802.11ah - Basics ========================== .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What is IEEE 802.11ah?** IEEE 802.11ah, also known as Wi-Fi HaLow, is a wireless networking standard designed for low-power, long-range communications in sub-1 GHz bands, targeting IoT applications. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **When was 802.11ah ratified?** 802.11ah was ratified by the IEEE in 2016 as an amendment to the 802.11 family, focusing on extended range and low power. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What frequency band does 802.11ah use?** It operates primarily in sub-1 GHz unlicensed frequency bands such as 900 MHz, providing better range and penetration than 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz bands. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What are the typical data rates supported by 802.11ah?** 802.11ah supports data rates ranging roughly from 0.15 Mbps up to 347 Mbps, depending on modulation, coding, and channel bandwidth. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What modulation techniques does 802.11ah use?** It uses OFDM and DSSS/CCK modulation schemes optimized for low-power, long-range wireless communication. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What is the main application area of 802.11ah?** 802.11ah is mainly targeted at Internet of Things (IoT) devices, smart meters, sensor networks, and other low-power wide-area networking use cases. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **How does 802.11ah achieve long-range communication?** By operating in sub-1 GHz bands with lower frequency, it achieves better signal penetration and extended range compared to higher frequency Wi-Fi standards. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Does 802.11ah support low power operation?** Yes, it includes power-saving mechanisms to extend battery life for IoT devices with infrequent data transmissions. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What channel bandwidths does 802.11ah support?** It supports flexible channel bandwidths: 1 MHz, 2 MHz, 4 MHz, 8 MHz, and 16 MHz, allowing adaptation to different deployment needs. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Is 802.11ah compatible with other Wi-Fi standards?** 802.11ah is a separate amendment and operates in different frequency bands, so it is not backward compatible but can coexist with other Wi-Fi technologies. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What kind of devices use 802.11ah?** Typical devices include smart sensors, utility meters, wearable tech, and agricultural monitoring devices needing long battery life and range. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **How does 802.11ah handle network scalability?** It supports up to 8191 associated stations per access point, which is much higher than traditional Wi-Fi standards. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What power-saving features are available in 802.11ah?** Features include Target Wake Time (TWT) for scheduling wake-ups and efficient sleep modes for battery conservation. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Can 802.11ah be used for high-throughput applications?** It is optimized for low to moderate data rates and long battery life, so it’s less suited for high-bandwidth applications like video streaming. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What kind of modulation coding schemes (MCS) does 802.11ah use?** It employs multiple MCS levels with convolutional coding and LDPC to balance range, throughput, and reliability. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Does 802.11ah support mesh networking?** Yes, it can be integrated into mesh network topologies to extend range and coverage. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What regulatory domains does 802.11ah operate in?** It is designed to work within various sub-1 GHz ISM bands compliant with regional regulations like FCC (US), ETSI (Europe), and others. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **How does 802.11ah improve coexistence with other wireless systems?** By using narrower channels and dynamic frequency selection, it minimizes interference with other IoT and legacy wireless technologies. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What is Wi-Fi HaLow?** Wi-Fi HaLow is the marketing name for IEEE 802.11ah, emphasizing its long-range, low-power Wi-Fi capabilities for IoT. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow Topics in this section, * :ref:`Learnings in this section <802_11ah_step1>` * :ref:`Terminology <802_11ah_step2>` * :ref:`Version Info <802_11ah_step3>` * :ref:`802_11ah Version&IEEE Details <802_11ah_step4>` * :ref:`802_11ah Basic Setup on Ubuntu using IPv4 <802_11ah_step5>` * :ref:`802_11ah Basic Setup on Ubuntu using IPv6 <802_11ah_step6>` * :ref:`Reference links <802_11ah_step16>` .. _802_11ah_step1: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: Learnings in this section * In this section, you are going to learn .. _802_11ah_step2: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: Terminology * Terminology .. _802_11ah_step3: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: Version Info * Version Info .. _802_11ah_step4: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: 802.11ah Version&RFC Details * rfc details .. _802_11ah_step5: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: 802.11ah Basic Setup on Ubuntu using IPv4 * setup .. _802_11ah_step6: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: 802.11ah Basic Setup on Ubuntu using IPv6 * setup .. _802_11ah_step16: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: Reference links * Reference links