Wi-Fi® (MAC/PHY)

Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6®

Wi-Fi 6 was introduced in 2018 provides enhanced capacity, efficiency, coverage, and performance required by users today in the most demanding Wi-Fi environments, including large public venues, enterprises, and Internet of Things (IoT) scenarios. Wi-Fi 6 offers higher data rates, increased capacity, stronger performance in dense environments, and improved power efficiency.

Wi-Fi 6E certification as part of Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 offers the features and capabilities of Wi-Fi 6, extended to the 6 GHz band. Wi-Fi 6E delivers improvements that enable Wi-Fi devices to operate efficiently in the most dense, bandwidth-intensive, and dynamic connectivity environments. 

Key features of Wi-Fi 6 include:

• Orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) effectively shares channels to increase network efficiency and lower latency
• Multi-user multiple input, multiple output (multi-user MIMO) allows more data to be transferred at one time, enabling APs to concurrently handle more devices
• 160 MHz channel utilization capability increases bandwidth to deliver greater performance with low latency
• Target wake time (TWT) significantly improves network efficiency and device battery life
• 1024 QAM increases throughput for emerging, bandwidth intensive uses by encoding more data in the same amount of spectrum
• Transmit beamforming enables higher data rates at a given range to increase network capacity

Wi-Fi CERTIFIED® ac

Wi-Fi 5 was introduced in 2014 and offers higher capacity, improved power management, and lower latency, delivering multi-gigabit per second data rates while enabling devices to handle demanding applications such as ultra HD and 4K video, multimedia streaming, gaming devices, handsets, and many others. Most Wi-Fi 5 products are dual-band, operating in both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. Dual-band networks double capacity because devices can use the less crowded 5 GHz band for high performance applications, and the 2.4 GHz band for basic needs such as web surfing and IoT applications. Wi-Fi 5 introduced power saving features such as longer sleep periods and a reduction in the need to communicate with infrastructure too frequently, bringing value to smaller devices requiring longer battery life.

Wi-Fi CERTIFIED n

Wi-Fi 4 was introduced in 2009 and ensures a product has passed rigorous testing and can deliver the very best user experience with advanced Wi-Fi technology. Wi-Fi 4 can deliver plenty of throughput for bandwidth-hungry applications like music and video, extend reach throughout the home, and support many users at the same time. Wi-Fi Alliance has introduced power saving features that enable devices to benefit from native connectivity to Wi-Fi networks and the Internet without concern for power consumption. Wi-Fi power saving features bring longer sleep periods and reduce the need for devices to communicate with infrastructure too frequently. Wi-Fi 4 includes:

• Enhanced performance and speed
• Extended reach throughout the home
• Support for many users without sacrificing signal strength

Wi-Fi HaLow™

Wi-Fi HaLow™ was introduced in 2017 and augments Wi-Fi by operating in spectrum below 1 GHz to offer longer range of approximately 1 kilometer and low power connectivity necessary for applications including sensor networks and wearables. Wi-Fi HaLow meets the requirements for a range of use cases, including industrial, agricultural, smart building, and smart city environments, providing the connectivity necessary for IoT, sensor networks, and wearables. Wi-Fi HaLow also provides a more robust connection in challenging environments where the ability to penetrate walls or other barriers is an important consideration. Some of the many benefits that come with Wi-Fi HaLow include multi-vendor interoperability, easy setup without disrupting existing Wi-Fi networks, support for coin cell battery devices for months or years, and no need for proprietary hubs or gateways.

Wi-Fi HaLow leverages the following features to produce these benefits:

• Narrow band OFDM channels
• Several device power saving modes
• Native IP support
• Latest Wi-Fi security

WiGig

WiGig was introduced in 2016 and allows Wi-Fi devices to access the uncongested 60 GHz frequency band, expanding the Wi-Fi experience for virtual reality, multimedia streaming, gaming, wireless docking, and enterprise applications. Users benefit from the expanded capacity, reduced interference, and multi-gigabit per second speeds. 

Popular uses for WiGig products include:

• Wireless docking between devices like smartphones, laptops, projectors, and tablets
• Simultaneous streaming of multiple, ultra-high definition videos and movies
• More immersive gaming, augmented reality, and virtual reality experiences
• Fast download of HD movies
• Convenient public kiosk services
• Easier handling of bandwidth intensive applications in enterprise environments