Ubiquiti airFiber 60 LR & XR — Buy in Lebanon
Ubiquiti airFiber 60 GHz Radios: ISP Backhaul Built for Lebanon
The 60 GHz band is the most practical unlicensed spectrum for high-capacity point-to-point backhaul in Lebanon. No OGERO or TRA licensing is required, there is zero interference with crowded 5 GHz links, and throughput reaches multi-gigabit levels. Ubiquiti's airFiber 60 lineup delivers two purpose-built radios for this band: the airFiber 60 LR for cost-effective gigabit links up to 12 km, and the airFiber 60 XR for extreme-range multi-gigabit links up to 15 km with 10G SFP+ connectivity.
HI-GAIN stocks both models at our Dora, Beirut warehouse. As Lebanon's authorized Ubiquiti distributor since 1990, we provide genuine hardware, local warranty, and alignment support for ISP and enterprise deployments across the country.
airFiber 60 LR: Full Specifications
The AF60-LR is a 60 GHz PtP radio with a 38 dBi integrated dish antenna. It operates across the 57-71 GHz band using 802.11ad Wave technology with channel widths of 2160 MHz or 1080 MHz.
- Maximum Throughput: 1.9 Gbps aggregate (approximately 950 Mbps full duplex)
- Range: Up to 12+ km (7.45 miles) with clear line-of-sight
- Antenna Gain: 38 dBi, vertical-linear polarization, integrated dish
- Network Interface: 1x Gigabit Ethernet RJ45
- Processor: Quad-Core ARM Cortex-A7
- Encryption: WPA2-PSK (AES)
- Latency: Sub-millisecond
- Management: Bluetooth radio for UISP mobile app configuration, integrated GPS for synchronization
- Powering: 24V Passive PoE (adapter included)
The AF60-LR is limited to a single GbE port, so actual usable throughput caps at 1 Gbps despite the radio's 1.9 Gbps aggregate capacity. For deployments needing more than 1 Gbps to the wire, the AF60-XR with its 10G SFP+ port removes this bottleneck.
airFiber 60 XR: Full Specifications
The AF60-XR is Ubiquiti's flagship 60 GHz radio, designed for extreme-range, multi-gigabit backhaul. It includes a built-in 5 GHz backup radio for automatic failover during rain fade events.
- Maximum Throughput: 5.4 Gbps aggregate (2.7 Gbps full duplex on 60 GHz) plus 800+ Mbps on 5 GHz backup
- Range: Up to 15+ km (9.3 miles) on 60 GHz
- Network Interfaces: 1x 10G SFP+ port, 1x Gigabit Ethernet RJ45
- Encryption: WPA2-PSK (AES)
- 5 GHz Backup Radio: Automatic failover during weather events, 800+ Mbps throughput
- Integrated GPS: Precise synchronization for multi-link deployments
- Enclosure Rating: IPX6, wind survivability up to 200 km/h (125 mph)
- Powering: 48V Passive PoE (GbE adapter included)
The 10G SFP+ port is the key differentiator. ISPs running the AF60-XR can deliver the full 2.7 Gbps duplex capacity to their core network without the GbE bottleneck that limits the LR model.
airFiber 60 LR vs 60 XR: Head-to-Head Comparison
| Specification | AF60-LR | AF60-XR |
|---|---|---|
| 60 GHz Throughput | 1.9 Gbps aggregate | 5.4 Gbps aggregate |
| Full Duplex Capacity | ~950 Mbps | 2.7 Gbps |
| Max Range | 12+ km | 15+ km |
| Antenna Gain | 38 dBi | High-gain integrated dish |
| Wired Interface | 1x GbE RJ45 | 1x 10G SFP+ + 1x GbE RJ45 |
| 5 GHz Backup Radio | No | Yes (800+ Mbps failover) |
| GPS Sync | Yes | Yes |
| Enclosure Rating | Outdoor-rated | IPX6, 200 km/h wind |
| Best Use Case | Sub-1 Gbps backhaul, 3-12 km links | Multi-Gbps backhaul, 5-15 km links |
Why 60 GHz for ISP Backhaul in Lebanon
No Licensing Required
The 57-71 GHz band is unlicensed worldwide, including in Lebanon. ISPs and WISPs can deploy 60 GHz PtP links without filing applications with the TRA (Telecommunications Regulatory Authority) or waiting months for approval. This makes the airFiber 60 series an immediate upgrade path for operators currently stuck on congested 5 GHz bands.
Zero Interference with 5 GHz
Lebanon's 5 GHz spectrum, particularly in dense urban areas like Beirut, Jounieh, and Tripoli, is heavily congested with hundreds of overlapping ISP and WISP links. The 60 GHz band sits in a completely separate frequency range and uses pencil-beam antennas with extremely narrow beamwidths. Two 60 GHz links installed on the same tower do not interfere with each other or with any existing 5 GHz infrastructure.
Rain Fade: The Lebanon Factor
The main limitation of 60 GHz is atmospheric attenuation, particularly from rain. Oxygen absorption adds roughly 15 dB/km of loss at 60 GHz. Rain increases attenuation further — heavy Mediterranean storms common between November and March along the Lebanese coast can add 8-10 dB of additional path loss per kilometer.
For the AF60-LR, this means that a link designed for 12 km in clear weather may degrade to reduced throughput during heavy rain. The practical engineering recommendation for Lebanese coastal deployments is to design AF60-LR links with a 20-30% range margin — a 9 km link will maintain full throughput through most winter storms.
The AF60-XR solves rain fade outright with its built-in 5 GHz backup radio. When 60 GHz signal degrades below a threshold, the link automatically fails over to the 5 GHz radio at 800+ Mbps. For backbone links where downtime is unacceptable, this dual-band failover is worth the price premium.
Compared to MikroTik 60 GHz Alternatives
MikroTik also competes in the 60 GHz space. The MikroTik Wireless Wire Cube Pro uses 802.11ay technology at 60 GHz to deliver up to 1 Gbps full duplex, with a 5 GHz failover radio built into the kit. It ships as a pre-paired set of two Cube 60Pro ac units ready for plug-and-play deployment.
| Feature | AF60-XR | Wireless Wire Cube Pro | Wave Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60 GHz Throughput | 5.4 Gbps aggregate | 1 Gbps full duplex | 5.4 Gbps aggregate |
| Max Range | 15+ km | ~1 km (60 GHz) / 2.4 km (5 GHz) | 15 km PtP / 8 km PtMP |
| 5 GHz Backup | Yes (800+ Mbps) | Yes (automatic failover) | Yes (800+ Mbps) |
| 10G SFP+ Port | Yes | No (GbE only) | Yes + 2x 2.5GbE |
| PtMP Capable | No (PtP only) | No (PtP only) | Yes (with Wave AP) |
| Sold As | Single unit (buy two for a link) | Pre-paired kit of two | Single unit (buy two for a link) |
The Wireless Wire Cube Pro is ideal for short building-to-building links under 1 km — connecting a company headquarters to a nearby warehouse, for example. Its pre-configured pairing means zero setup for non-technical installers. But it cannot match the airFiber 60 series on range or raw throughput.
The Ubiquiti Wave Pro shares the AF60-XR's 5.4 Gbps aggregate throughput and 15 km range but adds PtMP capability when paired with a Wave AP. ISPs building multi-subscriber 60 GHz access networks should evaluate the Wave Pro and Wave AP combination. For pure PtP backhaul, the AF60-XR and Wave Pro deliver equivalent performance — choose based on your existing UISP management ecosystem.
Deployment Recommendations for Lebanon
Coastal Beirut and Tripoli (High Rain Fade Risk)
Deploy the AF60-XR with 5 GHz backup for any link exceeding 3 km. Design 60 GHz links with 25% range margin. A 10 km coastal link should be engineered for 7.5 km worst-case rain fade budget.
Mount Lebanon and Bekaa Valley (Lower Rain, Longer Distances)
Inland deployments experience less rain intensity than coastal areas. The AF60-LR is viable for links up to 10 km in the Bekaa, where clear-air conditions persist for most of the year. Reserve the AF60-XR for backbone links where the 5 GHz failover provides additional reliability.
Urban Rooftop Links (Under 3 km)
For short intra-city links between buildings in Beirut, both models are overkill in range but offer the benefit of zero 5 GHz interference. The AF60-LR is the cost-effective choice for these deployments. Consider the Wireless Wire Cube Pro for links under 500 meters where 1 Gbps is sufficient.
For a broader view of equipment options for Lebanese WISPs, read our complete guide to WISP equipment in Lebanon. Browse the full Ubiquiti product catalog at HI-GAIN.
Where to Buy airFiber 60 in Lebanon
HI-GAIN is Lebanon's authorized Ubiquiti distributor. Both the AF60-LR and AF60-XR are stocked at our Dora, Beirut warehouse. We provide:
- Genuine Ubiquiti hardware with local warranty
- Link budget planning and alignment assistance for ISP deployments
- Bulk pricing for operators deploying multiple links
- Same-day pickup in Beirut or shipping across Lebanon
Contact HI-GAIN for current pricing on the airFiber 60 LR and XR. Check real-time stock and availability on our website, or call us at +961 3 337 666.