This is a Ubiquiti Nanostation Loco M2 review for surveillance cameras.
I want you to have access to the best information before buying this product.
Be aware that at first, this radio is designed for standard data traffic, which means it's NOT the best option for critical applications that require 24/7 monitoring.
As a security camera engineer, I use to recommend other wireless radios that are specially designed for security camera systems. Still, I also understand that a lot of people have been using Ubiquiti radios for video surveillance for years and most of them are pretty happy with this solution.
Due to affordable prices, Ubiquiti radios are pretty popular in different countries. I think it worth a try for small surveillance projects.
So, let's test this device and see how good it is...
Ubiquiti NanoStation Loco M2 for CCTV
There are other outdoor radios for CCTV out there, so it's better to choose carefully which one is better for you. The Nanostation Loco M2 is a suitable choice if you are on a budget and want to have a wireless radio for a surveillance system.
Let's say you want to install an outdoor security camera on a building and transmit the video stream to a recorder or monitoring station over a long distance; you can use a pair of Ubiquiti radios to accomplish this task as shown in the picture below.
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As you can see, on the left side, there's an IP PoE camera connected to a PoE switch, which is connected to a Ubiquiti radio that is used as the transmitter.
The switch can power the camera via UTP cable using the PoE Standard, so it's not necessary to use extra cables or a bulky power supply.
On the right side, there's the Ubiquiti radio receiver connected to a switch that is connected to a monitoring station and an NVR (Network Video Recorder).
It's simple; you just need to use both radios in bridge mode, which means they transparently transmit the data back and forth between both locations.
The Ubiquiti NanoStation Loco M2 Kit
It's necessary to buy at least a pair of radios to have a sytem working properly.
I got a pair of Ubiquiti NanoStation Loco M2 from Amazon for less than $150.
Some sellers send the radio pre-configured, so you just need to install them, connect the UTP cables, and point to each other.(that was not my case).
Don't worry if you don't get a pre-configured pair, the setup is very easy.
What is in the box ?
The box brings the Ubiquiti radio, a cable tie wrap that is used to install the radio on a pole, a power cord, the power supply and a quick guide.
The power supply has two Ethernet ports; one of them is labeled PoE, which is used to power the radio via a UTP cable, and it's also used for data traffic. The LAN port is used to connect to the switch, router, or any other network device.
The UTP cables don't come in the box, and you need to buy for yourself.
There's an Ethernet port (LAN) and a reset button on the bottom of the radio.
You can use the bracket located in the back of the radio to mount it on a pole.
The Ubiquiti NanoStation wiring
Yes, the wiring is straightforward, just connect the UTP cable from the Radio LAN port to the power supply PoE port and the power supply LAN port to a switch.
It's very easy, isn't it?
The next step is connect the power cable to the power supply.
And it's done. time to turn the system on...
The Ubiquiti NanoStation Interface
You can use a computer or laptop to have access to the Radio's menu via a web browser. The Ubiquiti NanoStation Loco M2 default IP address is 192.168.1.20.
The default username/ password are ubnt/ubnt.
Make sure you have your computer's IP address in the same network range to have access to the radio for the initial setup, and then you can change it.
The picture below shows the radio web interface.
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After the first login a pop message shows up to alert you to change the password.
In the main tab, it's possible to see some information such as the CPU and memory usage, the Network mode (bridge), the SSID, Channel width, and signal strength.
Radio basic configuration
The Wireless tab allows you to choose the mode you want to operate.
If you want to keep it simple, choose the mode and don't touch any other configuration because, most of the time, you don't need to do that.
You can also enable the security and choose a password to connect to the radio.
(click to enlarge)
The network tab allows you to change the Network Mode and the IP Address.
(click to enlarge)
That's basically what you have to change without messing up with other configurations, so change the IP address according to your network configuration, chose the operation mode, and set the password on both radios.
Related articles
Here's a list of related articles that can help you.
Conclusion
I've connected the Ubiquiti NanoStation radios to my IP cameras to send a video stream to my computer/recorder, and it's working fine with a total of 4 cameras.
The total data traffic is about 20Mbps, which is OK for the radio to handle.
I hope this article can help you; please leave your comments and questions.
