802.11ae - Basics ======================== .. 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 is IEEE 802.11ae?** IEEE 802.11ae is an amendment to the IEEE 802.11 Wi-Fi standard that introduces Quality of Service (QoS) prioritization for management frames using a mechanism called the QoS Management Frame (QMF). .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Why was 802.11ae introduced?** It was introduced to ensure time-sensitive or critical management frames (like disassociation, beacons, or roaming signals) are transmitted with higher priority, reducing delays and contention. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What is QMF (QoS Management Frame)?** QMF is a mechanism that allows management frames to be transmitted using specific access categories, such as voice or video, instead of the default best-effort delivery class. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **When was IEEE 802.11ae ratified?** It was officially published in 2012 and later merged into the consolidated IEEE 802.11-2016 standard. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What types of frames are affected by 802.11ae?** Management frames such as association, reassociation, disassociation, authentication, and beacon frames are affected, allowing them to be prioritized over regular traffic. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Is 802.11ae still a separate standard?** No. It was integrated into the main IEEE 802.11 standard, starting with the 2016 revision. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Which layer does 802.11ae operate at?** It operates at the MAC (Medium Access Control) sublayer of Layer 2 in the OSI model. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Does 802.11ae impact user data frames?** No, 802.11ae only affects management frames. User data frames are managed by other QoS mechanisms like those introduced in 802.11e. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What is the purpose of management frame prioritization?** It ensures that time-sensitive control traffic can be transmitted quickly and reliably, improving WLAN efficiency and reliability in dense environments. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **How is QMF support advertised?** Devices advertise QMF support using a bit in the Extended Capabilities Information Element (IE) in beacon and probe response frames. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What happens if a device doesn't support 802.11ae?** If either the sender or receiver doesn't support QMF, the management frame will default to the best-effort access category (AC_BE) or AC_VO depending on policy. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Can 802.11ae be used in Wi-Fi 6/6E/7 networks?** Yes. Since it is part of the merged 802.11 standard, it is inherited by newer Wi-Fi generations. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **How are management frames prioritized in 802.11ae?** They are assigned to different access categories (e.g., AC_VO for voice) using a Management Frame Policy that defines priority per frame type. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Can QMF be configured per SSID?** Yes. Management frame prioritization policies can be defined per BSS or SSID in an access point's configuration. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Does 802.11ae reduce latency?** Yes, for management frames. By placing them in higher priority queues, latency for control traffic is significantly reduced in congested networks. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Which access categories are used in 802.11ae?** Access categories include: AC_BK (Background), AC_BE (Best Effort), AC_VI (Video), and AC_VO (Voice). .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Is 802.11ae mandatory for all Wi-Fi devices?** No, it is optional. Devices may or may not implement QMF, but if both ends support it, they can use it for enhanced QoS. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **How does a device know the AP's QMF policy?** The QMF policy is communicated in the Management Frame Policy IE in beacon and probe response frames. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Can QMF impact roaming performance?** Yes. By prioritizing reassociation or authentication frames, roaming performance can improve significantly, especially in high-density environments. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Is 802.11ae secure?** Yes. It does not introduce new vulnerabilities. It prioritizes existing frames, which may already be encrypted and protected via standard 802.11i (WPA2/WPA3) mechanisms. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Where can I read the official 802.11ae specification?** The full amendment is available from the [IEEE Standards Store](https://standards.ieee.org) and is integrated into the IEEE 802.11-2016 consolidated document. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Is 802.11ae used in enterprise networks?** Yes, especially in enterprise WLAN deployments where performance, roaming speed, and control message reliability are critical. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow Topics in this section, * :ref:`Learnings in this section <802_11ae_step1>` * :ref:`Terminology <802_11ae_step2>` * :ref:`Version Info <802_11ae_step3>` * :ref:`802_11ae Version&IEEE Details <802_11ae_step4>` * :ref:`802_11ae Basic Setup on Ubuntu using IPv4 <802_11ae_step5>` * :ref:`802_11ae Basic Setup on Ubuntu using IPv6 <802_11ae_step6>` * :ref:`802_11ae List of MAC features <802_11ae_step7>` * :ref:`802_11ae Medium Access Functions and their inner working <802_11ae_step8>` * :ref:`802_11ae Supported Frequency Bands in 802.11ae <802_11ae_step9>` * :ref:`802_11ae List of Physical Features <802_11ae_step10>` * :ref:`802_11ae Power Saving Mechanisms in IEEE 802.11ae <802_11ae_step11>` * :ref:`802_11ae Interoperability Mechanisms in IEEE 802.11ae <802_11ae_step12>` * :ref:`802_11ae End-User Products that support 802.11ae <802_11ae_step13>` * :ref:`802_11ae Protocol Packet Details <802_11ae_step14>` * :ref:`802_11ae Basic Features <802_11ae_step15>` * :ref:`Reference links <802_11ae_step16>` .. _802_11ae_step1: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: Learnings in this section * In this section, you are going to learn .. _802_11ae_step2: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: Terminology * Terminology .. _802_11ae_step3: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: Version Info * Version Info .. _802_11ae_step4: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: 802.11ae Version&RFC Details * rfc details .. _802_11ae_step5: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: 802.11ae Basic Setup on Ubuntu using IPv4 * setup .. _802_11ae_step6: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: 802.11ae Basic Setup on Ubuntu using IPv6 * setup .. _802_11ae_step7: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: 802.11ae List of MAC features * mac features .. _802_11ae_step8: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: 802.11ae Medium Access Functions and their inner working * Medium Access Functions and their inner working .. _802_11ae_step9: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: Supported Frequency Bands in 802.11ae * Supported Frequency Bands in 802.11ae .. _802_11ae_step10: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: 802.11ae List of Physical Features * List of Physical Features .. _802_11ae_step11: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: Power Saving Mechanisms in IEEE 802.11ae * Power Saving Mechanisms in IEEE 802.11ae .. _802_11ae_step12: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: Interoperability Mechanisms in IEEE 802.11ae * Interoperability Mechanisms in IEEE 802.11ae .. _802_11ae_step13: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: End-User Products that support 802.11ae * End-User Products that support 802.11ae .. _802_11ae_step14: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: Protocol Packet Details in 802.11ae * Protocol Packet Details .. _802_11ae_step15: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: Basic Features * Basic Features .. _802_11ae_step16: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: Reference links * Reference links