Learn about wireless routers, mesh networking, and the transition to Wi-Fi 6

“In this technological age, the number of connected devices in the home has exploded in recent years. Consumers are paying more attention than ever to Internet of Things (IoT) devices such as home automation, 4K/HD video streaming and online gaming, which in turn has tripled the amount of data transmitted over the internet. Therefore, you need to think carefully when choosing your next router.

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By: Anubhava Jain, Senior Product Manager, Wireless Connectivity and Signal Processing Business, ON semiconductor

In this technological age, the number of connected devices in the home has exploded in recent years. Consumers are paying more attention than ever to Internet of Things (IoT) devices such as home automation, 4K/HD video streaming and online gaming, which in turn has tripled the amount of data transmitted over the internet. Therefore, you need to think carefully when choosing your next router.

Wi-Fi® Technology: IEEE 802.11 is the technology generation that defines the international Wi-Fi standard. For example, “802.11 n/ac/ax” means a specific standard for 802.11ac, released in late 2013 and then updated in 2016, also known as Wi-Fi 5. With the advent of 802.11ax, commonly known as Wi-Fi 6, throughput was significantly higher. Wi-Fi 5 (11ac C 160MHz) can achieve a theoretical maximum speed of 6.9 Gbps, while Wi-Fi 6 (11ax-160MHz) can reach 9.6 Gbps. Another key aspect that cannot be ignored is the operating frequency band, as Wi-Fi 5 operates in the 5GHz band, while Wi-Fi 6 supports the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz bands.

What does “band” stand for? Single-band routers are a thing of the past. The moment is about dual/tri-band routers. Dual-band means that the router uses two bands of the spectrum to transmit packets, 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. Tri-band routers use the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6Ghz frequency bands, allowing devices to select networks using a band-steering algorithm that reduces network congestion by balancing the load on each of the three frequency bands.

The 2.4 GHz band is more crowded than the 5 GHz and 6 GHz bands; Bluetooth adds another interference bottleneck because it operates on the same 2.4 GHz band, but the technology is different. Also, certain other non-Wi-Fi devices such as cordless phones may affect performance. However, one of the advantages of using the 2.4 GHz frequency is that it is more efficient than 5 GHz/6 GHz through walls, as lower frequencies represent higher wavelengths and ensure better coverage. In the latter case, 8×8 multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) would greatly contribute to range extension.

Interpretation of Antennas and Spatial Streams: The MIMO specification plays an important role in antenna configurations such as 4×4, 1×1, etc. The numbers indicate the number of transmit (Tx)/receive (Rx) antennas. Another aspect of choosing the right router is Spatial Streaming (SS), which is usually represented as 4×4:4, meaning they use 4 SS to send unique data on the same channel through spatial multiplexing. Wi-Fi 5/6 supports up to 8SS, which means higher throughput. The more antennas, the greater the capability for multiple simultaneous data streams, and the improved beamforming to steer the individual streams with compensated phase shifts, enabling higher throughput.

In the future, be sure to check your internet service provider’s (ISP) speed package (in Mbps) to make sure you’re getting the coverage you want. Some ISPs offer an integrated unit (modem/router in one unit) for rent. For more tech-savvy users, it’s worth researching feature availability and purchasing your own device. Other things to consider when choosing a router include a multi-core processor and WPA3 encryption for security.

Mesh Networking: Given how many of us adapt to remote work and virtual learning this year, the number of concurrent users and devices has increased. Where previously raw throughput of home routers was a key value, today network resiliency at the edge is just as important as coverage. Depending on the home topology, there may be some dead spots. To maximize Wi-Fi coverage in areas where speeds can be increased, a mesh network should be used.

Nodes, or pods in business terms, are Wi-Fi extenders that are strategically placed and connected to a main hub, which is connected via Ethernet cables to broadband gateways to form a network for better coverage. This topology makes switching flawless by rebroadcasting packets and makes pods virtual access points so dead spots “don’t die”. A typical router can cover an area of ​​2500 square feet. However, a mesh network can double the coverage area to a maximum of 5,000 square feet, depending on the number of pods (usually 2 to 3).

With the backbone of artificial intelligence, pods can help by choosing the fastest route in the network and optimizing bandwidth based on the needs of the device. For example, IoT devices will use less bandwidth than laptops. If the nodes are synced, they can be easily managed via an app on your smartphone. The selling point of these little pods is their ease of use and plug-and-play installation, providing seamless Wi-Fi coverage.

Transition to Wi-Fi 6/6E: Wi-Fi 6 leverages key features such as 8×8 MU-MIMO, OFDMA, extended range, and Basic Service Set (BSS) coloring for better spatial multiplexing. In Wi-Fi 6, network congestion is reduced, resulting in increased capacity, performance, and lower power consumption. Some other considerations are Target Wake Time (TWT) for better power management. WPA3 enhances security; 1024 QAM improves throughput.

Figure 1. The 6 GHz unlicensed band further expands Wi-Fi networks

Next will be Wi-Fi 6E, which refers to Wi-Fi 6 on the 6 GHz band and was recently approved by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to open up 1200 MHz of spectrum for Wi-Fi use. The introduction of the 6 GHz band is expected to bring new performance and usability to Wi-Fi 6 devices.

The next Wi-Fi standard, IEEE 802.11be, is set to establish 320 MHz channels in the 6 GHz band using up to 16×16 MIMO architectures on infrastructure equipment. The combination of these developments could boost speeds beyond 40 Gbps, deliver never-before-seen range performance, and usher in a new era of advanced Wi-Fi applications.

Figure 2. Overall timeline for the adoption of Wi-Fi 6 and 6E

ON Semiconductor’s Wi-Fi 6E solution is designed to accommodate the transition to Wi-Fi 6E while meeting the needs of mainstream 6 GHz applications. As Wi-Fi 6E infrastructure proliferates, it will seed the 6GHz ecosystem. Client devices will also benefit from higher energy efficiency, less interference, and lower latency and jitter, resulting in a better user experience across multiple applications and environments.