Monday, May 17, 2021

Wi-Fi 6E's Current Status

TL;DR:

  • 6 GHz availability is expanding, but far from universal.
  • Wi-Fi 6E product selection is limited: Mostly high-end, expensive, and hard to buy.
  • Generally speaking, 6 GHz offers less range but higher effective throughput than 5 GHz.
  • Wider channels are more feasible than with 5 GHz, and throughput above 1 Gbps is possible.

- The rules are still being made, and the benefits of 6 GHz haven’t been fully realized yet.

Wi-Fi 6E Is Here*!

*Kind of. The current status of the 6 GHz spectrum and Wi-Fi 6E is complicated. Getting the details right requires reading through white papers and dense documents from regulatory bodies. It also requires sorting through a lot of marketing hype and outdated or incomplete information.

This post is a summary of everything I’ve been able to find. If you notice anything that is wrong or needs updated, please let me know.

Table of Contents

  • Quick Review: What is Wi-Fi 6E?
  • ISM and U-NII Wi-Fi Bands
  • Wi-Fi 6E Availability
  • Global Wi-Fi 6E Timeline
  • Wi-Fi 6E Device Classes and EIRP Limits
  • Wi-Fi 6E Certified products
  • Using Wi-Fi 6E and the Road Ahead

Quick Review: What Is Wi-Fi 6E?

Wi-Fi 6E is the Wi-Fi 6 standard, extended into the 6 GHz band. It uses the same PHY standard as Wi-Fi 6, but offers greater availability of wider channel sizes, and access to clearer spectrum with less interference from legacy Wi-Fi devices. Wi-Fi 6E access points are typically dual or tri-band, and backwards compatible with 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz devices. However, only Wi-Fi 6E clients are able to access the new spectrum.

The addition of 1200 MHz of spectrum in the 6 GHz band is arguably the biggest change in wireless networking since the original 802.11 standard came out in 1997, or the original allocation of the ISM bands in 1985. For perspective, less than 260 MHz of unrestricted spectrum is available in the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands.

Before we look at some Wi-Fi 6E products and performance, I want to look at all the frequencies available for Wi-Fi, where Wi-Fi 6E is available, and the timeline of events that led us here.

ISM and U-NII Wi-Fi Bands

2.4 GHz ISM Band

2.4 GHz ISM: 2400 - 2500 MHz - Availability of the full 100 MHz varies by country. * Most allow 82 MHz for Wi-Fi — Channels 1 to 13 * The US FCC only allows 72 MHz for Wi-Fi — Channels 1 to 11 - Bluetooth, Zigbee, and other wireless technologies also operate in the 2.4 GHz ISM band.

5 GHz U-NII Bands

  • U-NII-1: 5150 - 5250 MHz
  • U-NII-2: 5250 - 5725 MHz
    • Conflicts with radar and satellite communication, requiring the use of dynamic frequency selection (DFS).
    • Broken into three sub-bands, with different rules for each.
      • U-NII-2A — 5250 - 5350 MHz
      • U-NII-2B — 5350 - 5470 MHz (unavailable for Wi-Fi)
      • U-NII-2C — 5470 - 5725 MHz
  • U-NII-3: 5725 - 5850 MHz
  • U-NII-4: 5850 - 5925 MHz
    • Generally not available for Wi-Fi.
    • Since 1999, the US FCC allocated U-NII-4 for a vehicle-safety technology Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC), which was never widely used in the US.
    • In late 2020, the US FCC reallocated 45 MHz (5850 - 5895 MHz) for use in Wi-Fi.
      • Indoor operation is allowed, and outdoor operation rules are still being finalized.
      • The other 30 MHz (5895 - 5925 MHz) is set aside for a newer vehicle-safety technology called Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X).

6 GHz U-NII Bands (Wi-Fi 6E)

  • U-NII-5: 5925 - 6425 MHz
    • Indoor/outdoor
    • Channels 1 to 97
  • U-NII-6: 6425 - 6525 MHz
    • Indoor only
    • Channels 101 to 117
  • U-NII-7: 6525 - 6875 MHz
    • Indoor/outdoor
    • Channels 121 to 185
  • U-NII-8: 6875 - 7125 MHz
    • Indoor only
    • Channels 189 to 223

Refer to the U-NII Wikipedia article and List of WLAN channels for more details, and a breakdown of availability by country.

Wi-Fi 6E Availability (as of May 2021)

While the US FCC was the first to announce a decision, regulators around the world have been considering making 6 GHz unlicensed for years. Some regulators are still working through that process, and some haven’t officially started. As of May 2021, this is the list of countries where unlicensed 6 GHz operation is being made possible. The Wi-Fi Alliance maintains a list of all countries enabling Wi-Fi 6E.

Approved Full 1200 MHz

Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Peru, Saudia Arabia, South Korea, United States.

Approved 500 MHz (U-NII-5 only)

European Union* (5925-5945 MHz excluded), Greenland, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom.

Considering Full 1200 MHz

Australia, Canada, Columbia, Japan, Jordan, Mexico, Qatar.

Considering 500 MHz (U-NII-5 only)

Argentina, Africa (ATU), Egypt, Oman, Russia, Turkey.

Global Wi-Fi 6E Timeline

Wi-Fi 6E Device Classes and EIRP Limits

There are three main categories of Wi-Fi 6E devices. The classes are mostly shared, but the rules controlling their use vary by country. There are more details and exceptions than what I’m listing here. Refer to your local regulatory bodies rules for more details, such as the US FCC’s guidance for operating the 6 GHz band.

Standard Power (SP)

  • Indoors or outdoors, with integrated or external antennas.
  • U-NII-5 and U-NII-7 bands only.
  • Require the use of an Automated Frequency Coordination (AFC) provider to avoiding interfering with incumbent services.
    • AFC availability is still in process in the US, and other regions are still working on their solutions. AFC is unlikely to be widely available before 2022.
  • SP APs operate at a maximum of 36 dBm EIRP (in the US).
  • SP clients are limited to an EIRP 6 dBm less than the AP they’re connected to, typically 30 dBm.
  • SPI clients rely on their AP for AFC.

Low Power Indoor (LPI)

  • Indoor only, integrated antenna required.
  • LPI APs cannot use external antennas, battery power, or weatherproof enclosures.
  • Can use the full 1200 MHz (depending on availability).
  • Require contention-based protocols to protect incumbent services, but not AFC.
  • LPI APs operate at a maximum of 30 dBm EIRP (in the US).
  • LPI clients are limited to an EIRP 6 dBm less than the AP they’re connected to, typically 24 dBm.

Very Low Power (VLP)

  • Mobile, indoors and outdoors, but offer limited range.
  • Can use the full 1200 MHz (depending on availability).
  • Require contention-based protocols to protect incumbent services, but not AFC.
  • Operate at a maximum of 14 dBm EIRP (in the EU).
  • The US FCC is still working on their rules for VLP devices.

Channel Width Impact on EIRP

  • Maximum EIRP is calculated for 320 MHz-wide channels, which are not available in Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax).
  • 160 MHz channels reduce max EIRP by 3 dBm.
  • 80 MHz channels reduce max EIRP by 6 dBm.
  • 40 MHz channels reduce max EIRP by 9 dBm.
  • 20 MHz channels reduce max EIRP by 12 dBm.
  • These numbers are subject to change as 6 GHz rules are finalized, and 802.11be drafts evolve.

Wi-Fi 6E Certified Products (as of May 2021)

While the number of countries supporting the 6 GHz band is expanding, the number of 6 GHz devices is too. 338 million Wi-Fi 6 devices are expected to be sold in 2021, and analysts at IDC expect roughly 20% of all Wi-Fi 6 devices to support the 6E standard by 2022. There are many draft Wi-Fi 6E products available now, but only a handful of them have been officially certified by the Wi-Fi alliance for compatibility and inter-operation.

Refer to the Wi-Fi Alliance Product Finder for the most updated list, and details about the specific capabilities that are required to be officially Wi-Fi 6E certified.

Routers and Wi-Fi Access Points - Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE11000 - Linksys MX8500 (Atlas Max 6E Mesh Kit) - Uses Qualcomm Pro 1210 Chipset - Linksys MR7500 (Hydra Pro 6E) - Uses Qualcomm Pro 810 Chipset

Wi-Fi Cards - Intel AX210

Phones - Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra - SM-G998U - USA model - SM-G998N - South Korea model

TVs - Samsung QN900A and QN800A (German press release) - Only available with Wi-Fi 6E in certain regions

Chipsets - Broadcom BCM94391 - Broadcom BCM94908R43684W6E - MaxLinear MMID 99A3A0 - Mediatek MT7915 and MT7915STA - Mediatek MTK921K - Used in AMD’s recently announced RZ608 - ON Semiconductor QSR10GU-AX 8x8 - Qualcomm IPQ8074 (Networking Pro 1210) - Qualcomm CA-WIFI6ESTA-50 (Reference Design)

Using Wi-Fi 6E

Like most people, I have spent more time reading about Wi-Fi 6E than using it. Wi-Fi 6E sounds impressive, but how does it work in reality? I don’t have a full answer yet, no one does. It’s still early days for 6 GHz, and we won’t be able to see all of the benefits until more networks and client devices support it. All we can get right now is a sneak peak of what’s to come.

Intel AX210, Windows Betas, and Wi-Fi Analyzers

I didn’t have a Galaxy S21 Ultra to test with, so that meant I was stuck with an Intel AX210 card. Plug it in, grab the drivers, easy right? Not quite.

Thankfully, trailblazers like Dong Kno and Tim Higgins at Small Net Builder have taken the 6 GHz plunge before I did, and I referred to their findings for help. The first thing I did was follow Tim’s instructions for getting 6 GHz support enabled on the Intel AX210. Since Microsoft hasn’t officially added support for 6 GHz, I signed up for the Windows 10 Insider program and installed the latest beta. After a few reboots and a minor registry tweak, 6 GHz support was enabled.

Confirming 6 GHz support wasn’t easy, as all the normal (read: free) Wi-Fi analyzer apps I tried only recognized the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands. I don’t have access to any professional 6 GHz analyzer hardware or software. Until consumer-grade analyzer apps are updated to support Wi-Fi 6E, most of us will be stuck in the same situation.

Adding to the confusion, Windows didn’t show the channels and bands properly, showing all 6 GHz connections as 5 GHz connections on channel 36. By separating the SSIDs I was able to manually connect to the 6 GHz band, and able to confirm a 6 GHz connection in my router's web interface.

Authentication: WPA3 and OWE

The authentication methods for Wi-Fi 6E clients vary by which band they’re operating in: - 2.4 GHz: WPA2, WPA3, WPA2/3 Mixed, OWE, Open - 5 GHz: WPA2, WPA3, WPA2/3 Mixed, OWE, Open - 6 GHz: WPA3 or OWE

Wi-Fi Protected Access 3 (WPA3) is the only authentication method available for the 6 GHz band. When I tried to use WPA3 with my Intel AX210 card, I wasn’t able to connect. I’ve read that a future firmware update from Intel will address that. Since I wasn’t able to associate with WPA3-Personal, I turned to my only other option: OWE.

Opportunistic Wireless Encryption (OWE) is a new standard for encrypting open Wi-Fi networks. It doesn’t provide authentication, meaning anyone can join the network, but it does encrypt the traffic between AP and client. The Wi-Fi Alliance has a good overview of what OWE is, and their Wi-Fi Enhanced Open certification. The very short summary of OWE is that it adds encryption without requiring a password. Both WPA3 and OWE rely on AES encryption underneath, but no security method is perfect.

Multi-Gigabit Ports and Early Performance Metrics

What everyone wants to know: yes, you can break the 1 Gbps barrier with 160 MHz and sometimes 80 Mhz channels in 5 GHz or 6 GHz. This requires a strong connection between AP and client, and 2.5 Gbps or higher ports to effectively use. Thankfully, both of the systems I tested had a multi-gigabit port, and 6 GHz allows for multiple 160 MHz channels.

For testing, I got a few 2.5 Gbps and 5 Gbps USB Ethernet adapters, allowing me to break the gigabit barrier and the ~940 Mbps TCP throughput limit of a typical gigabit Ethernet port.

With 160 MHz channels and a 2.5 Gbps connection, iPerf TCP tests hovered around and above 1 Gbps of throughput to a single client. While this level of performance is possible with 5 GHz, it’s much more realistic to deploy 160 MHz channels or a somewhat-dense 80 MHz channel plan in the 6 GHz band.

As always, single-client throughput numbers are a shallow way to measure Wi-Fi performance. Interference, contention, and aggregate throughput isn’t something I’m setup to scientifically test, so I’ll point to Smallnetbuilder’s recent article on that.

The Road Ahead

In a few years Wi-Fi 6E will be common, 6 GHz will be boring, and Wi-Fi 7 will be the next big thing. The Wi-Fi 7 spec is still being written, but it’s likely to support 320 MHz channels, higher lever 4096-QAM modulation, and multi-gigabit performance. The next Wi-Fi standard will take better advantage of 6 GHz. For now, it’s an open playground for RF nerds (besides those pesky satellites).

Sources and Further Reading



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