Ubiquiti PBE-5AC-500 airMAX PowerBeam 5AC 500 27 dBi 5 GHz Bridge

PBE-5AC-500

Ubiquiti airMAX PowerBeam 5AC 500 — 27 dBi 5 GHz Bridge with 450+ Mbps Throughput and 25+ km Range

What the PBE-5AC-500 Is

The Ubiquiti PBE-5AC-500 is an airMAX PowerBeam 5AC with a 500 mm dish, combining a 5 GHz radio and a 27 dBi dual-linear antenna in one unit. It delivers 450+ Mbps real TCP/IP throughput over link ranges beyond 25 km, and carries dedicated radios for spectral analysis and WiFi management alongside the data radio. It supports 5150–5875 MHz worldwide, with channel bandwidths of 10 to 80 MHz in point-to-point mode. The unit is UV-stabilised polycarbonate weighing 2.35 kg bare or 3.2 kg with radome, powered by the included 24V 0.5A passive PoE adapter at up to 8.5W, and operates from -40 to 70°C. Links require a pair.

Key Features

• 5 GHz, 25+ km link range
• 450+ Mbps throughput
• Improved mounting
• Dedicated spectral analysis radio
• Dedicated WiFi management radio
• Note. This product should be purchased in pairs in order to form links.

Technical Specifications

Mechanical

Hardware

Qualifications

Software

System

Radio Frequency

Professional Overview

The PowerBeam is the workhorse of the airMAX range: radio and dish in one moulded unit, aimed at a matching device at the far end. The 500 mm version sits at the long end of the family, trading physical size for the 27 dBi of gain that carries a link past 25 km.

Throughput is quoted as 450+ Mbps real TCP/IP — which is the honest figure rather than a modulation headline — over channels of 10 to 80 MHz in point-to-point mode, or 10 to 40 MHz in point-to-multipoint. The frequency range is 5150 to 5875 MHz worldwide. Two extra radios sit alongside the data radio: one dedicated to spectral analysis, so interference can be surveyed without dropping the link, and one dedicated to WiFi management, so the unit can be reached for configuration even when the main link is down. On a tower, that second radio is the difference between a configuration change and a site visit.

The environmental testing is unusually well documented and worth noting for coastal or industrial sites: salt fog to IEC 68-2-11 (ASTM B117), temperature shock to IEC 68-2-14, UV exposure to IEC 68-2-5 at 40°C, vibration to IEC 68-2-6, and wind-driven rain to ETS 300 019-1-4. Operating range is -40 to 70°C at 5 to 95% non-condensing humidity.

Mounting is pole mount, included. Wind survivability is 96 km/h with a loading of 264.6 N at that speed — considerably lower than the UISP Dish, so exposed high-wind sites need checking. Power is passive 2-pair PoE at 20–27V DC through one GbE RJ45 port, drawing up to 8.5W, with a 24V 0.5A gigabit PoE adapter in the box. Ubiquiti notes explicitly that this product should be purchased in pairs to form a link. Australian stock from ARC IP Networks.

Ubiquiti PBE-5AC-500: 5 GHz point-to-point wireless bridge

The airMAX PowerBeam 5AC 500 mm Bridge is a 5 GHz point-to-point wireless bridge with 27 dBi of antenna gain.

5 GHz WiFi bridge with a 450+ Mbps Real TCP/IP throughput rate.

Link performance

The PBE-5AC-500 runs as either end of a link — access point or station — so a point-to-point hop is built from two units, one at each site, unless you are connecting to an existing base station.

Antenna

Frequency and regulatory

The figures above are the radio's full capability. In Australia the unit must be set to the local regulatory domain and operated within the ACMA class licence for the band — the available channels and power limits here are narrower than the radio's worldwide range.

Power and network

The PoE injector is supplied in the box, so the unit only needs an outlet and a cable run.

Power is passive PoE, not 802.3af/at. A standard PoE switch port will not power it correctly — use the matching injector or a passive-PoE capable port at the right voltage.

Build, mounting and environment

Ubiquiti publishes independent environmental testing for the PBE-5AC-500 covering salt fog, UV, vibration, temperature shock and wind-driven rain — the reason this hardware survives on a tower or a coastal rooftop.

Rated for -40 to 70° C (-40 to 158° F), which covers rooftop and tower mounting anywhere in Australia.

A link needs a radio at each end — PowerBeams are deployed as a pair.

Who the PBE-5AC-500 suits

• Point-to-point links over longer spans than a standard PowerBeam
• WISP backhaul and building-to-building hops
• Sites with clear line of sight between the two mounting points

Planning a link with the PBE-5AC-500

A point-to-point hop needs a PBE-5AC-500 at each end. Both sites need clear line of sight, mains power at the mount point, and a cable run back to the switch.

Whatever the topology, budget for the mount, earthing and surge protection as part of the job — an outdoor radio on an un-earthed mast is the single most common cause of a failed link after a storm.

Browse PoE switches and cloud gateways for the wired side, or read the Australian Ubiquiti buying guide.

Buy the Ubiquiti PBE-5AC-500 in Australia

ARC IP Networks is an authorised Ubiquiti reseller supplying the PBE-5AC-500 from Australian stock, with full manufacturer warranty and fast shipping nationwide.

• Authorised Ubiquiti reseller — genuine Australian stock, not grey import
• Full manufacturer warranty with local RMA support
• Competitive Australian pricing, monitored against the local market daily
• Fast dispatch Australia-wide, or collect from our warehouse
• Trade and project pricing for WISPs, installers and multi-site rollouts

Browse PoE switches, cloud gateways and the wider Ubiquiti range. More on buying from an authorised Ubiquiti reseller in Australia.