#AF5XHD
About #AF5XHD
The Ubiquiti airFiber 5XHD is a high-performance 5 GHz carrier radio engineered for long-range point-to-point wireless backhaul applications. Built with Ubiquiti’s LTU technology and custom LTU silicon, the airFiber 5XHD is designed to deliver exceptional throughput, low latency, improved spectral efficiency, and reliable performance in demanding wireless ISP and enterprise network environments. It is an ideal solution for service providers, WISPs, enterprises, municipalities, and network operators that need a powerful wireless bridge capable of delivering fiber-like performance where running physical fiber is impractical, expensive, or unavailable.
Designed specifically for the wireless broadband industry, the airFiber 5XHD moves beyond the limitations of traditional 802.11 Wi-Fi-based radios. Its custom LTU radio architecture enables greater performance, improved interference handling, advanced modulation, and superior long-distance capability. With real throughput of up to 1.34 Gbps and range capability of up to 100 km, the AF-5XHD is built for high-capacity backhaul links, tower-to-tower connectivity, rural broadband expansion, remote site connections, and mission-critical point-to-point deployments.
Operating in the 5 GHz frequency band, the airFiber 5XHD offers extensive channel flexibility with selectable channel widths from 10 MHz up to 100 MHz. This allows network operators to optimize each link based on available spectrum, interference conditions, distance, and required capacity. The radio also supports programmable uplink and downlink duty cycles, making it possible to fine-tune the link for asymmetric traffic patterns where one direction requires more capacity than the other.
The AF-5XHD is built for impressive spectral efficiency, supporting advanced modulation up to 4096QAM with compatible firmware. This allows the radio to push higher data rates across available spectrum while maintaining strong link performance. With up to 21.2 bps/Hz spectral efficiency and line-rate packet processing, the airFiber 5XHD is designed to maximize throughput in environments where spectrum is valuable and network demand is high.
For long-distance performance, the airFiber 5XHD includes Ubiquiti’s xtreme Range Technology, or xRT, which is designed to improve performance over extended wireless paths. When paired with compatible Ubiquiti airFiber X or RocketDish antennas, the radio becomes a complete 5 GHz point-to-point backhaul solution. It supports airFiber X antennas with gain options of 23 dBi, 30 dBi, and 34 dBi, as well as RocketDish antenna options with compatible conversion hardware. This antenna flexibility allows operators to design links for different distances, terrain conditions, link budgets, and performance goals.
The airFiber 5XHD is also built for environments where interference management is critical. It supports split TX and RX frequency operation, allowing the radio to transmit and receive on different frequencies. This is especially useful when interference is present on one side of a link but not the other. By allowing independent frequency selection, the AF-5XHD gives operators more control over challenging RF environments and helps maintain stable link performance.
Additional channel flexibility is provided through independent TX and RX bandwidth options, helping operators scale capacity more efficiently based on real network requirements. The radio also includes a Link Frequency Selector that helps identify cleaner frequencies, along with persistent spectrum analysis through airView. This built-in spectrum analysis allows operators to monitor environmental noise, view real-time RF data, evaluate interference, and make better channel-planning decisions without taking the link offline.
The airFiber 5XHD includes GPS synchronization for improved co-location performance. Precise GPS frame synchronization helps reduce interference between nearby radios and allows multiple links to operate more effectively on the same tower or site. This is especially important for WISPs and operators with limited tower space, where multiple radios may need to be installed in close proximity. GPS synchronization helps improve overall backhaul performance, reduce self-interference, and simplify dense tower deployments.
The AF-5XHD also supports configurable frame timing, including 2 ms, 2.5 ms, 4 ms, and 5 ms frame options. The 5 ms frame length is compatible with airMAX networks, helping operators integrate the radio into existing Ubiquiti network environments. This flexibility gives network designers more control when balancing latency, throughput, and synchronization requirements across different deployments.
Latency is another key advantage of the airFiber 5XHD. With latency as low as 1.5 ms to 3.5 ms based on a 2 ms frame, the radio is well suited for real-time and latency-sensitive applications such as VoIP, video surveillance backhaul, business connectivity, network transport, and high-performance internet access. Its low-latency design helps deliver a responsive user experience while maintaining high throughput across long-distance wireless links.
The AF-5XHD is designed for reliable outdoor use. It features weatherproof construction with IP67 protection when the included IP67 upgrade kit is installed, helping protect the radio from dust, water, and harsh outdoor conditions. With an operating temperature range of -40°C to 55°C, the airFiber 5XHD is suitable for demanding tower, rooftop, rural, and remote installations in both hot and cold climates.
Despite its powerful performance, the airFiber 5XHD has a compact and lightweight design. It measures 224 x 82 x 48 mm and weighs only 0.35 kg, making it easy to install and mount. The compact form factor is compatible with airFiber X mounts and RocketDish mounting solutions, allowing simple integration with compatible Ubiquiti antennas. Its low weight and small size make it practical for tower deployments where space and load are important considerations.
The radio includes two weatherproof RP-SMA RF connectors for CH0 and CH1, along with a weatherproof SMA connector for GPS. An external magnetic-base GPS antenna is included, helping support GPS synchronization and precise timing. The device is powered using passive Power over Ethernet and includes a 24V, 1A Gigabit PoE adapter. It supports a wide voltage range from 18V to 54V DC, depending on Ethernet cable length, and consumes only 6 to 12 watts depending on firmware load and operating mode.
For connectivity, the airFiber 5XHD includes dual Gigabit Ethernet ports: one data port and one management port. These ports can also provide redundant PoE power, improving reliability in professional deployments. The radio also includes Bluetooth v4.0 for wireless configuration, making setup and management easier during installation.
Management is handled through Ubiquiti’s airOS LTU software, which provides a modern interface with advanced configuration, monitoring, and optimization features. Operators can configure wireless settings, view performance data, monitor RF conditions, manage frequency options, and troubleshoot link issues. The AF-5XHD also supports the UNMS app, giving administrators convenient mobile access to setup, configuration, and management tools.
The built-in airView spectrum analyzer provides valuable insight into the RF environment. It constantly monitors environmental noise, collects real-time energy data, and displays spectral information through waveform, waterfall, and ambient noise views. Because airView runs in the background without disabling the wireless link, operators can analyze interference and optimize performance without interrupting service. This helps reduce the need for separate spectrum-analysis equipment and simplifies site surveys, troubleshooting, and ongoing maintenance.
The AF-5XHD includes Smart Assistant alerts that help identify common configuration or performance issues. These alerts can notify operators of missing GPS signal, Ethernet negotiation problems, unexpected signal levels, and other potential problems. The system also provides troubleshooting guidance, helping reduce maintenance time and improve link reliability.
The radio also includes AlignLock antenna aiming protection, which alerts the user if the radio or antenna alignment changes due to tampering, impact, or storm damage. This is valuable for long-distance links where small alignment changes can affect performance. By helping operators detect physical movement or misalignment, AlignLock supports more reliable long-term operation.
Security is built into the airFiber 5XHD with AES-256 encryption, helping protect wireless traffic across the point-to-point link. This makes the radio suitable for service provider, business, government, surveillance, and critical infrastructure applications where secure data transport is important.
The AF-5XHD is also designed to improve reliability through redundant firmware images for fail-safe configuration. Backup firmware images help protect against failed updates or configuration problems, improving uptime and reducing the risk of service interruption. Enhanced surge protection and a wide operating voltage range further support reliable operation in outdoor network environments.
The airFiber 5XHD is especially useful for wireless ISPs that need to expand coverage, increase backhaul capacity, connect remote towers, or provide high-speed service to areas where fiber is not available. It can be deployed for rural broadband networks, tower aggregation, enterprise private networks, campus connectivity, video surveillance transport, and high-capacity wireless infrastructure. Its combination of long range, high throughput, low latency, GPS sync, and advanced spectrum tools makes it a strong option for operators building scalable 5 GHz backhaul networks.
For operators dealing with crowded unlicensed spectrum, the airFiber 5XHD provides the tools needed to plan, optimize, and maintain stronger wireless links. Features such as split frequency operation, selectable channel widths, programmable duty cycles, GPS synchronization, airView spectrum analysis, clean power output, and high-order modulation help improve link performance and reduce the impact of interference.
Overall, the Ubiquiti airFiber 5XHD is a powerful 5 GHz point-to-point carrier radio built for high-capacity wireless backhaul. With LTU custom silicon, up to 1.34 Gbps throughput, up to 100 km range, low latency, 4096QAM support, flexible channel widths, GPS synchronization, AES-256 encryption, airOS LTU management, airView spectrum analysis, and rugged IP67-rated outdoor protection, it delivers a complete solution for professional long-range wireless networking. It is an excellent choice for operators who need scalable, reliable, and high-performance backhaul connectivity in demanding RF environments.
Products tagged #AF5XHD
#AF5XHD
1 product
Overview
The Ubiquiti airFiber 5XHD is a 5 GHz carrier-class point-to-point radio with LTU technology, delivering up to 1+ Gbps real throughput and long-range performance up to 100+ km. Designed for WISP backhaul, it offers low latency, GPS synchronization, advanced interference management, flexible channel widths up to 100 MHz, and rugged IP67 outdoor protection.
Features
- Frequency Range: 4.8-6.2 GHz
- Max Channel Width: 100 MHz
- Max Modulation Rate: 4096-QAM
- Data streams: 2 MIMO
- Max Throughput: 1.34 Gbps