traffic shaping.
“The PowerStation hardware platform is one of the most impressive we have seen in terms of performance, design, and reliability. It’s refreshing to see a company work so closely with the opensource community as Ubiquiti has done with OpenWRT, and we look forward to continuing that relationship with PowerStation,” said Imre Kaloz, a core developer of OpenWRT, the popular Linux distribution for embedded wireless devices.
The PowerStation2 in now available through distribution and carries a single quantity MSRP of $159. 5-packs, 20-packs, and 100-packs are also available at $149, $139, and $129 respectively.
