Fluidmesh Ponte Claims 'Wireless Links In No Time"

Avatar
Ethan Ace
•Published Dec 08, 2014 05:00 AM

"Wireless links in no time" claims Fluidmesh with their new FM Ponte point-to-point, with pre-configuration and technical support their big differentiators. But are these claims enough to divert integrators from favorite lines such as low cost leader Ubiquiti? In this note we take a look at the FM Ponte, cost and support claims, and potential impact.

Ponte ********

************ ******* ******** *** ***** ******* ****** point-to-point ***** **** ******* ************* ********. It ** ***** ** ***** ************ ********, ****** **********, **** ***** *** differences:

  • ***-********** ****: ****** *** ***-********* *** *** ** the **** *******, ********* **** ******** and ****** ** ******** *** ****. 
  • *****-**-***** ****: ***** *** ** **** **** ** point-to-point *****, ****** *** **** *** other ********* ******, ***** *** ** used ** ***, *****-**-**********, *** **** configurations. 
  • *.*-*.* *** ****:***** *** **** *** ** **** in ******** *********** **** *.*-* ***, Ponte ** ******* **** ** *** 4.9-5.9 *** ****.
  • ** **** **********: ***** ** ********** *** ** **** throughput *** ** *** ***. **** and ***** ********* ****** *** ******** for ******** ********** ******, **** * Mbps ** ***.
  • ************ **** ******:***** ****** *** ********** **** **** each ***** *** *** *** ** used **** ****, ****, ** ***** Fluidmesh ********, *** **** ***** *************' radios.

*** ***** *** ** ********** **° panel ******* *** * ********* ***** up ** * *****. ** ******** antennas *** ** ****. ***** ** via ******* ***, **-*****, **** ** standard ***.*** *******.

*******

**** ** *** ***** ** $*,*** per ****, ********* **** *******, *******, CSC, *** ***. **** ** ******** higher than *** **** **** ** * pair ** **** ****** ($*** **** each, $**** *****). *******, ******** *** 60 **** ********** *** *** **** (no ** **** ******* ** *********) sell *** $*,*** ****, ****** *** Volo **** **** ***** ***** *** cost ** ***** ($*,*** **** *** pair). 

Competitive **********

***** *** ****** ******, ****** *****-**-***** deployments, *** **** ****** *********** ** Ponte *** *** **** ******** ******** such **********. ******** ** ********'* ******* **** factor ********** ******* *****, ************** ** (~$** ****, $*** *** ****), ***** is ****** ** *** *****. *******, there *** *** *************** ********* ****** over ******** **** ** *** ***********:

********* *******

*** ****** *** **************, ********* ** Fluidmesh, ** ***** ******* *********. ********* *********** receive ********* ***** *** ***** ********* support ** ** ********** ****. ** contrast, ******** ******* ** ** ***** or ****** ***** ****, **** ******* phone *******. **** *** ** ********** important ** ************ *** ***** ** intended ***, ** *********** ******* *** low **** *** ***** *** **** limited ** ** ******** *********.

**** *****

********* ****** ********* ***** ********, *******, ******** ***** ******* (below *** *******) *** ************ ********* quality ** ******* ******** ** ******* 802.11 ***** ****** **** ** ********. Algorithms *** ********* ** ****** ****** retransmission *** ******** ***** ** ************ specific ***** **** ** *-****** *** P-frames, *** *******, ***. 

******** *********/****** ***** 

*** *****'* **°/***** ***** ******* ** narrower *** ****** **** **** *** NanoStation (**°/*****) ********* ****** ***** *** ****** link *******. *******, *********** ***** *** ******** models **** ** ************* ******** ******** *** ******** *********.

Market *********

*** ********* ***** *** ** ********** to **** *********** **** ******* ******** experience *** *** **** ***** ******** with ******* ******* (**** ** ********) intimidating. *******, *********'* *******, *********** ******** rep ***** *** ************, ***** ** more ****** ** ** ********* ** these *********** ** **** ** ************ projects, ** **** ***** ******** ***** do *** **** **** **************.

*******, ***** **** ******** ********** ******* the ****** **** *** **** ******** will ****** **** ***** ******* **** **** effective, **** ** ******** ** ********, despite ***** ******** **** ** *******.

Comments (10)
UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #1
•Dec 08, 2014

That pay extra for more bandwidth just kills me. And that cost, with limitations, just is not attractive enough to justify switching unless they could show something on paper that gave compelling reasons why it would be worth a look. Something like higher sustained throughput where maybe the other peaks high but only has half the sustained throughput, or it can reliably handle 20 seperate camera streams versus ony 10 of the other brand, or something like that.

As far as tech support goes, after being long time users of Ubiquiti, we've finally gotten tired of what seems to be downward quality control issues over the past couple years and limited support options and am now using Deliberant, which has phone support and is about that same price. We just started using them, so don't know how they will work out long term, but the point is we did not immediately go for a $500 product as a replacement.

(2)
JH
John Honovich
•Dec 08, 2014
IPVM
In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #1

A, to clarify, the new Ponte product is not bandwidth licensed.

Thanks for mentioning Deliberant. We will take a look at them.

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #1
•Dec 08, 2014
In reply to John Honovich

Thanks for the clarification on bandwidth. So Ponte is "capped" then at 50mbps...?

Avatar
Ethan Ace
•Dec 08, 2014
In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #1

Correct, the link is configured for 50 Mbps out of the box, with no option for faster speeds.

AA
Andres Agredo
•Dec 08, 2014
IPVMU Certified

Don't forget new Ubiquiti NanoBeam 16 (25°/16dBi)(5Ghz) at $69 each,

or the NanoBeam 19 (25°/19dBi)(5Ghz) at $87 each.

The NanoBeams replace the NanoStations models.

JA
Jorge Arriaga
•Dec 09, 2014

I am custom to use nanostation, rocket m5 , nanobeam for internet purposes and wireless CCTV deployments. No way I would buy this pair of stations at that price. Ubiquiti is so simple and powerful and it cost 7x less.

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #2
•Dec 09, 2014

I've installed Fluidmesh of all flavors for the last 3 years or so. While their products are dramatically more expensive, I can attest to their tech support. That's our biggest selling point to our customers.

Georgi and his guys at Fluidmesh will do everything in their power to get your system up and running.

(2)
AS
Andrew Somerville
•Dec 11, 2014

Is a few ms less latency important in a one hop scenario given the much greater latency inherently generated by H.264?

Admittedly Ubiquiti support sucks, but we know the product well and sell integrators preconfigured point to point links with free phone support for an extra $60 charge to avoid that issue.

JH
John Honovich
•Dec 11, 2014
IPVM
In reply to Andrew Somerville

"free phone support for an extra $60 charge"

Andrew, can you elaborate? Do you as the distributor charge that or? And is that one call or what if someone calls 4 times, etc.? I assume that's $60 per device or $60 per year?

AS
Andrew Somerville
•Dec 11, 2014

We charge it as a distributor as a one off cost per link (2 devices). We preconfigure the units and then the integrator can call as often as they need to (which is rare after the initial installation because they were set up correctly on current firmware from the start).

Note we are based in UK.