Designed to mount and interface with the Ubiquiti Networks RocketDish, the Ubiquiti Networks R5AC-LITE rocket ac airMAX ac BaseStation uses airMAX ac technology to provide up to 450 Mbps throughput. With an outdoor UV stabilized plastic enclosure this BaseStation can be installed in some of the harshest conditions allowing for the data signal to reach greater distances. Inside the enclosure you will find a 720 MHz Atheros MIPS 74Kc processor complete with 128MB of DDR2 RAM and 16MB of NOR Flash memory for enhanced processing power to allow for a stronger more stable signal. Ports on the BaseStation include one Gigabit Ethernet port and two waterproof RP-SMA RF connections to prevent against water damage.

The BaseStation is capable of operating in both Access Point, and Station modes allowing you to configure it to suit a variety of networking needs. Integrated QoS functionality allocates network resources to provide enhanced streaming of data while the airMAX engine with custom IC improves TDMA latency. Improved TDMA latency greatly increases data throughput and provides enhanced network speeds.

Intelligent QoS

Priority assigned to voice/video for seamless streaming.

Scalability

High capacity and scalability.

Long Distance

Capable of high‑speed, carrier-class links.

Enhanced Performance

The enhanced airMAX ac technology boosts the advantages of the TDMA protocol. Ubiquiti’s airMAX engine features custom IC to dramatically improve TDMA latency and network scalability. The custom silicon provides hardware acceleration capabilities to the airMAX scheduler, to support the high data rates and dense modulation used in airMAX ac technology.

airMAX ac supports high data rates, which require dense modulation: 256QAM – a significant increase from 64QAM, which is used in airMAX. With their use of proprietary airMAX ac technology, this airMAX ac product supports up to 450+ Mbps real TCP/IP throughput – up to triple the throughput of standard airMAX products.

5 GHz Frequency Band

The 5 GHz radio band is free to use, worldwide, offers plentiful spectrum, and works well for long-distance links.

The Rocket ac provides a Gigabit Ethernet connection to deliver high throughput.

Plug and Play Integration

Every airMAX antenna has a built-in Rocket mount, so no tools are needed to install the Rocket ac.

Passive Power over Ethernet

Includes 24V Passive PoE functionality, which allows both power and data to be carried over a single Ethernet cable to the device.

Software

• airMAX ac protocol support

• Long-Range PtP link mode

• Selectable channel width

• PtP: 10/20/30/40/50/60/80 MHz

• PtMP: 10/20/30/40 MHz

• Automatic channel selection

• TX Power Control: Auto/manual

• Automatic distance selection (ACK timing)

• Strong WPA2 security

Usability Enhancements

• Dynamic configuration changes

• Instant input validation

• HTML5 technology

• Optimization for mobile devices

• Detailed device statistics

• Diagnostic tools, including Ethernet cabling test, RF diagnostics, and airView Spectrum Analyzer

airMAX ac devices feature a multi‑radio architecture to power an RF analytics engine. An independent processor on the PCBA powers a second, dedicated radio, which persistently analyzes the full 5 GHz spectrum and every received symbol. Data from the spectrum analysis and RF performance monitoring is displayed on the Main tab and airView Spectrum Analyzer.

Real-Time Reporting

The Main tab displays the following RF information:

• Persistent RF Error Vector Magnitude (EVM) constellation diagrams

• Carrier to Interference-plus-Noise Ratio (CINR) histograms

• Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) time series plots.

airView allows you to identify noise signatures and plan your networks to minimize noise interference. airView performs the following functions:

• Constantly monitors environmental noise

• Collects energy data points in real‑time spectral views

• Helps optimize channel selection, network design, and wireless performance

airView runs in the background without disabling the wireless link, so there is no disruption to the network.

In airView, there are three spectral views, each of which represents different data.

• Waterfall: Aggregate energy collected for each frequency

• Waveform: Aggregate energy collected

• Ambient Noise Level: Background noise energy shown as a function of frequency

Available with a firmware upgrade to airOS v7.1, airView provides powerful spectrum analyzer functionality, eliminating the need to rent or purchase additional equipment for conducting site surveys.