802.11ax ====================== .. toctree:: :maxdepth: 1 :hidden: :includehidden: 802_11ax/802_11ax 802_11ax/mac_functions 802_11ax/mac_timings 802_11ax/packet_formats 802_11ax/power_save 802_11ax/interoperability 802_11ax/physical_rates 802_11ax/ppdu 802_11ax/channels 802_11ax/PHYs IEEE 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) is a high-efficiency wireless networking standard designed to improve throughput, capacity, and performance in dense environments. .. list-table:: :widths: 20 60 20 :header-rows: 1 * - Category - Description - Use Case * - MAC Functions - Advanced MAC responsibilities including OFDMA scheduling, MU-MIMO management, and improved frame aggregation. - Enhancing wireless efficiency and reliable data delivery in dense networks * - MAC Timings - Optimized timing parameters like reduced interframe spaces and target wake time (TWT) for better medium access. - Coordinating transmissions to reduce collisions and improve power savings * - Packet Formats - Enhanced frame structures supporting new features like HE (High-Efficiency) headers and extended frame aggregation. - Efficient frame handling and improved QoS in modern wireless environments * - Power Save - Advanced power saving features including Target Wake Time (TWT) for scheduled device wake-up. - Extending battery life for IoT and mobile devices while maintaining performance * - Interoperability - Backward compatibility with legacy devices and coexistence mechanisms for mixed networks. - Seamless operation across diverse device generations and vendor equipment * - Physical Rates - Support for higher data rates up to 10 Gbps using 1024-QAM, OFDMA, and wider channel bandwidths (up to 160 MHz). - Enabling ultra-high throughput and low latency for bandwidth-intensive applications * - PPDU - New HE PPDU format with improved preambles and multi-user support. - Reliable synchronization and efficient multi-user transmissions in dense deployments * - Channels - Use of 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and new 6 GHz bands (Wi-Fi 6E) with dynamic frequency selection and wider bandwidths. - Enhanced spectrum utilization and interference avoidance * - PHY Overview - OFDMA-based physical layer supporting multi-user resource allocation, spatial reuse, and advanced coding. - High-efficiency, scalable wireless data delivery in dense environments .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) **Standard:** IEEE 802.11ax (2019) **Main Features:** - Operates in both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands (and optionally 6 GHz with Wi-Fi 6E) - OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access) for efficient multi-user support - Improved MU-MIMO for uplink and downlink - Target Wake Time (TWT) for power saving in IoT devices - Higher modulation scheme (1024-QAM) for increased throughput - Enhanced interference mitigation and spatial reuse **Use Cases:** - Dense environments (stadiums, airports, apartments) - High-bandwidth applications: 4K/8K video streaming, VR/AR, gaming - IoT devices with optimized power consumption - Enterprise networks with many connected clients **Related Concepts:** - OFDMA and resource unit allocation - Uplink and downlink MU-MIMO improvements - Spatial reuse and BSS coloring - Power efficiency and TWT scheduling .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: What You Will Learn in This Section **Dive deep into Wi-Fi 6 innovations and deployment:** * :ref:`Learnings in this section <802_11ax_step1>` * :ref:`Terminology <802_11ax_step2>` * :ref:`Version Info <802_11ax_step3>` * :ref:`802_11ax Version&IEEE Details <802_11ax_step4>` * :ref:`802_11ax Basic Setup on Ubuntu using IPv4 <802_11ax_step5>` * :ref:`802_11ax Basic Setup on Ubuntu using IPv6 <802_11ax_step6>` * :ref:`Reference links <802_11ax_step16>` .. button-link:: ./802_11ax/802_11ax.html :color: primary :shadow: :expand: Jump to "802.11ax Basics" .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: 802.11ax MAC Functions **Standard:** IEEE 802.11ax (2019) **Main Features:** - Manages advanced frame delimiting, addressing, and error detection with improved efficiency - Supports multi-user OFDMA and MU-MIMO for simultaneous transmissions - Implements enhanced medium access control with BSS coloring and spatial reuse - Handles dynamic scheduling and target wake time (TWT) for power saving - Controls acknowledgments, retransmissions, and frame aggregation with higher throughput - Works closely with Physical Layer enhancements for better spectral efficiency and reduced latency **Use Cases:** - Providing reliable high-speed data delivery in dense Wi-Fi environments - Efficiently managing medium access for multiple users and devices - Supporting advanced QoS, security, and power management features **Related Functions:** - OFDMA and MU-MIMO resource scheduling - BSS coloring and spatial reuse mechanisms - Target Wake Time (TWT) for power efficiency - Advanced frame aggregation and error correction .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: What You Will Learn in This Section **Explore the details of 802.11ax MAC Functions:** * :ref:`Reference links ` .. button-link:: ./802_11ax/mac_functions.html :color: primary :shadow: :expand: Jump to "802.11ax MAC Functions" .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: 802.11ax MAC Timings **Standard:** IEEE 802.11ax (2019) **Main Features:** - Defines updated timing parameters for frame transmission and acknowledgments in dense environments - Includes Interframe Spaces (SIFS, AIFS, TWT-based wake timings) for enhanced medium coordination - Specifies slot times and contention window adjustments for OFDMA and MU-MIMO operations - Enables collision avoidance and fair access with spatial reuse considerations - Manages timing for retransmissions, triggered access, and scheduled transmissions - Synchronizes MAC and PHY layers to optimize efficiency in high-density WLANs **Use Cases:** - Coordinating transmission timing in high-density 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz WLANs - Reducing collisions and optimizing throughput in multi-user scenarios - Supporting QoS and power-saving through advanced timing control **Related Timing Parameters:** - Short Interframe Space (SIFS) - Arbitration Interframe Space (AIFS) - Target Wake Time (TWT) scheduling - Slot time, backoff timers, and OFDMA-specific timing .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: What You Will Learn in This Section **Explore the details of 802.11ax MAC Timings:** * :ref:`Reference links ` .. button-link:: ./802_11ax/mac_timings.html :color: primary :shadow: :expand: Jump to "802.11ax MAC Timings" .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: 802.11ax Packet Formats **Standard:** IEEE 802.11ax (2019) **Main Features:** - Defines enhanced MAC and PHY layer frame structures for 802.11ax - Includes Frame Control, Duration, Address fields, Sequence Control, and CRC with new fields for OFDMA and MU-MIMO - Supports data, management, and control frames optimized for high-efficiency WLANs - Uses OFDMA and 1024-QAM modulation at the PHY layer for higher throughput - Frame formats support advanced QoS, security, and spatial reuse features - Enables fragmentation, aggregation (A-MPDU, A-MSDU), and reassembly for efficient large packet handling **Use Cases:** - Structuring packets for high-efficiency wireless communication in 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands - Enabling multi-user data transmission and enhanced throughput - Supporting backward compatibility and interoperability with legacy devices **Related Frame Types:** - Management frames (e.g., Beacon, Probe Request with HE capabilities) - Control frames (e.g., Block ACK, Trigger frames for OFDMA) - Data frames (with QoS and spatial reuse support) .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: What You Will Learn in This Section **Explore the details of 802.11ax Packet Formats:** * :ref:`Reference links ` .. button-link:: ./802_11ax/packet_formats.html :color: primary :shadow: :expand: Jump to "802.11ax Packet Formats" .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: 802.11ax Power Saving Mechanisms **Standard:** IEEE 802.11ax (2019) **Main Features:** - Enhances power saving with Target Wake Time (TWT) to schedule specific wake/sleep intervals - Allows devices to negotiate sleep schedules with the Access Point for improved efficiency - Supports spatial reuse and reduced contention for better battery life in dense environments - AP buffers frames and coordinates with stations to optimize data delivery during wake times - Improves power efficiency for IoT, mobile, and battery-operated devices in both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands - Integrates with MAC layer mechanisms for coordinated sleep, wake, and multi-user transmissions **Use Cases:** - Extending battery life of smartphones, tablets, and IoT devices in dense Wi-Fi networks - Reducing power consumption during off-peak data usage periods - Enhancing network efficiency while balancing device power constraints **Related Mechanisms:** - Target Wake Time (TWT) scheduling - Enhanced Delivery Traffic Indication Map (DTIM) - Coordination of sleep/wake cycles with MU-MIMO and OFDMA transmissions .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: What You Will Learn in This Section **Explore the details of 802.11ax Power Saving mechanisms:** * :ref:`Reference links ` .. button-link:: ./802_11ax/power_save.html :color: primary :shadow: :expand: Jump to "802.11ax Power Saving" .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: 802.11ax Interoperability **Standard:** IEEE 802.11ax (2019) **Main Features:** - Ensures seamless compatibility among devices from various vendors operating in 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands - Supports backward compatibility with legacy 802.11a/b/g/n/ac devices for smooth network transitions - Defines enhanced frame formats and signaling to support multi-user OFDMA and MU-MIMO - Implements advanced channel access mechanisms like BSS Coloring for coexistence in dense deployments - Uses standardized management and control frames for efficient association, roaming, and power management - Facilitates coexistence with overlapping wireless technologies and improved spectrum utilization **Use Cases:** - Enabling robust multi-vendor Wi-Fi 6 deployments in enterprises, campuses, and public spaces - Supporting seamless roaming and handoffs across different Wi-Fi generations and vendors - Allowing mixed standard environments to operate efficiently without interference **Related Mechanisms:** - Backward compatibility and dual-band operation - BSS Coloring and spatial reuse techniques - Standardized PHY/MAC procedures including MU-MIMO and OFDMA .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: What You Will Learn in This Section **Explore the details of 802.11ax Interoperability mechanisms:** .. button-link:: ./802_11ax/interoperability.html :color: primary :shadow: :expand: Jump to "802.11ax Interoperability" .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: 802.11ax Physical Rates **Standard:** IEEE 802.11ax (2019) **Main Features:** - Supports a wide range of physical layer data rates from under 1 Mbps up to several Gbps - Utilizes Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) and 1024-QAM modulation - Provides flexible channel widths: 20, 40, 80, and 160 MHz for high throughput - Enables simultaneous multi-user transmissions via MU-MIMO and OFDMA - Implements dynamic rate adaptation based on channel quality and user demand - Operates in both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency bands with enhanced spectral efficiency **Use Cases:** - High-density environments like stadiums, airports, and offices - Enhanced streaming, gaming, and real-time communications - IoT and low-latency applications requiring efficient spectrum use **Related Concepts:** - Modulation and coding schemes (MCS) including 1024-QAM - MU-MIMO and OFDMA resource unit allocation - Dynamic bandwidth management and spatial reuse .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: What You Will Learn in This Section **Explore the details of 802.11ax Physical Rates:** * :ref:`physical_rates in 802.11ax ` * :ref:`Reference links ` .. button-link:: ./802_11ax/physical_rates.html :color: primary :shadow: :expand: Jump to "802.11ax Physical Rates" .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: 802.11ax PPDU **Standard:** IEEE 802.11ax (2019) **Main Features:** - Defines the Physical Protocol Data Unit (PPDU) structure for 802.11ax - Includes various preamble formats for different transmission modes (HE SU, HE MU, HE TB) - Contains SIGNAL fields specifying MCS, bandwidth, length, and spatial streams - Payload is encoded using OFDMA and OFDM with advanced modulation schemes (up to 1024-QAM) - Supports uplink and downlink multi-user transmissions with MU-MIMO and OFDMA - Enables high-efficiency, robust wireless communication in 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands **Use Cases:** - Efficient encapsulation of data for high throughput wireless networks - Synchronization and channel estimation for multi-user OFDMA and MU-MIMO - Facilitating reliable and low-latency communication in dense environments **Related Concepts:** - High Efficiency (HE) preamble and trigger frames - Resource Unit (RU) allocation and spatial streams - Forward Error Correction (FEC) and interleaving techniques .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: What You Will Learn in This Section **Explore the details of 802.11ax PPDU:** * :ref:`Reference links ` .. button-link:: ./802_11ax/ppdu.html :color: primary :shadow: :expand: Jump to "802.11ax PPDU" .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: 802.11ax Channels **Standard:** IEEE 802.11ax **Main Features:** - Operates in the **2.4 GHz**, **5 GHz**, and **6 GHz (Wi-Fi 6E)** bands - Supports channel bandwidths of **20, 40, 80, and 160 MHz** - Introduces **OFDMA** and **MU-MIMO** for better multi-user performance - Supports **BSS Coloring** and **spatial reuse** to improve efficiency in dense environments - Up to **233 channels** in the 6 GHz band (depending on region and regulation) - Enhanced **DFS** and **TPC** mechanisms for improved coexistence and interference avoidance - Designed for high-density environments like stadiums, enterprise buildings, and smart homes **Use Cases:** - High-density Wi-Fi deployments in urban and enterprise environments - Low-latency, high-throughput applications (AR/VR, 4K/8K streaming, cloud gaming) - IoT deployments requiring scheduled access and efficient power saving - Seamless operation in mixed Wi-Fi environments with backward compatibility **Related Concepts:** - **OFDMA**: Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access - **MU-MIMO**: Multi-User, Multiple Input Multiple Output - **TWT**: Target Wake Time for better battery efficiency - **1024-QAM** modulation for higher throughput - **BSS Coloring** for spatial reuse - **Wi-Fi 6E**: Extension of Wi-Fi 6 into the 6 GHz band - **DFS** and **TPC** for 5/6 GHz spectrum compliance .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: What You Will Learn in This Section **Explore the details of 802.11ax Channels:** * :ref:`List of channels ` * :ref:`List of channel widths ` * :ref:`List of Bands ` * :ref:`Reference links ` .. button-link:: ./802_11ax/channels.html :color: primary :shadow: :expand: Jump to "802.11ax Channels" .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: 802.11ax PHY **Standard:** IEEE 802.11ax **Main Features:** - Employs Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) for uplink and downlink efficiency - Supports up to 1024-QAM modulation for higher spectral efficiency - Operates across 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz (Wi-Fi 6E) frequency bands - Enables MU-MIMO (Multi-User MIMO) in both directions for simultaneous client communication - Uses longer OFDM symbols (12.8 µs + Guard Interval) for improved resilience in dense environments - Supports wider channel bandwidths: 20, 40, 80, and 160 MHz - Includes advanced features like Target Wake Time (TWT), BSS Coloring, and Spatial Reuse **Use Cases:** - High-density environments like stadiums, airports, universities, and enterprise networks - Low-latency and high-bandwidth applications: VR/AR, UHD video streaming, cloud gaming - Smart home and IoT scenarios requiring efficient power and spectrum use **Related Concepts:** - OFDMA vs. traditional OFDM - 1024-QAM and spectral efficiency - HE-PPDU (High Efficiency Physical Protocol Data Unit) structure - Preamble fields: HE-STF, HE-LTF, HE-SIG - Target Wake Time (TWT) for power management - Spatial reuse via BSS Color and OBSS_PD .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: What You Will Learn in This Section **Explore the details of 802.11ax PHY:** * :ref:`Reference links ` .. button-link:: ./802_11ax/PHYs.html :color: primary :shadow: :expand: Jump to "802.11ax PHY"