Antenna Considerations for Wi-Fi 6 Introduction

As we all know, the degree to which we are all wirelessly connected around the world continues to increase. According to Internet World Stats, almost 57% (officially more than half) of the world population is now connected to the internet. As wireless technologies continue to develop and evolve, this trend will only grow. Not only is the number of connected people increasing, the sophistication and complexity of wireless technologies also deepens.

With the increasing number of our world population becoming connected via the internet and with the ever-increasing development of new wireless technologies, the need for faster speeds and increased bandwidth also looms.

To mitigate these technological needs, the Wi-Fi Alliance has introduced the newest generation of Wi-Fi technology – Wi-Fi 6 (also known as or based upon the IEEE 802.11ax standard).

This application brief discusses how antennas and antenna systems must evolve and/or perform to function successfully in a Wi-Fi 6 world.

Don’t confuse Wi-Fi 6 with the emerging 5G technology. Although both are intended to increase the speed and bandwidth of Almost 57% (officially wireless networks, they are more than half) of the two different things. Whereas world population is Wi-Fi 6 is the sixth generation of Wi-Fi, 5G is the fifth/latest now connected to generation of mobile network the internet. or cellular technology.

p. 2 4K video is expected to What is Wi-Fi 6 increase from 3% to 22% of all IP traffic. First of all, it’s important to explain what Wi-Fi 6 entails. Like we’ve already stated, Wi-Fi 6 (or 802.11ax) is the next generation of wireless technology. The following sections outline three main goals that the 2017 3% Wi-Fi Alliance intends to achieve with this technology. 2022 22% Increased Speeds/ Better Performance in an Increasingly- Higher Throughput Each household with at Congested Wi-Fi least two teenagers will own Wi-Fi 6 is expected to deliver a Environment approximately 50 IoT and 40%-higher speed increase compared other internet-connected to Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac). According to It’s quite obvious that the use of devices by 2020. Cisco Visual Networking Index: smartphones and a myriad of other Forecast and Trends, the total connected devices continues to amount of internet traffic in five years escalate. In addition, more and (2017-2022) will be higher than the more public places are setting up previous combined total years since their environments for wireless the internet’s inception. In addition, coverage. Added to these two during the same time period, 4K factors is the fact that devices, like video is expected to increase from we mentioned earlier, are using 3% to 22% of all IP traffic. And, to increasingly data-heavy applications. throw in one more statistic, the All of this combines into an extremely OECD (Organization for Economic congested Wi-Fi environment which Cooperation and Development) often leads to slow, ineffective estimates that each household with wireless service. To combat this, Wi-Fi at least two teenagers will own 6 incorporates several technologies approximately fifty IoT and other that help decrease interference internet-connected devices. There is between devices and more-efficiently little doubt that the increased speed transmit data packets. With these of Wi-Fi 6 is necessary. technologies in place, consumers are able to achieve fast speeds and quality performance despite the Extended Battery Life continued increase in wireless devices.

Despite the fact that wireless and other technologies have advanced and sky-rocketed, the technologies surrounding Wi-Fi connectivity power consumption and battery life have not demonstrated much advancement. With the introduction of Wi-Fi 6, the Wi-Fi Alliance hopes to change this fact. Using Target Wake Time (TWT), a new feature that enables access points to set up a schedule for sending data packets while allowing the devices to “nap” or enter a lower power mode between transmissions, devices could use far less power (67% lower power consumption) than they achieved prior to Wi-Fi 6.

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Multi-User MIMO

Some of the challenges facing the range and speed of Wi-Fi are optimized antenna performance include: enhanced; a targeted signal is stronger Antenna than a scattered one. With MU-MIMO, Considerations • The need for additional antennas antennas are more fully utilized; various • The increasingly-smaller enclosure antennas can communicate (both for Successful size of current devices uplink and downlink transmissions) • The fact that multiple technologies independently with different devices at Wi-Fi 6 must co-exist (and function) inside the same time. a single device enclosure Performance • The need for additional ports in a For optimal performance of a Wi-Fi 6 single footprint which also means device, more antennas are required. Challenges for Antennas a wider variety of connectors. Traditionally, the majority of smaller Wi-Fi devices, such as consumer electronics or home automation It’s true that the arrival of Wi-Fi 6 Understanding brings many important and needed devices, may have only included one enhancements. But, due to these new MU-MIMO antenna. Now, access points and user features, there are some challenges devices incorporating up to 8 antenna that accompany them. The majority First, let’s briefly discuss one key ports will become part of the new of these enhancements require a technology that is integral to standard, but not without increased higher degree of organization between Wi-Fi 6 – MU-MIMO or Multi-User, complication. Whether working with devices, access points, and other parts Multiple Input, Multiple Output. embedded or external antennas, of the system in order to function MU-MIMO helps mitigate the accommodating additional radios successfully. Because every part of the challenges involved with our current (and thus antennas) requires more system is so interrelated, the tighter and increasingly-congested Wi-Fi space and increased power. The need radio frequency (RF) specifications environment. It achieves this by adding for additional space and increased that accompany Wi-Fi 6 means that uplink support for concurrent upstream power lead to extra cost and more of a every aspect of an RF system design and downstream client battery drain. becomes more complicated. data transmissions. This new MU-MIMO technology uses These challenges certainly apply to For effective performance, MU-MIMO even more complex antenna sets in antennas as well. Due to the increased uses a feature called beamforming. order to cover both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz complexity and higher performance Beamforming, rather than randomly bands. For effective functionality of MU- expectations involved with Wi-Fi 6, scattering a signal in all directions, MIMO technology on both the uplink antennas must be optimized to meet points signals directly towards the and downlink, up to 8 spacial streams these higher levels of performance. intended device or devices. Because (involving eight antennas) is ideal. these signals are used more efficiently, Antenna Installation in a small space. Antennas also (two antennas in a single radome) require the correct orientation tor isn’t limited to communicating with for Optimized optimal performance. For example, one type of polarization but rather Performance placing two antennas at a 90-degree can transmit to and from both angle to each other is typical for a vertically- and horizontally-polarized Handling a Smaller 2x2 MIMO antenna arrangement. antennas. Basically, you have two Considering more than a typical antennas in one package which, Enclosure Size or Less 2x2 MIMO scenario is required for aside from helping with isolation and Space in General effective MU-MIMO, there’s even a correlation, it saves space and cost higher degree of complication. and provides a dual port in a single Whether you’re using embedded footprint. MIMO antennas or external antennas, Minimize Antenna Pattern increasing the number of antennas Correlation Dual-Band Antenna can add complication to your setup. But it is especially complicated In addition to spacing, minimizing the Arrays with embedded antennas. As our antenna pattern correlation and dual connected devices become smaller polarization also must be considered Whereas the 802.11 ac standard (Wi-Fi and more compact, the space for successful antenna installation, 5) only functioned on the 5 GHz band, allotted for RF equipment also especially in small portable devices. Wi-Fi 6 incorporates both the 2.4 GHz decreases. In other words, real estate and the 5 GHz frequency bands. As becomes an issue. Considering Minimizing the antenna pattern the number of wireless technologies the fact that eight antennas, for correlation is a task which is and devices continues to evolve, example, are ideal for optimal Wi-Fi 6 especially difficult in a small congestion in both of these bands performance, the challenge arises of enclosure. Antenna pattern will continue to increase, negatively fitting additional embedded antennas correlation, simply put, is within or providing connectors for the amount of similarities the additional external antennas (or dissimilarities) between given the smaller enclosure size. multiple antennas’ radiation Minimizing the antenna patterns. To gain the pattern correlation and most advantage of an Installation is a Tricky dual polarization also Thing antenna array, the device RF receiver must be able must be considered to distinguish between Antenna installation, whether it’s for successful antenna different antenna spatial embedded antennas or external streams. You can create installation, especially in antennas is a tricky thing. How these dissimilarities through the antennas are situated within small portable devices. separation and orientation the device or outside the device of the antennas. is critical – if the placement isn’t exact, connectivity can be adversely Dual polarization diversity affected. Antennas must be in antennas also helps with the impacting both Wi-Fi speeds and optimized to limit interactions or isolation optimization. Dual bandwidth. Any devices or other interference with other antennas. The polarization involves packaging two hardware that expects optimal Wi-Fi more isolated each antenna is, the antennas (one that is horizontally 6 performance, including antennas, better the performance. polarized and another that is must be capable of effectively Increase Space Between vertically polarized) together in a Antennas single housing or radome. When installed properly, a dual-polarized

antenna housing One way to increase isolation is to increase the physical space between antennas. Antennas must be the correct distance apart (at least a 1/4 of a wavelength) – which is especially complicated when you’re trying to fit multiple embedded antennas

p. 5 handling both frequency bands despite the high level of congestion. About Laird Connectivity’s Wi-Fi 6 Antennas To add to this complication, in October of 2018, the FCC (U.S. Federal Communications Laird Connectivity offers a large variety of antennas Commission) released a notice of for Wi-Fi 6, including antennas suitable for both indoor proposed rulemaking to potentially and outdoor locations including: open the 6 GHz band to unlicensed use. This band contains up to 1,200 • Omnidirectional, multi-port canister antennas MHz of new spectrum (5.925 GHz • Directional, multi-port panel antennas to 7.125 GHz). In order to meet • Featuring various gain configurations performance expectations for • Offering various combinations of vertical the next generation of Wi-Fi, this and horizontal polarizations additional unlicensed spectrum is • Omni single-port antennas essential. The introduction of the 6 GHz band is certainly good news for Laird Connectivity also offers single Wi-Fi, but it also increases the degree and multi-port omnidirectional of difficulty that accompanies the antennas designed for in-building optimization of antenna performance ceiling mount applications. Lastly, in this expanded environment. the Wi-Fi 6 antenna portfolio includes an extensive offering of embedded antennas for both Conclusion network and subscriber devices.

The anticipated performance of Note: Wi-Fi 6 WLAN antennas are Wi-Fi 6 has the potential to meet currently in development. Please the growing needs for faster speeds contact Laird Connectivity to and increased bandwidth as our discuss how we can address your wireless connectivity around the requirements. globe skyrockets. But with this increased performance comes For more information, visit increased complexity and challenges lairdconnect.com/rf-antennas/ for wireless devices, access points, wi-fi-antennas and all other aspects of wireless systems. Antennas and antenna systems are not immune to these challenges. As part of a wireless connectivity system, antennas must also be optimized to meet the performance standards of Wi-Fi 6. The need for additional antennas, the decreased size of devices and About Laird Connectivity: therefore antenna enclosures, and the Laird Connectivity simplifies the enablement of wireless technologies co-existence of multiple technologies with market-leading wireless modules and antennas, integrated sensor in a single device, for example, extend and gateway platforms, and customer-specific wireless solutions. Our the complexity of Wi-Fi 6 to these best-in-class support and comprehensive engineering services help antenna systems. reduce risk and improve time-to-market. When you need unmatched wireless performance to connect electronics with security and confidence, Laird Connectivity delivers — no matter what.

Learn more at lairdconnect.com

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