List of PPDUs Supported in 802.11w ======================================== .. 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 modify the PPDU structure?** No, IEEE 802.11w does not alter the PPDU format; it operates above the PHY layer, focusing on management frame protection. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What is the role of PPDU in 802.11w?** PPDU encapsulates MAC frames, including protected management frames defined by 802.11w, for transmission over the physical medium. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Are protected management frames part of the PPDU payload?** Yes, the MAC frame (including protected management frames) becomes the payload of the PPDU. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Does 802.11w affect the OFDM symbol structure in PPDU?** No, 802.11w does not change any physical layer encoding or modulation; OFDM structure remains the same as in base 802.11 standards. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Is the SIGNAL field in PPDU impacted by 802.11w?** No, the SIGNAL field (which indicates data rate and length) is handled at the PHY layer and remains unchanged under 802.11w. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Does encryption under 802.11w affect the PPDU size?** Slightly. Management frame protection may increase MAC frame size, affecting PPDU payload length but not the PPDU format itself. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Can protected management frames be fragmented at the PPDU level?** No, fragmentation is handled at the MAC layer before PPDU encapsulation. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Are PPDUs still required to begin with a preamble in 802.11w?** Yes, the PHY preamble is required for synchronization and is unaffected by 802.11w features. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **How does 802.11w ensure confidentiality of the PPDU?** It does not. 802.11w protects MAC management frames. The PHY PPDU structure is not encrypted or modified by 802.11w. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Is the tail field in PPDU affected by 802.11w?** No, the tail bits used for encoder termination in PHY are unchanged by 802.11w operations. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **How is modulation handled in 802.11w PPDUs?** The modulation and coding schemes (MCS) are selected independently of frame protection; 802.11w has no influence here. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Are all types of frames protected inside a PPDU in 802.11w?** No. Only specific management frames (like deauthentication and disassociation) are protected under 802.11w. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Does PHY rate adaptation affect 802.11w functionality?** No, PHY rate changes (which affect PPDU structure) do not interfere with the security mechanisms of 802.11w. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Is MAC header encryption visible in the PPDU?** No, encryption occurs at the MAC sublayer. PPDU only sees the fully constructed encrypted MAC frame. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **How are retransmissions handled for protected frames inside a PPDU?** Retransmissions follow standard MAC retry logic. The full PPDU (including protected MAC frame) is resent as needed. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Can PHY preambles be used to detect protected traffic?** No, PHY preambles contain no information about frame type or protection; that’s handled at the MAC layer. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What role does the PPDU play in securing 802.11w traffic?** It plays a transport role only. The security is embedded in the MAC frame within the PPDU payload. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Are there compatibility concerns when sending 802.11w frames in legacy PPDUs?** No. As long as the receiving device supports 802.11w, legacy PPDU formats can carry protected MAC frames. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Does 802.11w change how interleaving is applied in the PPDU?** No, interleaving for PHY symbols remains defined by the base standard and is unaffected by MAC security layers. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Can 802.11w be used with advanced PHY features like MIMO or beamforming?** Yes. 802.11w is independent of the PHY and is compatible with enhancements like MIMO, as long as the PHY supports them. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow Topics in this section, * :ref:`Reference links ` .. _ppdu_w_step17: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: Reference links * Reference links