802.11ac MAC Timings
=======================


.. 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 are MAC timing parameters in 802.11ac?**

        MAC timings refer to the specific time intervals used for coordinating frame transmission and medium access in 802.11ac.

    .. panels::
        :container: container pb-4
        :column: col-lg-12 p-2
        :card: shadow

        **What is the Slot Time in 802.11ac?**

        Slot Time is the basic time unit (usually 9 microseconds in 802.11ac) used for backoff and interframe spacing calculations.

    .. panels::
        :container: container pb-4
        :column: col-lg-12 p-2
        :card: shadow

        **What is the SIFS (Short Interframe Space) in 802.11ac?**

        SIFS is the shortest waiting time (typically 16 microseconds) between frames, used for ACKs, CTS, and data fragments.

    .. panels::
        :container: container pb-4
        :column: col-lg-12 p-2
        :card: shadow

        **What is the DIFS (DCF Interframe Space)?**

        DIFS is the time a device waits after the medium becomes idle before starting a new transmission; it is longer than SIFS.

    .. panels::
        :container: container pb-4
        :column: col-lg-12 p-2
        :card: shadow

        **How is the Backoff Time calculated?**

        Backoff Time is a random multiple of Slot Time used to avoid collisions in CSMA/CA before transmission.

    .. panels::
        :container: container pb-4
        :column: col-lg-12 p-2
        :card: shadow

        **What is the EIFS (Extended Interframe Space)?**

        EIFS is a longer wait time used after detecting erroneous frames, allowing time for acknowledgments or recovery.

    .. panels::
        :container: container pb-4
        :column: col-lg-12 p-2
        :card: shadow

        **How do MAC timings impact throughput in 802.11ac?**

        Efficient timing reduces idle time and collision, enhancing throughput and latency performance.

    .. panels::
        :container: container pb-4
        :column: col-lg-12 p-2
        :card: shadow

        **Are MAC timing parameters fixed in 802.11ac?**

        Many timing values like Slot Time and SIFS are standardized but can vary slightly depending on PHY layer specifics.

    .. panels::
        :container: container pb-4
        :column: col-lg-12 p-2
        :card: shadow

        **How does MAC timing relate to frame aggregation?**

        Aggregation affects timing because multiple frames are sent together, changing interframe spacing and acknowledgment timing.

    .. panels::
        :container: container pb-4
        :column: col-lg-12 p-2
        :card: shadow

        **What timing is used for Block ACK in 802.11ac?**

        Block ACK follows SIFS timing after a data aggregation burst for efficient acknowledgment of multiple frames.

    .. panels::
        :container: container pb-4
        :column: col-lg-12 p-2
        :card: shadow

        **What is the impact of RTS/CTS timing on MAC?**

        RTS/CTS frames use SIFS and DIFS timings to reserve the medium and avoid collisions before data transmission.

    .. panels::
        :container: container pb-4
        :column: col-lg-12 p-2
        :card: shadow

        **How does MAC timing support QoS in 802.11ac?**

        Different interframe spaces and contention windows enable traffic prioritization under EDCA.

    .. panels::
        :container: container pb-4
        :column: col-lg-12 p-2
        :card: shadow

        **Are MAC timing parameters the same as in 802.11n?**

        Mostly similar, but 802.11ac uses timings optimized for the 5 GHz band and enhanced features.

    .. panels::
        :container: container pb-4
        :column: col-lg-12 p-2
        :card: shadow

        **What timing constraints exist for power save modes?**

        Power save requires synchronization with beacon intervals and defined listen intervals to manage sleep cycles.

    .. panels::
        :container: container pb-4
        :column: col-lg-12 p-2
        :card: shadow

        **How is NAV timing used in MAC?**

        NAV indicates how long the medium will be busy, preventing other stations from transmitting prematurely.

    .. panels::
        :container: container pb-4
        :column: col-lg-12 p-2
        :card: shadow

        **What role does timing play in roaming?**

        Timing affects reassociation and handoff delays to ensure seamless transitions between APs.

    .. panels::
        :container: container pb-4
        :column: col-lg-12 p-2
        :card: shadow

        **Where are MAC timing parameters defined for 802.11ac?**

        Defined within the IEEE 802.11ac amendment to the 802.11 standard, aligned with PHY specifications.

    .. panels::
        :container: container pb-4
        :column: col-lg-12 p-2
        :card: shadow

        **How do MAC timings affect latency-sensitive applications?**

        Precise and reduced interframe spacing improves responsiveness for voice, video, and gaming.

.. panels::
        :container: container pb-4
        :column: col-lg-12 p-2
        :card: shadow

        Topics in this section,

                * :ref:`Learnings in this section <mac_timings_step1>`

                * :ref:`Terminology <mac_timings_step2>`

                * :ref:`Version Info <mac_timings_step3>`

                * :ref:`mac_timings Basic Setup on Ubuntu using IPv4 <mac_timings_step18>`

                * :ref:`Reference links <mac_timings_step17>`

.. _mac_timings_step1:

.. tab-set::

    .. tab-item:: Learnings in this section

        * In this section, you are going to learn

.. _mac_timings_step2:

.. tab-set::

    .. tab-item:: Terminology
        
       * Terminology


.. _mac_timings_step3:

.. tab-set::

    .. tab-item:: Version Info
    
         * Version Info


.. _mac_timings_step18:

.. tab-set::

    .. tab-item:: mac_timings Basic Setup on Ubuntu using IPv4

       * setup


.. _mac_timings_step17:

.. tab-set::

    .. tab-item:: Reference links
     
       * Reference links