UniFi – UAP Antenna Radiation Patterns

Use this article to compare the different antenna radiation patterns of our UniFi Access Points. For an explanation on how to read antenna radiation patterns see UniFi – Introduction to Antenna Radiation Patterns.

About Radiation Patterns

Radiation patterns can be used to better understand how each Ubiquiti UniFi access point model broadcasts wireless signal. These patterns are what antenna engineers call reciprocal—in that the transmit-power (the capability of the AP to ‘speak’) will be highest at the peaks, and so will the receive-sensitivity (the capability of the AP to ‘hear’).

Please note that these radiation patterns are gathered in a fully anechoic environment. Their shape, peak gain/directivity and efficiency will change in installed environments. Every deployment will behave differently due to interference, materials, geometries of structures, and how these materials behave at 2.4GHz and 5GHz.

With that in mind, use these radiation plots as a “general guide” to identify where most of the energy (and receive sensitivity) of the UniFi APs is being directed; but keep present that the ultimate way to know how successful the coverage design is—is to measure it. Measure signal strength and coverage before (with mock positioning), during (as you install), and after to guarantee that you have the coverage you want—and don’t have the coverage you don’t want (for example with self-interference: APs hearing each other or other AP stations on the same channel).

Radiation Plot Format

Radius represents ‘elevation’, with 0° representing antenna gain straight under the AP, and 90° representing antenna gain at horizon. The degrees on the circumference represent ‘Azimuth’. That is to say, left/right/front/back of the AP, when mounted overhead.

Comparison Table

Use this table to compare the radiation patterns of each UAP. The first column shows where the respective colored dots found in each radiation plot is placed in the actual devices. Note that colored dots in the plots might be in the outer perimeter or closer to center.

Note: Varying scales are represented in the graphs below. Consider each graph individually and take note of scale when comparing products.

Directional color dots on device5GHz LowFrequency5GHz MidFrequency5GHz HighFrequency2.4GHzFrequency
UniFi6_dots.pngU6-Lite plot.U6-Lite.5.15GHz.pngplot.U6-Lite.5.50GHz.pngplot.U6-Lite.5.85GHz.pngplot.U6-Lite.2.45GHz.png
UniFi6_dots.pngU6-Proplot.U6-Pro.5.15GHz.pngplot.U6-Pro.5.50GHz.pngplot.U6-Pro.5.85GHz.pngplot.U6-Pro.2.45GHz.png
UniFi6_dots.pngU6-LRplot.U6-LR-_5.20GHz.png(5.20GHz)plot.U6-LR_-_5.50GHz.pngplot.U6-LR_-_5.80GHz.png(5.80GHz)plot.U6-LR-2.45GHz.png
U6-Mesh_dots.pngU6-Meshplot.U6-Mesh.5.20GHz.png(5.20GHz)plot.U6-Mesh.5.50GHz.pngplot.U6-Mesh.5.80GHz.png(5.80GHz)plot.U6-Mesh.2.45GHz.png
UDM_dots.pngUDMUDM_5.15GHz.png UDM_5.50GHz.png UDM_5.85GHz.png UDM_2.45GHz.png 
UWB-XGUWB-XG High 5.2GHz.png(High Gain)UWB-XG High 5.5GHz.png(High Gain)UWB-XG_High_5.8GHz.png(High Gain)The UWB-XG models do not operate on the 2.4GHz band.
UAP-FlexHD_dots.pngUAP-FlexHDFlexHD_5.15GHz.png FlexHD_5.50GHz.png FlexHD_5.85GHz.png FlexHD_2.45GHz.png 
UAP-IW-HDplot.UAP-AC-IW-HD_-_Summary_Plot_-_5.15GHz.png plot.UAP-AC-IW-HD_-_Summary_Plot_-_5.50GHz.pngplot.UAP-AC-IW-HD_-_Summary_Plot_-_5.85GHz.png plot.UAP-AC-IW-HD_-_Summary_Plot_-_2.45GHz.png
UAP-BeaconHD_dots.pngUAP-BeaconHDBeaconHD_5.15GHz.pngBeaconHD_5.5GHz.pngBeaconHD_5.85GHz.pngBeaconHD_2.45GHz.png
UAP-nanoHDplot.UAP-nanoHD.5.15GHz.pngplot.UAP-nanoHD.5.50GHz.pngplot.UAP-nanoHD.5.85GHz.pngplot.UAP-nanoHD.2.45GHz.png
UAP-HDUAP-AC-HD_5.20GHz.jpgUAP-AC-HD_5.50GHz.jpgUAP-AC-HD_5.80GHz.jpgUAP-HD_2.45GHz.png
UAP-XGUAP-XG 5.2GHz.pngUAP-XG 5.5GHz.pngUAP-XG_5.8GHz.pngUAP-XG_2.45GHz.png
UAP-SHDUAP-AC-SHD_Overall_A-Polar_Realized_Amp__5.20GHzfinal.pngUAP-AC-SHD_Overall_A-Polar_Realized_Amp__5.50GHzfinal.pngUAP-AC-SHD_Overall_A-Polar_Realized_Amp__5.80GHzfinal.pngUAP-SHD_2.45GHz.png
UAP-AC-LRUAP-AC-LR_5.20GHz.jpgUAP-AC-LR_5.50GHz.jpgUAP-AC-LR_5.80GHz.jpgUAP-AC-LR_2.45GHz.png
UAP-AC-M-PROUAP-AC-M-PRO_5.20GHz.jpgUAP-AC-M-PRO_5.50GHz.jpgUAP-AC-M-PRO_5.80GHz.jpgUAP-AC-Mesh-Pro_2.45GHz.png
UAP-AC-M UAP-AC-M_5.20GHz.jpgUAP-AC-M_5.50GHz.jpgUAP-AC-M_5.80GHz.jpgUAP-AC-Mesh_2.45GHz.png
UAP-AC-IWUAP-AC-IW_5.20GHz.jpgUAP-AC-IW_5.50GHz.jpgUAP-AC-IW_5.80GHz.jpgUAP-AC-IW_2.45GHz.png
UAP-AC-LiteUAP-AC-Lite_5.20GHz.jpgUAP-AC-Lite_5.50GHz.jpgUAP-AC-Lite_5.80GHz.jpgUAP-AC-Lite_2.45GHz.png
UAP-AC-PROUAP-AC-PRO_5.20GHz.jpgUAP-AC-PRO_5.50GHz.jpgUAP-AC-PRO_5.80GHz.jpgUAP-AC-Pro_2.45GHz.png
UAP-AC-IW-PROUAP-AC-IN-WALL-PRO_Overalll_A-Polar_Realized_Amp__5.20GHzfinal.pngUAP-AC-IN-WALL-PRO_Overalll_A-Polar_Realized_Amp__5.50GHzfinal.pngUAP-AC-IN-WALL-PRO_Overalll_A-Polar_Realized_Amp__5.80GHzfinal.pngUAP-AC-IW-Pro_2.45GHz.png
UMA-DUMA-D_5.2GHz.pngUMA-D_5.5GHz.pngUMA-D_5.8GHz.pngUMA-D_2.45GHz.png

Model Summary Plots

This section includes a graphic summary for each UniFi Access point shown in the table above, portraying radiation plots for Azimuth, Elevation 0°, Elevation 90° and Mapped 3D.U6 Lite

plot.U6-Lite_-_Summary_Plot.png

U6 LR

plot.U6-LR_-_Summary_Plot.png

U6 Pro

plot.U6-Pro.Summary_Plot.png

U6 Mesh

plot.U6-Mesh.Summary_Plot.png

UWB-XG

High Gain

UWB-XG-High-Gain.png

Low Gain

UWB-XG-Low-Gain.png

UDM

UDM-Summary_Plot.png

UAP-IW-HD

plot.UAP-AC-IW-HD_-_Summary_Plot.png

UAP-FlexHD

UAP-BeaconHD

UAP-nanoHD

summary-plot.UAP-nanoHD.png

UAP-HD

UAP-AC-HD-Overall_-_Summary_Plotrev2.png

UAP-SHD

UAP-AC-SHD-Overall_-_Summary_Plot.png

UAP-AC-Lite

UAP-AC-Lite-Overall_-_Summary_Plotupdated.png

UAP-AC-LR

UAP-AC-LR-Overall_-_Summary_Plotrev2.png

UAP-AC-PRO

UAP-AC-Pro-Overall_-_Summary_Plot5ghz.png

UAP-AC-IW

UAP-AC-IN-WALL-Overall_-_Summary_Plot_-_5GHzrev.png

UAP-AC-IW-PRO

UAP-AC-IN-WALL-PROOverall_-_Summary_Plot_-_5GHzfinal.png

UAP-AC-M

UAP-AC-M_-_Summary_Plotrev3.png

Note: The antennas for the UAP-AC-M were angled at 45° to generate the plots as shown in the images above.UAP-AC-M-PRO

UAP-AC-M-PRO-Overall_-_Summary_Plot_-_5GHz2.png

UMA-D

UMA-D_All_-_Summary_Plotrev.png

UAP-XG

Antenna Files (.ant)

Please note the data in the .ant files below was extracted from full model simulations. Clicking on the links in the following table will prompt the immediate download of the .ant file.

UniFi Access Point ModelDownloadable Antenna Files (.ant)
UAP-AC-IW-Pro UAP-AC-IW-Pro.zip  
UAP-AC-IWUAP-AC-IW.zip
UAP-AC-LiteUAP-AC-Lite.zip 
UAP-AC-LRUAP-AC-LR.zip
UAP-AC-ProUAP-AC-Pro.zip
UAP-AC-MeshUAP-AC-Mesh.zip
UAP-AC-Mesh-ProUAP-AC-Mesh-Pro.zip
UAP-HDUAP-HD.zip
UAP-SHDUAP-SHD.zip
UAP-nanoHDUAP-nanoHD.zip
UAP-IW-HDUAP-IW-HD.zip
UAP-XGUAP-XG.zip
UWB-XGUWB-XG.zip
UMA-DUMA-D.zip
UDMUDM.zip
UAP-BeaconHDUAP-BeaconHD.zip
UAP-FlexHDUAP-FlexHD.zip

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