Datasheet

Shielded airMAX® ac Radio with Isolation Antenna

Model: IS-5AC

Interchangeable High-Isolation Horn Antenna

All-Metal, Shielded Radio Base

airMAX ac Processor for Superior Performance

 Overview Application Example
DATASHEET

Ubiquiti Networks launches the

PtMP Client Links
latest generation of airMAX ac CPE
(Customer Premises Equipment) with
dedicated Wi-Fi management, the
IsoStation™ 5AC.

Improved Noise Immunity

The IsoStation 5AC provides
high isolation solutions in fixed
beamwidth increments through
interchangeable horn antennas that
have been optimized for an urban
environment. The tailored antenna
radiation patterns spatially filters both
in-band and out-of-band spurious
RF emissions to increase the noise
immunity of the IsoStation 5AC.
This feature is especially important
in an increasingly congested RF
environment. The IsoStation™ 5AC is used as a CPE device for each client in an airMAX PtMP
(Point‑to‑MultiPoint) network.
Modular Design
The interchangeable antenna PtP Link
improves beam‑shaping for specific
deployment needs. By default,
the IsoStation 5AC includes the
symmetrical horn antenna with 45°
beamwidth.

Scalability
Horn antennas increase co‑location
performance without sacrificing gain.

Symmetrical horn antennas (30° and Use an IsoStation 5AC on each side of a PtP (Point-to-Point) link.
45° versions) offer breakthrough
scalability options for wireless
systems. Unique beam performance Beam Performance Perfected
and great co-location characteristics
allow for a higher density of sectors
than traditional sector technology.

Enhanced Co-Location
Asymmetrical horn antennas (60° and
90° versions) are designed to have
attenuated side lobes and extremely
low back radiation. They offer best
front-to-back ratio in the industry
and the lowest side lobe radiation.
Asymmetrical horn antennas are ideal
for cluster sector installations with
high co-location requirements.

Extended Performance
A robust dish antenna, model
U‑OMT‑Dish, offers excellent beam
directivity with 27 dBi of gain. It can
be paired with the IsoStation 5AC
to extend radio performance for a
greater number of WISP customers.
Providing high throughput and
an innovative form factor, the
IsoStation 5AC is versatile and
cost‑effective to deploy.

2
Software Dashboard

DATASHEET
Sporting an all-new design for
improved usability, airOS® v8 is the
revolutionary operating system for
Ubiquiti® airMAX ac products.

Powerful Wireless Features

• Access Point PtMP airMAX Mixed
Mode
• airMAX ac Protocol Support
• Long-Range Point-to-Point (PtP)
Link Mode
• Selectable Channel Width
• PtP: 10/20/30/40/50/60/80 MHz
• PtMP: 10/20/30/40 MHz
• Automatic Channel Selection
• Transmit Power Control:
Automatic/Manual
• Automatic Distance Selection Wireless Settings
(ACK Timing)
• Strongest WPA2 Security

Usability Enhancements
• airMagic® Channel Selection Tool
• Dynamic Configuration Changes
• Instant Input Validation
• Redesigned User Interface
• HTML5 Technology
• Optimization for Mobile Devices
• Detailed Device Statistics
• Diagnostic Tools, including Ethernet
Cabling Test, RF Diagnostics, and
airView® Spectrum Analyzer

UNMS App UNMS Configuration

The IsoStation 5AC integrates a

separate Wi-Fi radio for fast and easy
setup using your mobile device.
IsoStation 5AC

Accessing airOS via Wi-Fi

The UNMS™ (Ubiquiti® Network
Management System) app provides
instant accessibility to the airOS
configuration interface and can be
downloaded from the App Store®
(iOS) or Google Play™ (Android). UNMS
allows you to set up, configure, and
manage the IsoStation 5AC and offers
various configuration options once
you're connected or logged in.
Built-In

3
 Advanced RF Analytics Multi-Radio Architecture
airMAX ac devices feature a
DATASHEET
multi‑radio architecture to power a
revolutionary 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 to provide you with
the most advanced RF analytics in the
industry.

Real-Time Reporting
airOS 8 displays the following RF
information:
• Persistent RF Error Vector
Magnitude (EVM) constellation
diagrams Constellation Diagrams
• Carrier to Interference-plus-Noise
Ratio (CINR) histograms
• Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) time
series plots

Spectral Analysis
airView allows you to identify noise
signatures and plan your networks to
minimize noise interference. airView
performs the following functions:
• Constantly monitors environmental
noise SNI Diagram and CINR Histogram
• 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.
Dedicated Spectral Analysis
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
airView provides powerful spectrum
analyzer functionality, eliminating the
need to rent or purchase additional
equipment for conducting site
surveys.

4
Technology airMAX ac TDMA Technology

DATASHEET
Unlike standard Wi-Fi protocol,
Ubiquiti’s Time Division Multiple
Access (TDMA) airMAX protocol
allows each client to send and receive
data using pre-designated time Timeline
slots scheduled by an intelligent AP
controller.

Time Slot 1

Time Slot 2

Time Slot 3

Time Slot 4
This time slot method eliminates
hidden node collisions and maximizes
airtime efficiency, so airMAX
technology provides performance Time Slots
improvements in latency, noise

VOIP

VOIP

VOIP
Data
immunity, scalability, and throughput
compared to other outdoor systems in Packet Prioritization
its class.
Up to 100 airMAX ac stations can be connected to an airMAX ac Sector; four airMAX
Intelligent QoS  Priority assigned to ac stations are shown to illustrate the general concept.
voice/video for seamless streaming.

Scalability  High capacity and airMAX Network Scalability

scalability.

Long Distance  Capable of

high‑speed, carrier-class links.

Superior Performance
The next-generation airMAX ac
technology boosts the advantages of
our proprietary TDMA protocol.

Ubiquiti’s airMAX engine with custom

U-AME-G1-BR4A
NKC966.001B
1412
TAIWAN

IC dramatically improves 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. Superior Throughput Performance
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 Mbps

Throughput Breakthrough
airMAX ac supports high data rates, 150+ Mbps
which require dense modulation:
256QAM – a significant increase from
64QAM, which is used in airMAX. 450+ Mbps

With their use of proprietary

airMAX ac technology, airMAX ac
products supports up to 450+ Mbps
real TCP/IP throughput – up to triple
the throughput of standard airMAX
products.

5
 Hardware Overview
DATASHEET

Using airMAX ac technology, the

IsoStation 5AC supports up to 450+ Mbps real
TCP/IP throughput. It also offers the following
features:
• Interchangeable antennas for enhanced
beam shaping
• Horn feed comes directly from the radio
input/output so connectors are eliminated
• Single button release for ease of changing
antennas
• All metal, shielded radio base
• Metal strap for quick and simple mounting

Pole-Mounting of the IsoStation 5AC

Mounting Flexibility

Optional Mounting Bracket

An optional mounting bracket, model

U‑OMT‑MOUNT, allows for ± 20° tilt
adjustments of the horn's elevation.
This pole‑mounting method enables
easy adjustments depending on your Pole-Mounting Using the U-OMT-MOUNT
deployment needs.

6
Antenna Options

DATASHEET
Horn Antennas
The IsoStation 5AC comes with a 45° isolation
antenna. We offer three optional antennas
with precise radiation angles for specific beam
shaping, so you can customize the IsoStation
5AC for your specific installation requirements:
• 30°
• 60°
• 90°
All horn antennas are optimized for
co‑location. The asymmetrical versions (60°
and 90°) narrow the elevation pattern to
increase gain where users need it.
Switching Out the 45° Horn Antenna

Horn Antenna Model Comparison

Horn-5-30 45° (Included) Horn-5-60 Horn-5-90 IS-5AC

Beamwidth 30° 45° 60° 90°

Gain 19 dBi 15.5 dBi 16 dBi 13 dBi

Dish Antenna
Pair the IsoStation 5AC with a robust dish antenna, model
U-OMT-Dish, to provide SISO or 2x2 MIMO, dual‑polarity
performance as a client in a PtMP link. This radio/antenna
combination delivers bandwidth to an extended number of
WISP customers.
• Dish reflector design for excellent beam directivity
• Industrial-strength hardware for outdoor use
• HPOL and VPOL Beamwidth: 6.5°
• Antenna gain: 27 dBi

7
 Specifications
DATASHEET

IS-5AC
Dimensions
With Horn 174 x 174 x 150 mm (6.85 x 6.85 x 5.91")
Without Horn 131 x 131 x 65 mm (5.16 x 5.16 x 2.56")

Weight
With Horn 725.7 g (1.6 lb)
Without Horn 408.2 g (0.9 lb)

Max. Power Consumption 8.5W

Power Supply 24V, 0.5A Gigabit PoE Adapter
Power Method Passive PoE (Pairs 4, 5+; 7, 8 Return)
Gain 14 dBi
Beamwidth 45° (Default Horn)
Networking Interface (1) 10/100/1000 Ethernet Port
Processor Specs MIPS 74 Kc
Memory 64 MB DDR2
LED (1) Power
Mounting Pole-Mount
Wind Loading 36 N @ 200 km/h (8.09 lbf @ 125 mph)
Wind Survivability 200 km/h (125 mph)
ESD/EMP Protection ± 24 kV Contact/Air
Operating Temperature -40 to 70° C (-40 to 158° F)
Operating Humidity 5 to 95% Noncondensing
Certifications FCC, IC, CE

Operating Frequency (MHz)

Worldwide 5150 - 5875
USA U-NII-1: U-NII-3:
5150 - 5250 5725 - 5850

Management Radio (MHz)

Worldwide 2412 - 2472
USA 2412 - 2462

IS-5AC Output Power: 25 dBm

TX Power Specifications RX Power Specifications
Modulation Data Rate Avg. TX Tolerance Modulation Data Rate Sensitivity Tolerance
1x BPSK (½) 25 dBm ± 2 dB 1x BPSK (½) -96 dBm ± 2 dB
2x QPSK (½) 25 dBm ± 2 dB 2x QPSK (½) -95 dBm ± 2 dB
2x QPSK (¾) 25 dBm ± 2 dB 2x QPSK (¾) -92 dBm ± 2 dB
4x 16QAM (½) 25 dBm ± 2 dB 4x 16QAM (½) -90 dBm ± 2 dB
airMAX ac

airMAX ac

4x 16QAM (¾) 25 dBm ± 2 dB 4x 16QAM (¾) -86 dBm ± 2 dB

6x 64QAM (2/3) 25 dBm ± 2 dB 6x 64QAM (2/3) -83 dBm ± 2 dB
6x 64QAM (¾) 24 dBm ± 2 dB 6x 64QAM (¾) -77 dBm ± 2 dB
6x 64QAM (5/6) 23 dBm ± 2 dB 6x 64QAM (5/6) -74 dBm ± 2 dB
8x 256QAM (¾) 21 dBm ± 2 dB 8x 256QAM (¾) -69 dBm ± 2 dB
8x 256QAM (5/6) 21 dBm ± 2 dB 8x 256QAM (5/6) -65 dBm ± 2 dB

8
 Vertical Azimuth Vertical Elevation

DATASHEET
Horizontal Azimuth Horizontal Elevation

Return Loss

Specifications are subject to change. Ubiquiti products are sold with a limited warranty described at: www.ubnt.com/support/warranty
©2017-2018 Ubiquiti Networks, Inc. All rights reserved. Ubiquiti, Ubiquiti Networks, the Ubiquiti U logo, airMagic, airMAX, airOS, airPrism, airView,
AJJL051018

Horn, IsoStation, and UNMS are trademarks or registered trademarks of Ubiquiti Networks, Inc. in the United States and in other countries. Apple and
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property of their respective owners. www.ubnt.com