Ubiquiti PowerBeam 5AC 500: OpenWrt Compatibility Report
The Ubiquiti PowerBeam 5AC 500 runs OpenWrt 25.12.0 on the ath79/generic target, and has been supported since 21.02.0. Its WiFi 5 (AC) wireless on the ath10k-ct driver rates good for open-source driver support (0.75/1.0), installation is rated moderate, and it is still sold new.
Hardware data and retail listings last checked .
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Specifications
| SoC | Qualcomm Atheros QCA9558 |
|---|---|
| CPU | 1 core @ 720 MHz |
| RAM | 128 MB |
| Flash | 16 MB |
| Ethernet ports | 1 |
| WiFi generation | WiFi 5 (AC) |
| Radios | 5GHz: a/n/ac |
| WLAN hardware | Qualcomm Atheros QCA988X |
| WLAN driver | ath10k-ct |
| OpenWrt target | ath79 / generic |
| Package architecture | mips_24kc |
| Current release | 25.12.0 |
| Supported since | 21.02.0 |
| Install method | see devicepage, see git-commit |
| Install difficulty | moderate |
| Power supply | PoE 24 VDC, 0.5 A |
| Device type | Access point |
| Estimated throughput | 90 Mbps |
| Availability | available |
Installing OpenWrt on the PowerBeam 5AC 500
Installation on this device is rated moderate. Expect to use a recovery mode, TFTP or a vendor tool rather than a plain web upload. Documented methods: see devicepage, see git-commit.
See XC-type board under the "Common Procedures for Ubiquiti Products" wiki page
Official OpenWrt device page for the PowerBeam 5AC 500
Flashing third-party firmware can brick a router and usually voids the warranty. Always check that the firmware image matches your exact hardware version.
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