A point-to-point wireless Ethernet bridge connects two network locations through a pair of radios. A useful design specifies the path, traffic, Ethernet behavior and recovery requirements before selecting equipment. Verify the complete connection with the applications that will use it.
This guide helps property owners and network planners prepare an installation brief. It assumes permission to use both endpoints and access to their network administrators. Mounting, electrical protection and outdoor work need an installer following the exact equipment instructions and applicable local requirements.
Draw both ends of the connection
Show the main router or switch, the first radio, the wireless path, the second radio and the remote switch or device. Identify which side provides internet access, address assignment and routing. A bridge typically extends a Layer 2 network path; determine the actual forwarding modes supported by your radio pair.
Decide whether the remote building shares an existing network or requires a separate routed segment. Record VLAN tags, management addresses, multicast needs and any loop-prevention requirements. A second cable or radio path can introduce a network loop unless the topology has an appropriate design.
The bridge supplies backhaul. Indoor phones and laptops may still need an access point in the remote building. For a site with several wireless hops, see Outdoor Mesh Networks.
Check the physical path before buying radios
Establish the endpoints' distance and proposed antenna heights. Inspect from both ends for buildings, foliage, terrain and future obstructions. A map tool can help model a path; confirm which obstacles its data actually includes.
Ubiquiti's backhaul-planning guidance explains that terrain models can omit buildings and trees and that path clearance includes the Fresnel zone around the direct sightline. The required clearance and predicted link performance depend on frequency and geometry. Ask for the path profile and its assumptions, then verify them on site.
Have the installer document the exact radio model, permitted country configuration, antenna, channel and power arrangement. Channel choices and installation requirements vary by country and equipment authorization. Keep required protections enabled and use the manufacturer's current local installation guidance.
Specify capacity and Ethernet compatibility
Scroll the table horizontally; keyboard users can focus it and use the arrow keys.
| Requirement | What to record | Acceptance evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Traffic | Concurrent application demand in each direction and its peak periods | Representative simultaneous task tests, including latency-sensitive work |
| Ethernet | Port speed, VLAN support, MTU and multicast requirements | Expected tags, addresses and application traffic traverse the link |
| Power | Exact PoE or power supply at each end and backup requirements | Correct power negotiation or specified supply; observed recovery after a planned interruption |
| Management | Supported secure management path, accounts and update ownership | Authorized access works; ordinary remote users cannot administer the radios |
| Environment | Mounting, temperature, exposure and cable-entry requirements | Installer's documented conformity to the selected equipment instructions |
Distinguish the radio's advertised link rate from useful application throughput. Check how a vendor states capacity: one direction, both directions added together, or a laboratory maximum. Include the wired ports and test endpoints when diagnosing an unexpectedly low result.
Do not assume every device marked PoE uses the same voltage or negotiation. Match the radio's power specification to its injector or switch; the access-point and PoE guide explains the selection questions.
Example: build a traffic brief
Choose an allowance that reflects the actual workload and growth plan. Measure whether a busy bulk transfer harms calls or control interfaces; acceptable average throughput can coexist with unacceptable delays.
Bench-test, install and accept
- On an approved bench network, configure both radios, management access and the intended Ethernet mode. Verify VLAN and addressing behavior with the actual switch design.
- Have the installer complete the approved path and mounting plan, align the radios and record the resulting link statistics.
- Test each application in both needed directions, then run the representative concurrent workload. Record duration, useful throughput, delay, errors and task success.
- During an approved maintenance window, test loss and restoration of one endpoint's power or upstream connection. Record recovery time and whether applications reconnect automatically.
- Retain configuration backups, path assumptions, installation evidence and the final test record. Assign an owner to inspect degradation after environmental or site changes.
Use the editable bridge acceptance record. If the wired bench test works but the installed path fails, investigate alignment, obstructions and radio conditions. If the bench test fails, resolve addressing, filtering, VLAN or endpoint issues before blaming the wireless path.