Ubiquiti PBE-5AC-Gen2 operation manual

5 GHz High‑Performance
airMAX® ac Bridge

Model: PBE‑5AC‑Gen2

Introduction

Thank you for purchasing the Ubiquiti Networks®

PowerBeam®AC Gen 2. This Quick Start Guide is designed to

guide you through installation and includes warranty terms.

Package Contents

Dish Reflector Antenna Feed Rear Housing Adjustment

Bracket

Mounting

Bracket

Flange Nuts

(Qty. 2)

TERMS OF USE: Ubiquiti radio devices must be professionally installed. Shielded Ethernet
cable and earth grounding must be used as conditions of product warranty. TOUGHCable™ is
designed for outdoor installations. It is the customer’s responsibility to follow local country
regulations, including operation within legal frequency channels, output power, and Dynamic
Frequency Selection (DFS) requirements.

Hex Bolts with

Washers (Qty. 4)

Gigabit PoE

(24V, 0.5A) with

Mounting Bracket

Pole

Clamp

Power Cord Quick Start

Long Carriage

Bolts (Qty. 2)

5 GHz High‑Performance

®

ac Bridge

airMAX

Model: PBE‑5AC‑Gen2

Guide

Hardware Overview

Bottom View

Antenna Feed

Technology

Ethernet Port

Reset Button

Release Button

Dish Reflector

Adjustment Bracket

Carrying Handle/
Lifting Loop

Alignment Pins

Rear Housing

Release Button Slot

Cable Door

Reset Button To reset to factory defaults, press and hold the

Reset button for more than 10 seconds while the PowerBeam
is already poweredon. Alternatively, the PowerBeam may be
reset remotely via a Reset button located on the bottom of the
Gigabit PoE Adapter.

Release Button After you assemble the PowerBeam, check

the Release button; it should be fully engaged in the Release
Button Slot of the Rear Housing. This ensures that the Antenna
Feed is locked into place. If you need to remove the Antenna
Feed, you must depress the Release button first.

LEDs

Power The Power LED will light blue when the

device is connected to a power source.

Ethernet The Ethernet LED will light steady blue

when an active Ethernet connection is made and
flash when there is activity.

Signal In airOS®, you can modify the threshold

value for the wireless signal strength LEDs on the

Wireless tab under Signal LED Thresholds. Each LED
will light when the wireless signal strength is equal

to or greater than the LED’s threshold value. The
default threshold values for these LEDs are shown
below:

-73 dBm

-65 dBm

-80 dBm -94 dBm

Application Examples

The PowerBeam mounted outdoors with the Dish Reflector

installed provides directional outdoor coverage (gain is
reflector‑dependent).

The PowerBeam mounted outdoors without the Dish Reflector

installed provides outdoor‑to‑indoor coverage using the 3 dBi
Antenna Feed only.

Installation Requirements

• 13 mm wrench

• Shielded Category 5 (or above) cabling should be used for

all wired Ethernet connections and should be grounded
through the AC ground of the PoE.

We recommend that you protect your networks from

harmful outdoor environments and destructive ESD events
with industrial‑grade, shielded Ethernet cable from Ubiquiti
Networks. For more details, visit www.ubnt.com/toughcable

Installation

1. Align and insert the tabs of the Adjustment Bracket into the
slots of the Dish Reflector. Rotate the Adjustment Bracket
counterclockwise until the alignment holes in the dish and

bracket align with each other.

2. Line up the Alignment Pins of the Rear Housing with the

alignment holes of the Adjustment Bracket. Push the Rear
Housing into the Adjustment Bracket.

Note: In high‑wind environments, you can add support

with additional hardware (not included):

1. Using the four holes in the Adjustment Bracket as a
template, drill four holes into the Dish Reflector with a

4.4 mm or 11/64" drill bit.

2. Secure the Dish Reflector to the Adjustment Bracket
using M4 screws, washers, and nuts (not included).

3. View the Dish Reflector from the front. Ensure that the
three hooks (indicated below) of the Rear Housing are

fully engaged with the inner wall of the Dish Reflector and

locked into place.

IMPORTANT: Before proceeding, lightly pull the Rear

Housing to confirm that it is locked into place.

4. Push in the sides of the Cable Door and detach it from the
Rear Housing.

*640-00272-04*

640-00272-04

5. Attach the Antenna Feed.
a. Insert the Antenna Feed into the Rear Housing, and push

until it locks into place with a click.

b. Lightly pull the Antenna Feed to ensure that it is locked

into place and the Release Button is fully engaged.

Release
Button

Bottom View

6. Connect an Ethernet cable to the Ethernet Port of the
Antenna Feed. Then re‑attach the Cable Door to the

RearHousing.