Contents
How to Choose a Wireless Bridge
Factor 2: Antenna Beamwidth and Coverage Angle
Factor 3: Bandwidth and Data Speeds
Factor 4: Environment and Durability
Introduction
This article describes 4 key factors to consider when choosing a wireless bridge. A wireless bridge is designed to seamlessly connect two or more physically separated networks over a dedicated wireless link, which is essential for Point-to-Point (PtP) and Point-to-Multi-Point (PtMP) scenarios.
Before selecting a model, it is critical to thoroughly survey your deployment environment. You need to map out your physical installation sites, determine exact mounting locations, and assess the relative angles and positions between your endpoints to ensure there is a clear, unobstructed line of sight between them. Once you have established your site parameters, evaluate the 4 key factors below and cross-reference your requirements with the product datasheet to select the ideal wireless bridge for your network.
Omada Wireless Bridge Data Table
|
Model |
Mode |
Range |
Beamwidth (Horizontal, Vertical) |
RSSI (dBM) |
Throughput (Mbps) |
Recommended Max IPCs |
|||
|
3 MP |
4-5 MP |
6-7 MP |
7-8 MP |
||||||
|
Beam Bridge 7 Kit V1.0 |
2.5G LAN/10G SFP+ |
0.1 |
45°, 45° |
5G: -52 |
4600* |
>100 |
>100 |
>100 |
>100 |
|
0.5 |
45°, 45° |
5G: -60 |
4100* |
>100 |
>100 |
>100 |
>100 |
||
|
1 |
45°, 45° |
5G: -65 |
3500* |
>100 |
>100 |
>100 |
>100 |
||
|
3 |
45°, 45° |
5G: -72 |
710 |
>100 |
71 |
47 |
35 |
||
|
2.5G LAN/10G SFP+ |
0.1 |
45°, 45° |
-52 |
1350 |
>100 |
>100 |
90 |
67 |
|
|
0.5 |
45°, 45° |
-60 |
1300 |
>100 |
>100 |
86 |
65 |
||
|
1 |
45°, 45° |
-65 |
1250 |
>100 |
>100 |
83 |
62 |
||
|
3 |
45°, 45° |
-72 |
400 |
66 |
40 |
26 |
20 |
||
|
Sector Bridge 5 V1.0 |
1G LAN, 5G VHT80 |
0.1 |
120°, 13° |
-50 |
550 |
76 |
46 |
30 |
23 |
|
0.5 |
120°, 13° |
-52 |
520 |
72 |
43 |
29 |
21 |
||
|
1 |
120°, 13° |
-56 |
500 |
69 |
41 |
28 |
21 |
||
|
3 |
120°, 13° |
-65 |
410 |
57 |
34 |
23 |
17 |
||
|
5 |
120°, 13° |
-72 |
300 |
33 |
20 |
13 |
10 |
||
|
Flex Bridge 5 V1.0 |
1G LAN, 5G VHT80 |
0.1 |
40°, 18° |
-50 |
550 |
76 |
46 |
30 |
23 |
|
0.5 |
40°, 18° |
-52 |
520 |
72 |
43 |
29 |
21 |
||
|
1 |
40°, 18° |
-56 |
500 |
69 |
41 |
28 |
21 |
||
|
3 |
40°, 18° |
-65 |
410 |
57 |
34 |
23 |
17 |
||
|
5 |
40°, 18° |
-70 |
300 |
33 |
20 |
13 |
10 |
||
|
Beam Bridge 5 UR Kit V1.0 |
1G LAN, 5G VHT80 |
1 |
9°, 7° |
-50 |
600 |
83 |
50 |
33 |
25 |
|
4 |
9°, 7° |
-64 |
450 |
50 |
30 |
20 |
15 |
||
|
8 |
9°, 7° |
-69 |
200 |
22 |
13 |
9 |
6 |
||
|
13 |
9°, 7° |
-73 |
100 |
11 |
6 |
4 |
3 |
||
|
EAP215-Bridge Kit V3.0 |
1G LAN, 5G VHT80 |
0.1 |
43°, 18° |
-50 |
550 |
76 |
46 |
30 |
23 |
|
0.5 |
43°, 18° |
-53 |
520 |
72 |
43 |
29 |
21 |
||
|
1 |
43°, 18° |
-56 |
500 |
69 |
41 |
28 |
21 |
||
|
3 |
43°, 18° |
-65 |
410 |
57 |
34 |
23 |
17 |
||
|
5 |
43°, 18° |
-70 |
300 |
33 |
20 |
13 |
10 |
||
|
EAP211-Bridge Kit V3.0 |
1G LAN, 5G VHT80 |
0.1 |
60°, 30° |
-50 |
550 |
76 |
46 |
30 |
23 |
|
0.5 |
60°, 30° |
-65 |
300 |
41 |
25 |
16 |
12 |
||
|
1 |
60°, 30° |
-67 |
200 |
28 |
16 |
11 |
8 |
||
|
EAP115-Bridge Kit V3.0 |
100M LAN, 5G HT40 |
0.1 |
43°, 18° |
-50 |
95 |
13 |
8 |
5 |
4 |
|
0.5 |
43°, 18° |
-58 |
95 |
13 |
8 |
5 |
4 |
||
|
1 |
43°, 18° |
-65 |
90 |
12 |
7 |
5 |
4 |
||
|
3 |
43°, 18° |
-67 |
90 |
12 |
7 |
5 |
4 |
||
|
5 |
43°, 18° |
-68 |
90 |
10 |
6 |
4 |
3 |
||
|
EAP100-Bridge Kit V1.0 |
100M LAN, 2.4G HT20 |
0.1 |
70°, 70° |
-48 |
75 |
10 |
6 |
4 |
3 |
|
0.5 |
70°, 70° |
-62 |
40 |
5 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
||
* Listed throughput reflects testing via 10G SFP+. When using the 2.5G LAN port, maximum throughput is limited by the 2.5G interface.
Disclaimer: Test results are for reference only. Actual maximum IPC capacity may vary depending on the actual site condition. Data is based on PtP testing. In PtMP deployments (supported models), actual throughput may vary and may be slightly lower with multiple Client APs.
How to Choose a Wireless Bridge
Factor 1: Distance
Assess the physical distance between your deployment points, ensuring a clear, unobstructed line of sight (free of trees, buildings, or terrain) between the primary and secondary bridges. Maximum range capabilities vary by model, from short-range building-to-building links up to ultra-long-range remote connections reaching 13 km.
Note: Keep in mind that pushing a device to its absolute maximum range will result in lower throughput.
Factor 2: Antenna Beamwidth and Coverage Angle
Match your physical deployment layout to the appropriate antenna coverage angle (horizontal and vertical beamwidth).
Antenna beamwidth determines how precisely radios must be aligned and whether a bridge is best suited for focused Point-to-Point (PtP) long-range backhauls or broad Point-to-Multi-Point (PtMP) area coverage. Narrow beams maximize signal concentration, while wider beams simplify aiming for short-range links or allow a single central bridge to connect to multiple endpoints simultaneously.
Factor 3: Bandwidth and Data Speeds
Match the bridge’s throughput capacity to the total bandwidth required by the applications, while accounting for potential performance impacts from interference and channel congestion. For IP camera deployments, consider the specific number and resolution of your IP cameras, as higher-resolution streams consume significantly more bandwidth than standard cameras. It is critical to calculate your total video traffic and select a bridge model capable of handling that load at your target distance, ranging from standard entry-level capacity, to high-capacity multi-camera setups, up to multi-gigabit backhauls utilizing Multi-Link Operation (MLO) technology for massive video payloads.
Factor 4: Environment and Durability
Because wireless bridges are predominantly deployed outdoors to span open distances, choosing a unit built to withstand harsh weather conditions is essential. Focus primarily on the weather-resistant IP rating of the enclosure, such as IP65 or IP66, to ensure full protection against rain, moisture, wind, and dust accumulation in your specific installation environment.
Conclusion
Choosing the right wireless bridge requires balancing coverage distance, total bandwidth demands, and environmental durability against your site's unique requirements. Remembering these 4 factors prior to deployment guarantees long-term link stability and maximum backhaul performance.
To learn more about each function and configuration, please visit Support Home to download or check the manual for your product.
