802.11w Physical Rates ========================= .. 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 **Does IEEE 802.11w define new physical rates?** No, 802.11w does not define new physical rates; it builds on the PHY layer of existing standards like 802.11a/g/n. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What is the focus of 802.11w regarding physical rates?** 802.11w focuses on enhancing the security of management frames, not on modifying the PHY layer or data rates. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Which PHY layers support 802.11w features?** OFDM (802.11a/g), HT (802.11n), and later PHYs (like VHT and HE) can support 802.11w management frame protection. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Are the physical rates affected when management frames are protected?** No, physical rates remain the same; the management frame content is encrypted and authenticated without impacting modulation or coding. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What data rates are typically used for management frames in 802.11w?** Management frames are often sent at lower mandatory rates (e.g., 6 Mbps in 802.11a/g) to maximize compatibility and reliability. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Does 802.11w allow rate adaptation for protected management frames?** Yes, rate adaptation mechanisms still apply, but devices often use conservative rates for critical management frames. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Can high data rates be used for protected management frames?** Technically yes, but it's not common practice since higher rates are more susceptible to interference and errors. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Does frame protection increase the size of management frames?** Yes, the addition of cryptographic protection slightly increases frame size, but not enough to affect rate selection significantly. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Is 802.11w compatible with 802.11n or newer PHY standards?** Yes, 802.11w features can be used alongside higher data rate standards like 802.11n, 802.11ac, and 802.11ax. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Are there any PHY rate limitations when using 802.11w?** No specific limitations; devices use the PHY rates supported by their hardware and negotiated capabilities. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Does 802.11w impact MCS (Modulation and Coding Scheme) selection?** No, MCS selection is handled by the base 802.11 standard and is independent of 802.11w security enhancements. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Can 802.11w be used in 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands?** Yes, since it is PHY-agnostic and works with both 802.11a/g/n/ac implementations. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Do higher physical rates reduce the effectiveness of 802.11w?** No, but higher rates may be less reliable for management frames in noisy environments, which could affect delivery of protected frames. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Is there any PHY overhead due to 802.11w encryption?** No additional PHY layer overhead is introduced; encryption-related overhead is confined to the MAC layer. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **How are low data rates beneficial for 802.11w management frames?** Lower rates ensure broader coverage and more reliable delivery, especially for critical management operations. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Is channel bonding affected by 802.11w?** No, 802.11w does not affect channel bonding or other PHY-layer enhancements. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Are protected management frames rate-negotiated?** No, the data rate for management frames is usually selected based on mandatory rates and link conditions, not negotiated like data frames. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Do protected frames use the same preamble and PPDU formats?** Yes, the PHY layer frame structure, including the preamble and PPDU format, remains unchanged. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Does 802.11w protection impact transmission speed?** The added security may cause slight processing delays, but it does not directly affect the physical data rate used over the air. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What’s the best practice for selecting rates with 802.11w enabled?** Use lower mandatory rates for management frames to ensure delivery, and apply dynamic rate selection for data traffic. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow Topics in this section, * :ref:`physical_rates in 802.11w ` * :ref:`Reference links ` .. _physical_rates_w_step4: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: physical_rates in 802.11w ========== === ==== =========== ============ =========== ================ ========= ============ =========== ========== ====== Modulation BW Tsc FSP=BW/Tsc Tdata=1/FSP GI=Tdata/4 Symbol=Tdata+GI 1/Symbol Bits/Symbol Code rate Usable sc Rate ========== === ==== =========== ============ =========== ================ ========= ============ =========== ========== ====== BPSK 5 64 78.125 12.8 3.2 16 0.0625 1 1/2 48 1.5 BPSK 5 64 78.125 12.8 3.2 16 0.0625 1 3/4 48 2.25 QPSK 5 64 78.125 12.8 3.2 16 0.0625 2 1/2 48 3 QPSK 5 64 78.125 12.8 3.2 16 0.0625 2 3/4 48 4.5 16-QAM 5 64 78.125 12.8 3.2 16 0.0625 4 1/2 48 6 16-QAM 5 64 78.125 12.8 3.2 16 0.0625 4 3/4 48 9 64-QAM 5 64 78.125 12.8 3.2 16 0.0625 6 2/3 48 12 64-QAM 5 64 78.125 12.8 3.2 16 0.0625 6 3/4 48 13.5 BPSK 10 64 156.25 6.4 1.6 8 0.125 1 1/2 48 3 BPSK 10 64 156.25 6.4 1.6 8 0.125 1 3/4 48 4.5 QPSK 10 64 156.25 6.4 1.6 8 0.125 2 1/2 48 6 QPSK 10 64 156.25 6.4 1.6 8 0.125 2 3/4 48 9 16-QAM 10 64 156.25 6.4 1.6 8 0.125 4 1/2 48 12 16-QAM 10 64 156.25 6.4 1.6 8 0.125 4 3/4 48 18 64-QAM 10 64 156.25 6.4 1.6 8 0.125 6 2/3 48 24 64-QAM 10 64 156.25 6.4 1.6 8 0.125 6 3/4 48 27 BPSK 20 64 312.5 3.2 0.8 4 0.25 1 1/2 48 6 BPSK 20 64 312.5 3.2 0.8 4 0.25 1 3/4 48 9 QPSK 20 64 312.5 3.2 0.8 4 0.25 2 1/2 48 12 QPSK 20 64 312.5 3.2 0.8 4 0.25 2 3/4 48 18 16-QAM 20 64 312.5 3.2 0.8 4 0.25 4 1/2 48 24 16-QAM 20 64 312.5 3.2 0.8 4 0.25 4 3/4 48 36 64-QAM 20 64 312.5 3.2 0.8 4 0.25 6 2/3 48 48 64-QAM 20 64 312.5 3.2 0.8 4 0.25 6 3/4 48 54 ========== === ==== =========== ============ =========== ================ ========= ============ =========== ========== ====== .. _physical_rates_w_step17: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: Reference links * Reference links