802.11aq PHYs ============== .. 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 the PHY in IEEE 802.11aq?** 802.11aq does *not* change or define a new PHY. It works with whichever PHY (physical layer) the WLAN uses; its modifications are above the PHY. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What modulation does 802.11aq use?** Since 11aq does not change the PHY, it does not alter modulation schemes. The existing modulation methods of the WLAN PHY (e.g. OFDM, etc.) remain. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What is OFDM in the context of 802.11aq?** OFDM remains a PHY method used by the underlying WLAN standard. 802.11aq merely overlays service‑discovery information in beacons or management frames; it does not change OFDM. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **How many subcarriers are used in 802.11aq OFDM?** Not applicable — 11aq doesn’t define or alter subcarrier structure; that depends entirely on the underlying PHY being used. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What are pilot subcarriers in OFDM under 802.11aq?** Those are part of the PHY standard. 11aq doesn't change pilot subcarriers or training symbols — it leverages existing PHY features. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What coding technique is used in 802.11aq PHY?** 11aq does *not* specify coding or forward error correction; it inherits whatever coding techniques the WLAN PHY uses (convolutional, LDPC etc.). .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What is interleaving in 802.11aq?** Same as above: interleaving is a PHY detail, not changed by 11aq. 11aq does not introduce or alter interleaving. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What data rates are supported by 802.11aq PHY?** 802.11aq does *not* change data rates; those are determined by the underlying standard (802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax etc.). 11aq is about service discovery pre‑association, not data transmission rates. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Which modulation corresponds to a particular Mbps in 802.11aq?** Not defined by 11aq. The mapping of modulation / coding to data rate remains according to the WLAN PHY in use. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What is the OFDM symbol duration in 802.11aq?** 11aq does not define or change symbol duration; that remains as per the PHY standard being used. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What is a guard interval in 802.11aq?** Guard intervals are part of PHY layer specifications; 11aq doesn’t modify them. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What FFT size is used in 802.11aq?** Not applicable — FFT size is a PHY parameter not influenced by this amendment. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **How wide is the WLAN channel in MHz under 802.11aq?** 11aq does not specify channel widths; it uses whatever widths the existing PHY supports. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Why is OFDM suitable (or not) under 802.11aq?** OFDM is suitable because 11aq doesn’t change how the PHY works, so all PHY robustness and features remain; 11aq only adds additional information to management frames above PHY. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Is the 802.11aq PHY half‑duplex or full‑duplex?** Not relevant. Since 802.11aq does not define a PHY, the duplexing mode depends on the underlying WLAN PHY. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Does 802.11aq PHY support MIMO?** 11aq does not define PHY features like MIMO — that is part of the underlying WLAN PHY if supported. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What is the function of the PHY preamble in 802.11aq?** The preamble is part of the underlying PHY functionality. 11aq does not alter the structure of the preamble. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What is the SIGNAL field in the PHY header under 802.11aq?** That is part of existing PHY specification; 11aq does not change the SIGNAL field format. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What is the service field in PHY under 802.11aq?** Same: 11aq does not add or change service field in PHY frames. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What is the tail field in PHY under 802.11aq?** Not modified by 11aq. Tail fields are PHY‑layer coding details. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Can PHY parameters change dynamically in 802.11aq?** 11aq doesn’t change PHY adaptation behaviors. If the underlying PHY supports rate adaptation, etc., that's still in effect. 11aq only adds management/service discovery enhancements. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **How does 802.11aq handle multipath effects?** Multipath handling (through OFDM, guard intervals etc.) is entirely a PHY concern; 11aq uses whatever is in place. It doesn’t itself introduce new mechanisms for multipath. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What limits the range of 802.11aq PHY?** Range is limited by the underlying PHY (frequency band, power, antenna, etc.). 11aq doesn’t change RF propagation. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Does PHY impact latency in 802.11aq?** Latency due to the PHY (symbol duration, guard interval etc.) remains as per the underlying PHY. 11aq introduces some management/overhead for service discovery, which can add small delays, but PHY latency unchanged. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What is spectral efficiency in PHY terms for 802.11aq?** Spectral efficiency is determined by modulation, coding, channel width of underlying WLAN standard; 11aq doesn’t alter that. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **How does PHY relate to MAC in 802.11aq?** 802.11aq works at the MAC / management frame level *above* the PHY, enhancing service discovery. Thus, PHY remains unchanged, and MAC is extended. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Is the 802.11aq PHY backward compatible?** Since 11aq doesn’t define its own PHY, compatibility is inherited: any device supporting the base WLAN standard PHY is compatible; 11aq is a sup‑set in terms of management features. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Is 802.11aq still relevant today?** Yes, as a standard for enabling pre‑association service discovery. It’s part of IEEE 802.11‑2018/2020 amendments. But it is not a PHY‑enhancement — its relevance depends on device support for its management/service discovery features. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow Topics in this section, * :ref:`Reference links ` .. _phy_aq_step17: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: Reference links * Reference links