Hello,

I'm fairly new to RouterBoard products and was hoping to get some advice regarding the BaseBox5 and Netbox5 devices.

The wisp I work for provides WiFi to about 50 clients in a particular area, the furthest being about 6km. (5GHz frequency, 20Mhz channel width)
All the clients use MikroTik SXTs for the CPE units (all 802.11n), however, the APs are not using MikroTik hardware - they use Ubnt Rockets with 120 degree sector antennas.

We are in the process of relocating the APs to a location that is higher with better LOS to the area, which will also allow us to broadcast to previously "hidden" customers as well.
During the move, we want to change the AP radios to MikroTik so we have like for like hardware and so we can also make use of Nv2. (We'll keep the ubnt sector antennas)

My question is which should I choose for the AP between the Basebox5 and Netbox5, considering all the current CPE units are not ac devices?
I would prefer to get the Netbox for the better cpu, memory and later tech and then it also gives us the ability to use ac in future.
However, I have read numerous posts in the forums that say the ac devices seem to perform worse than n devices wrt PtMP and Nv2.
I have also read that a lot of the tools and functionality in routeros is not available for ac devices. (e.g. spectral scan)
I don't want to use a later model device / tech if its going to negatively affect the performance and/or signal quality of the network.

So would the Netbox still be a better choice over the Basebox for my network? (The APs will be configured in AP-Bridge mode)
Does anybody have any real-world experience in upgrading from Basebox to Netbox for PtMP networks?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Anyone got any advice please?

From what I've read, netmetals are superb for PTMP and NV2. But haven't tried myself yet.

In your situation however, as you're changing your infrastructure I'd use BaseBox, i.e. a well-known performer to try to minimize downtime and unexpected issues; in a soon to come future you can try netmetal or netbox, by that time they will probably be more polished.

Thanks pukkita, appreciate the advice. Just one more question - do you know if there is any difference in terms of the number of client devices that can connect to the AP between the Basebox and Netbox? (i.e. would one be able to handle more clients than the other?)

Maximum number of stations depend on more factors than just hardware; if all stations are within reasonable distances and CCQ, basebox can handle 50, netmetal being more powerful would be able to cope with 70 maybe more. It also depends on speed plans, etc.

However is it usually wiser to add an additional radio/sector and "split" stations between two radios/sectors than to add a bigger radio. That way you spread load and add availability.