802.11w Channels

What is 802.11w?

802.11w is a standard that enhances wireless security by protecting management frames in Wi-Fi networks.

Why is management frame protection important in 802.11w?

Management frames control connections and roaming; protecting them prevents attacks like spoofing and denial of service.

Does 802.11w operate on specific channels?

802.11w protection applies to all channels used by the wireless network; it is independent of the channel frequency.

Can 802.11w work on 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands?

Yes, 802.11w management frame protection can be used on any Wi-Fi band, including both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz.

Does 802.11w affect channel planning?

No, 802.11w focuses on security and does not impact channel selection or channel bandwidth.

What types of management frames does 802.11w protect?

It protects disassociation, deauthentication, and robust action frames to prevent spoofing and forgery.

Is 802.11w mandatory in modern Wi-Fi?

It is mandatory for devices to support Protected Management Frames (PMF) in WPA3 and recommended in WPA2.

Can 802.11w cause compatibility issues?

Some older devices may not support 802.11w, leading to connection problems if PMF is required.

How does 802.11w enhance Wi-Fi security?

By encrypting and authenticating management frames, it protects against common attacks like disassociation and deauthentication floods.

Does 802.11w affect throughput or latency?

The overhead of securing management frames is minimal and usually does not significantly impact performance.

Is 802.11w compatible with 802.11a, b, g, n, ac, ax?

Yes, 802.11w can be implemented alongside other standards, as it focuses on security rather than physical or MAC layers.

How does 802.11w interact with WPA2 and WPA3?

It is integrated with WPA2 and required for WPA3, enhancing security by protecting management frames.

Can 802.11w prevent denial-of-service attacks?

It helps prevent DoS attacks that exploit unprotected management frames by authenticating these critical frames.

Does 802.11w require special hardware?

Generally no; 802.11w is a firmware/software feature but may require device support for PMF.

How is 802.11w enabled?

Usually via wireless network configuration on access points and clients, often as part of security settings (WPA2/WPA3).

Does 802.11w impact roaming?

Yes, it improves roaming security by protecting management frames involved in handoff between access points.

Are there alternatives to 802.11w?

Before 802.11w, management frames were unprotected; 802.11w is the standardized solution for this security gap.

What is the impact of 802.11w on battery life?

The additional processing overhead is small and usually negligible on modern devices.

Can 802.11w coexist with legacy devices?

Yes, but legacy devices that do not support PMF may be unable to connect if PMF is required on the network.

Is 802.11w widely adopted today?

Yes, especially in enterprise and WPA3-enabled environments where management frame protection is standard.

What tools help verify 802.11w deployment?

Wireless analyzers and protocol sniffers that can detect PMF-protected frames.

Topics in this section,

Channel Number (MHz)

Center Frequency (MHz)

Frequency Range

DFS Required

1

2412

2401 – 2423

No

2

2417

2406 – 2428

No

3

2422

2411 – 2433

No

4

2427

2416 – 2438

No

5

2432

2421 – 2443

No

6

2437

2426 – 2448

No

7

2442

2431 – 2453

No

8

2447

2436 – 2458

No

9

2452

2441 – 2463

No

10

2457

2446 – 2468

No

11

2462

2451 – 2473

No

12

2467

2456 – 2478

No (region dependent)

13

2472

2461 – 2483

No (region dependent)

14

2484

2473 – 2495

No (Japan only)

Channel Number (MHz)

Center Frequency (MHz)

Frequency Range

DFS Required

36

5180

5170 – 5190

No

40

5200

5190 – 5210

No

44

5220

5210 – 5230

No

48

5240

5230 – 5250

No

52

5260

5250 – 5270

Yes

56

5280

5270 – 5290

Yes

60

5300

5290 – 5310

Yes

64

5320

5310 – 5330

Yes

100

5500

5490 – 5510

Yes

104

5520

5510 – 5530

Yes

108

5540

5530 – 5550

Yes

112

5560

5550 – 5570

Yes

116

5580

5570 – 5590

Yes

120

5600

5590 – 5610

Yes

124

5620

5610 – 5630

Yes

128

5640

5630 – 5650

Yes

132

5660

5650 – 5670

Yes

136

5680

5670 – 5690

Yes

140

5700

5690 – 5710

Yes

144

5720

5710 – 5730

Yes

149

5745

5735 – 5755

No

153

5765

5755 – 5775

No

157

5785

5775 – 5795

No

161

5805

5795 – 5815

No

165

5825

5815 – 5835

No

  • channel widths

Band Name

Frequency Range (GHz)

Frequency Range (MHz)

Channels

2.4 GHz Band

2.400 – 2.485

2400 – 2485

1 – 14 (region dependent)

UNII-1

5.150 – 5.250

5150 – 5250

36, 40, 44, 48

UNII-2 (DFS)

5.250 – 5.350

5250 – 5350

52, 56, 60, 64

UNII-2 Extended (DFS)

5.470 – 5.725

5470 – 5725

100, 104, 108, 112, 116, 120, 124, 128, 132, 136, 140, 144

UNII-3

5.725 – 5.825

5725 – 5825

149, 153, 157, 161, 165

  • Reference links