802.11ax - 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 802.11ax?** IEEE 802.11ax, also known as Wi-Fi 6, is a wireless networking standard designed to improve speed, efficiency, and capacity in dense environments. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **When was 802.11ax finalized?** The standard was officially ratified in 2019. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What frequency bands does 802.11ax support?** It supports 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, with future extensions into 6 GHz in Wi-Fi 6E. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What are the main benefits of 802.11ax?** Higher data rates, better performance in congested environments, improved battery life for devices, and increased network efficiency. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **How does 802.11ax improve efficiency?** It uses technologies like OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access) and MU-MIMO to allow simultaneous transmissions to multiple devices. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Is 802.11ax backward compatible?** Yes, it is backward compatible with previous Wi-Fi standards like 802.11ac, 802.11n, and 802.11a/b/g. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What is OFDMA in 802.11ax?** OFDMA divides channels into smaller subchannels, enabling multiple users to transmit data simultaneously, increasing efficiency. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What is MU-MIMO in 802.11ax?** Multi-User Multiple Input Multiple Output allows an access point to communicate with multiple devices simultaneously, improving throughput. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Does 802.11ax improve battery life?** Yes, through Target Wake Time (TWT), devices can schedule when to wake up and communicate, saving battery power. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What is Target Wake Time (TWT)?** TWT allows devices to negotiate specific times to transmit or receive data, reducing power consumption. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Which OSI layer does 802.11ax operate on?** It operates mainly on the Data Link Layer (Layer 2) and Physical Layer (Layer 1). .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Is 802.11ax suitable for dense environments?** Yes, it is designed to perform well in crowded spaces like stadiums, airports, and offices. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What maximum theoretical speed does 802.11ax offer?** It can reach up to 9.6 Gbps under ideal conditions. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Does 802.11ax require new hardware?** Yes, to fully benefit from 802.11ax features, compatible access points and client devices are needed. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **How does 802.11ax improve latency?** OFDMA and scheduled transmissions reduce wait times, lowering latency in high-traffic networks. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Is 802.11ax secure?** Yes, it supports WPA3 security for enhanced protection. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Can 802.11ax be used in outdoor environments?** Yes, with appropriate hardware, it can be deployed outdoors. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Does 802.11ax support IoT devices?** Yes, features like TWT help improve connectivity and power efficiency for IoT devices. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Where can I find the official 802.11ax specification?** The full standard is available from the IEEE Standards Association. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow Topics in this section, * :ref:`Learnings in this section <802_11ax_step1>` * :ref:`Terminology <802_11ax_step2>` * :ref:`Version Info <802_11ax_step3>` * :ref:`802_11ax Version&IEEE Details <802_11ax_step4>` * :ref:`802_11ax Basic Setup on Ubuntu using IPv4 <802_11ax_step5>` * :ref:`802_11ax Basic Setup on Ubuntu using IPv6 <802_11ax_step6>` * :ref:`802_11ax List of MAC features <802_11ax_step7>` * :ref:`802_11ax Medium Access Functions and their inner working <802_11ax_step8>` * :ref:`802_11ax Supported Frequency Bands in 802.11ax <802_11ax_step9>` * :ref:`802_11ax List of Physical Features <802_11ax_step10>` * :ref:`802_11ax Power Saving Mechanisms in IEEE 802.11ax <802_11ax_step11>` * :ref:`802_11ax Interoperability Mechanisms in IEEE 802.11ax <802_11ax_step12>` * :ref:`802_11ax End-User Products that support 802.11ax <802_11ax_step13>` * :ref:`802_11ax Protocol Packet Details <802_11ax_step14>` * :ref:`802_11ax Basic Features <802_11ax_step15>` * :ref:`Reference links <802_11ax_step16>` .. _802_11ax_step1: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: Learnings in this section * In this section, you are going to learn .. _802_11ax_step2: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: Terminology * Terminology .. _802_11ax_step3: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: Version Info * Version Info .. _802_11ax_step4: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: 802.11ax Version&RFC Details * rfc details .. _802_11ax_step5: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: 802.11ax Basic Setup on Ubuntu using IPv4 * setup .. _802_11ax_step6: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: 802.11ax Basic Setup on Ubuntu using IPv6 * setup .. _802_11ax_step7: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: 802.11ax List of MAC features * mac features .. _802_11ax_step8: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: 802.11ax Medium Access Functions and their inner working * Medium Access Functions and their inner working .. _802_11ax_step9: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: Supported Frequency Bands in 802.11ax * Supported Frequency Bands in 802.11ax .. _802_11ax_step10: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: 802.11ax List of Physical Features * List of Physical Features .. _802_11ax_step11: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: Power Saving Mechanisms in IEEE 802.11ax * Power Saving Mechanisms in IEEE 802.11ax .. _802_11ax_step12: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: Interoperability Mechanisms in IEEE 802.11ax * Interoperability Mechanisms in IEEE 802.11ax .. _802_11ax_step13: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: End-User Products that support 802.11ax * End-User Products that support 802.11ax .. _802_11ax_step14: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: Protocol Packet Details in 802.11ax * Protocol Packet Details .. _802_11ax_step15: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: Basic Features * Basic Features .. _802_11ax_step16: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: Reference links * Reference links