Looking for best practices and feedback on whether to use fiber or radio ("air fiber") in a certain situation …
=== BACKGROUND ===
— Project involves providing Internet access to several hundred endpoints in a residential/campus type of setting (approx 50 acres)
— Endpoints will have a WiFi hot spot, VOIP phone, and TV
— Typical bandwidth requirement at each endpoint is 5-10 Mbps
— For TV, amenable to a pure OTT video solution (e.g., video over TCP/IP HLS) versus multicast
— Have proposals from several providers to use a Gigabit Ethernet solution with a star topology connected via single mode fiber (runs up to 1/4 mile or more)
— But have also seen solutions using point-to-point radio instead of fiber at a fraction of the price of fiber proposal (e.g., Ubiquiti airFiber)
=== QUESTION ===
When/is point-to-point radio a viable alternative to fiber distribution in a case like this? What are the considerations and trade offs in terms of performance, quality of service, robustness, and long term value?
Thanks for any feedback!
Best Answer
In general, point-to-point wireless is a "last resort" solution -- either due to cost or lack of access to infrastructure (eg. right of way.) Over longer distances, it can be harder to setup (eg. aim.) And it will suffer from environmental factors (heat, rain, snow, birds, squirrels, etc.) The equipment will be rather expensive, but installation costs will be low. (nailing a dish to the side of a building isn't labor intensive)
Fiber (single-mode) is a much more robust, and future-proof, solution. Bandwidth is only limited by what you attach to it. Fiber is fairly cheap, and plentiful these days. The main expense is in installation -- conduits, trenching, etc. But once done, fiber will last decades, and you'll have conduits to quickly add more when needed.