Short Range Wireless
Automated device testing helps build the future of Wi-Fi
Short range wireless technology offers easy connectivity that can be used for a wealth of applications. As both consumers and businesses demand more flexible control of devices, such as remote control of home security and building heating systems, and more mobile access to data, WLAN (Wi-Fi) is being used much more widely, writes Anritsu
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s well as reading email and browsing the Internet, WLAN technologies are also being adopted for connecting ‘things’ such as
refrigerators and air conditioners to the Internet of Things (IoT), helping to make homes smarter. Cars and other vehicles are also feeling the benefit, as well as new fields, such as smart cities and smart factories, and remote medical and healthcare services.
So far, Wi-Fi has relied on the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands. One of the main problems with these is possible interference with other devices sharing the same band. For example, the 2.4 GHz band allows unlicensed use by microwave ovens and many other kinds of wireless equipment, including Bluetooth, ZigBee and other low- power communication devices. This means that simultaneous use of Wi-Fi devices over short-distances can cause problems with interference.
The 5 GHz band suffers from a similar problem. The band gives priority to weather and shipping radar for a full 320 MHz of the 500 MHz bandwidth available. WLAN connectivity solutions can only be used if they do not affect these other services. For the 5 GHz band, IEEE 802.11ac/ax specifies use of channel bandwidths up to 160 MHz. However, when we take out the frequency range prioritised for radar, even one channel cannot be secured.
Enter Wi-Fi 6E
For these and other reasons, Wi-Fi 6E, which uses the 6 GHz band as an unlicensed band, has been mooted as a solution to many of these issues. Among its benefits are a wide frequency band of up to 1.2 GHz, which solves congestion. Operation using 160 MHz channels is now achievable and the band supports high-speed, high-efficiency networks configured only of devices
40 November 2021
supporting IEEE 802.11ax. It also supports secure networks protected by the latest WPA3 technology.
As well as these advantages, there are also some challenges to using the unlicensed 6 GHz band. Licensed systems in the 6 GHz band are used for communication services that require high reliability, such as broadcast auxiliary services and fixed satellite services. This means that, to prevent interference with them, WLAN devices require Automated Frequency Coordination functions to limit their transmitter power and suppress interference. Because the permitted frequency, transmitter power, and power density differ according to the role of the device and whether it is used indoors or outdoors, developing 6 GHz band WLAN products requires the manufacturer to evaluate whether the product can meet the rules.
Testing under real conditions Testing WLAN equipment under real conditions is the role of Anritsu’s new Wireless Connectivity Test Set, the MT8862A. Designed to measure the RF transmitter and
Components in Electronics
receiver characteristics of WLAN equipment, it employs a network mode to measure the wireless section under actual operating conditions.
The MT8862A is offered with a new radio module to support the 6 GHz band and 160 MHz channels, in addition to supporting the existing 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. The WLAN equipment to be tested, also known as the Device Under Test or DUT, is connected to the MT8862A in the same way as a normal WLAN connection. In addition, because the MT8862A Wi-Fi security options can be either enabled or disabled, it is also possible to test a DUT using encrypted communication.Whether security is on or off, evaluating WLAN equipment using the network mode simply requires the test set to be powered up, together with a few configuration steps such as defining WLAN’s SSID and selecting the right standard to test with. This ensures that even novice operators can evaluate the wireless section easily. The testing of device antennas is made even easier through a system produced by ETS-Lindgren. The company’s EMQuest EMQ-100 Antenna Measurement Software
controls the MT8862A, device modes and all measurement hardware, allowing automated pattern measurement for Total Radiated Power (TRP) or Total Isotropic Sensitivity (TIS).
The EMQuest EMQ-100 offers a wide range of test methods for measuring basic antenna performance. It can also test both radiated and conducted performance of various wireless devices. Highly flexible, the EMQuest EMQ-100 can be used to analyze antennas in stand-alone applications, or to test an embedded antenna system and radio module against any of the industry standard OTA-radiated performance test requirements. The combination of the Anritsu MT8862A and the EMQuest EMQ-100 gives a single integrated test platform for both R&D applications and certification testing, ensuring that developers of IoT devices can meet the requirements. The result should be a greater availability of devices that can take advantage of the benefits of Wi-Fi 6, extending its use to many more applications.
www.anritsu.com
www.cieonline.co.uk
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