Power Saving Mechanisms in IEEE 802.11r protocol

What power saving mechanisms are supported in 802.11r?

802.11r supports legacy IEEE 802.11 power save modes alongside fast roaming optimizations to maintain efficient power use during transitions.

How does 802.11r improve power efficiency during fast transitions?

By minimizing the authentication and reassociation times, reducing radio active periods and thus saving battery power.

Does 802.11r modify the Power Save Mode (PSM) of legacy 802.11?

No, it leverages existing PSM but complements it with fast roaming techniques to reduce power drain during handoffs.

Is power saving impacted during the fast BSS transition?

Yes, 802.11r reduces the time the client remains fully awake by speeding up key exchanges and reassociation procedures.

How does 802.11r handle buffered frames during power saving?

Buffered frames are forwarded quickly after fast reassociation, minimizing wake time and improving power efficiency.

Does 802.11r include specific timing parameters for power saving?

While it doesn’t define new timers, it relies on existing 802.11 timing combined with faster transitions to optimize power use.

Can 802.11r devices use Unscheduled Automatic Power Save Delivery (U-APSD)?

Yes, 802.11r is compatible with U-APSD to support low-latency power saving for multimedia traffic.

How does fast roaming in 802.11r affect power consumption?

It reduces overall power consumption by shortening handoff durations and radio active periods.

Does 802.11r power saving mechanisms benefit mobile devices?

Yes, especially for battery-powered clients like smartphones and tablets, by reducing unnecessary awake times during roaming.

Are there trade-offs between power saving and roaming speed in 802.11r?

802.11r balances these by optimizing roaming speed to reduce power use without compromising connection reliability.

How does 802.11r interact with the AP’s power save queues?

It coordinates fast reassociation so that queued frames are quickly delivered, minimizing client wake time.

Does 802.11r require changes in power management protocols?

No major changes; it enhances power management by reducing transition latency within existing protocols.

Are there specific power saving modes exclusive to 802.11r?

No, 802.11r focuses on enhancing fast roaming with power saving benefits rather than introducing new modes.

How does 802.11r support power saving in dense network environments?

By enabling faster handoffs, clients spend less time actively scanning, which reduces power consumption in busy networks.

Is power saving affected by the use of PMK caching in 802.11r?

Yes, PMK caching speeds up authentication, allowing clients to conserve power by quickly reconnecting.

Can 802.11r power saving mechanisms help in IoT applications?

Yes, fast transitions with reduced power usage can benefit battery-operated IoT devices needing frequent roaming.

Does 802.11r specify how power save polling interacts with fast transitions?

It ensures that PS-Poll frames and buffered data handling occur efficiently during reassociation.

What role does timing coordination play in 802.11r power saving?

Coordinated timing reduces active radio time during reassociation, aiding power conservation.

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