Discussing Ubiquiti LiteBeam and NanoStations for home internet sharing
Discussing Ubiquiti LiteBeam and NanoStations for home internet sharing
Hi Everyone, I’m working on a project to share a single high-speed internet connection across 15 houses using Ubiquiti equipment. While this is an ambitious setup, I believe it’s achievable with the right planning and gear. I’d love to hear feedback or suggestions from anyone experienced in similar setups. Plan Overview • Central Transmitter : I’ll use a Ubiquiti LiteBeam LBE-5AC-Gen2 as the central Access Point (AP). It will distribute the internet connection to all the houses around it. • Receivers : For the houses, I’m considering NanoStation Loco M5 or NanoStation 5AC units as the receivers. These will connect back to the LiteBeam and deliver internet to each property. Network Details 1. Distance and Layout : • The houses aren’t clear line-of-sight, but they are bunched up within the same general area. This may cause some challenges with signal strength, so I’ll have to carefully position the LiteBeam and potentially elevate it to reduce obstructions. 2. Bandwidth : • The total bandwidth from the primary connection is 500 Mbps, which will be shared among all 15 houses. Most of the usage will be for web browsing, video streaming, and some work-from-home tasks. 3. Central Transmitter : • The LiteBeam LBE-5AC-Gen2 will serve as the central transmitter in a Point-to-Multipoint (PtMP) configuration. 4. Receivers as Wi-Fi Routers : • One question I have is whether the NanoStations (or LiteBeams) can act as both receivers and Wi-Fi routers. If not, I might need to purchase separate routers for each house, which could increase costs. Challenges and Considerations 1. Obstructions : Since there’s no clear line-of-sight between some houses and the central transmitter, I’ll need to test the signal quality and potentially adjust the setup with repeaters or more powerful equipment. 2. Performance with 15 Houses : • I’m unsure if the LiteBeam LBE-5AC-Gen2 can handle 15 simultaneous connections effectively, or if I need to upgrade to something like the LiteAP AC for better load balancing. 3. Wi-Fi in the Houses : • If the NanoStations or LiteBeams can’t serve as Wi-Fi routers, I may need to add separate routers at each house, which could complicate the setup and add to costs. Questions for the Community 1. Can a single LiteBeam LBE-5AC-Gen2 serve as the transmitter for all 15 houses, considering they’re not fully clear line-of-sight but are in the same general area? 2. Will the NanoStation Loco M5 or NanoStation 5AC be enough to handle reception and act as Wi-Fi routers for the houses, or would I need separate routers? 3. Any recommendations for dealing with obstructions between houses and the transmitter? Thanks in advance!
The main issue is figuring out the spacing between houses. If the gap isn’t too big, you can just dig a trench and link them together. For 15 people, 500 mb should work, but even at 33 mb per second, it won’t be reliable unless the number of residents stays low. Streaming 4k Netflix for 10 people is already straining the connection.
And what about other commercial options? Are they permitted to support this kind of setup? It would be wise to confirm with your provider.
Is this permitted specifically? Many ISP contracts lack a very precise rule about one connection per address. It can be adjusted somewhat, but this isn’t something they’d approve. Once you understand the details, expect serious penalties, lawsuits, and possible bans. Also, the locations are quite distant—whether it’s rural or urban, there’s too much separation, making it easy to disrupt.
It's really tough to handle with so many factors at play. You could test a few options, but it won't be very reliable.