Point-to-Point Wireless Bridges in Central Texas
A point-to-point wireless bridge connects two buildings or sites by radio instead of a trench or a leased circuit. Engineer Austin, based in Georgetown, designs, installs and supports both licensed and unlicensed bridges for businesses, farms and ranches, cities and districts, RV parks and wireless ISPs. Every link starts with a spectrum analysis to find the cleanest frequencies and a path study to prove the link will hold, and a licensed Professional Engineer is accountable for the design.
From spectrum scan to a link you can rely on
- Site survey and line of sight. We visit both ends, choose mounting points, and check the path for buildings, terrain and trees, including the growth a summer adds to a tree line.
- Spectrum analysis. We scan the bands at both ends before choosing equipment, find congested channels and interference sources, and pick the frequency, channel width and polarization that will stay clean.
- Path and link-budget study. Distance, terrain profile, Fresnel-zone clearance, antenna gain, transmit power within legal limits and fade margin, worked out before anything is ordered, with the expected throughput and availability stated in writing.
- Unlicensed bridges. Links in the 5 GHz, 24 GHz and 60 GHz unlicensed bands: no license to wait for and quick to deploy, with frequencies chosen from the spectrum scan rather than left on automatic.
- Licensed microwave. FCC Part 101 links in whichever licensed band the path calls for, such as 6, 11, 18 and 23 GHz, with frequency coordination and the FCC license application handled entirely for you, so the channel is yours and protected from interference.
- Mounts and structures. Wall, roof, non-penetrating and pole mounts, masts, and private towers where the path needs more height.
- Installation and alignment. Radios aligned to the signal levels the link budget predicts, throughput tested in both directions, and the results recorded before the link is called finished.
- Grounding and surge protection. Each end bonded to ground, shielded cabling, and surge protection where the cable enters the building.
- Security and network integration. Encryption on the link, radio management kept off the internet and on its own network segment, current firmware, and your VLANs carried across the bridge as designed.
- Redundancy and support. A second path or cellular failover for links that cannot go down, and monitoring of signal and capacity from our own management server under a support agreement, so a fading link is found before it fails.
Typical uses: a shop, warehouse or second office across a road or parking lot; a barn, house or equipment yard on a ranch; a water plant, well site, park or public-works yard linked back to city hall; backhaul for an RV park or campground; and backhaul links for wireless ISPs.
Mounted to suit the building
Choosing the right kind of link
Both kinds of link work well when they are designed for the path. The spectrum scan and the link budget decide which one your site needs, and we explain the choice in writing.
| Link type | Best suited to | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|
| Unlicensed 5 GHz | Short to medium links, including paths with a little clutter near the ends | Shared spectrum, so channel choice from a spectrum scan matters; capacity is lower than the higher bands |
| Unlicensed 24 GHz and 60 GHz | Short, high-capacity hops between buildings | Shorter reach and more affected by heavy rain; 60 GHz uses very narrow beams, so outside interference is rare |
| Licensed microwave (FCC Part 101) | Critical links, longer paths and busy radio environments | Frequency coordination and an FCC license add lead time and cost, in return for an interference-protected channel |
Survey, design, install, document
Survey and spectrum scan
We walk both ends, confirm line of sight, choose the mounting points and scan the spectrum at each end. You get the scan results and a plain recommendation: licensed or unlicensed, which band and which mounts.
Design and licensing
Path profile, link budget, frequency plan, mount and grounding details, and a fixed-fee quotation. For licensed links we start frequency coordination and the FCC filing. Nothing is ordered before your written approval.
Install, align and test
Radios configured and tested at our office before they go up, then mounted, grounded, aligned and throughput-tested on site. Measured signal levels are checked against the design, and any gap is explained.
Document and support
You receive the as-built record and test results. Under a support agreement we monitor each link, keep its firmware current and re-scan the spectrum if performance drops.
A written record for every link
- Spectrum scan results for both ends, with the frequencies chosen and why.
- Path profile and link-budget report with the expected throughput and fade margin.
- Frequency plan, plus the coordination and FCC license records for licensed links.
- Mount locations, grounding details and photographs.
- Alignment, signal-level and throughput test results at handover.
- Radio configuration backups and a network diagram showing the link.
How AI speeds this up for you
Spectrum scan exports and link-budget calculations are cross-checked with AI assistance in our approval-gated tooling, and the design document is drafted the same way, so you see a reviewed plan sooner and every assumption is written down. A person checks every number before it reaches you, and no client secret is ever pasted into a public AI tool. How we use AI.
Kept current. Radio platforms and spectrum rules keep changing. The FCC opened the 6 GHz band to unlicensed use in 2020, with outdoor use tied to automated frequency coordination, and each radio generation moves more capacity through the same channel. We test new platforms before we install them for clients, and we tell you at review time when a change would improve an existing link.
Links designed by calculation, not by guesswork
Many wireless bridges are installed by pointing two radios at each other and leaving the channel on automatic. They work on a clear day and fail in a storm or when a neighbor's radio comes on the air.
We design each link on engineering principles under a licensed engineering firm: the spectrum is measured, the path and fade margin are calculated, the expected performance is written down before installation, and the measured result is compared against it at handover. Engineer Austin is Texas Registered Engineering Firm F‑15739; our team does the work to house standards set by our licensed Professional Engineer.
Who this is for
Businesses linking a second building, shop or yard; farms and ranches; cities, counties and special districts linking remote facilities; RV parks and campgrounds; and wireless ISPs that need backhaul. Bridges are often scoped together with our network engineering, tower services and site-wide Wi-Fi and fiber work, and they carry the temporary backhaul on our event networks.
Wireless bridges, answered plainly
Do we need a licensed or an unlicensed link?
It depends on how critical the link is, how far it runs and how busy the spectrum is at your site. Unlicensed links are quicker and cost less, and they work well where the spectrum scan finds clean channels. Licensed microwave costs more and takes longer to set up, but the channel is coordinated and protected, which suits links that cannot go down or paths through crowded spectrum. We recommend one in writing after the survey.
What is spectrum analysis, and why does it matter?
A spectrum analysis measures which frequencies are already in use at each end of the link and how strong the other signals are. Unlicensed bands are shared, so a channel that looks fine on paper can be crowded by neighboring radios. Scanning first lets us choose frequencies and channel widths that will stay clean, and scanning again later explains a link that has slowed down.
How far can a wireless bridge reach?
Range depends on the band, the antennas, the line of sight and the reliability you need. Short hops between buildings suit 60 GHz, unlicensed 5 GHz links commonly cover several miles with a clear path, and licensed microwave in the lower bands can cover longer distances. The link budget gives the real answer for your path before anything is ordered.
How fast will the link be?
Modern radios range from a few hundred megabits to several gigabits per second, depending on the band, channel width and distance. The design states the expected throughput, and we measure it in both directions at handover so you know what the link actually carries.
What if there is no clear line of sight?
There are usually options. We can raise one or both ends on a mast or tower, relay the link through an intermediate building or pole, or, on short paths, use a 5 GHz link that tolerates some obstruction near the ends. If none of those will give a reliable link, we say so and suggest fiber or another circuit instead.
Will rain or storms affect the link?
Heavy rain weakens signals in the higher bands, so links in those bands are designed with enough fade margin for Central Texas downpours and kept to distances where that margin holds. Lower-band links are barely affected by rain. Every link is grounded and surge-protected, and mounts are chosen to stay aligned in high wind.
How long does a link take to install?
An unlicensed link can often be installed soon after the survey and approval, depending on equipment lead times. A licensed link adds frequency coordination and FCC licensing, and how long that takes depends on the licensing backlog at the time, often several weeks. We handle the whole process for you, and the quotation gives you the schedule for your link.
Is a wireless bridge secure?
Yes, when it is set up properly. The link is encrypted, radio management is kept off the internet and on its own network segment, default credentials are replaced before the radios leave our office, and firmware is kept current. Your network segments are carried across the bridge exactly as designed, so a guest or device network never mixes with your business traffic.
Start with a written assessment.
Tell us what you have and what is not working. Someone from our team, not a salesperson, replies within one business day by email or phone, and brings in our engineer when your request needs one. The assessment report is yours to keep whether or not you buy anything.