Wi-Fi 7 Technology - With Packet Captures!

Wi-Fi 7 technology with traces

IEEE 802.11be based Wi-Fi7 is the next most anticipated evolution in the Wi-Fi technology roadmap.  Multi-link operation (MLO) is the most anticipated feature planned for Wi-Fi 7. We shall focus on this key feature along with the traces obtained showing packets flowing through multiple links and the various steps related to this.  Preamble puncturing is also another feature which will be explained with traces which show it can co-exist with legacy devices.  Other features like enhanced QAM will also be covered.

This Deep Dive is built by following the standards contributions for the past 2 years and delivering deep technology course to chipset companies who are at the vanguard of the technology development.  In addition, we have been working with equipment to collect traces on multiple links.

Please watch this channel for a sample.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6prZ3giQjSnij4Ihk74gFS9kIrHWd8W-

‍

WiFi 7 PHY/MAC Technology With Traces

Duration: 2 half days

Main objective of WiFi 7

o   Peak rate enhancements

o   Better use of 6 GHz

o   High-rate requirements to compete with 5G and beyond

o   Timelines envisaged for completion of standards

Multi-link operation

• Motivation and general points
  ‍
• Multi-link discovery
  ·     Discovery procedures and RNR
  ·     ML element structure
  ·     Beacon frames and legacy probe response frame
  ·     Usage and rules of ML information element in the context of discovery
  ·     MLO probe request and probe response frames
  ·     MLD_ID, Link_ID, MLD_address, link address in frames

• Multi-link setup
  ·     Procedure
  ·     Important new parts of Association request
  ·     MLO association
  ·     Security
  ·     Derivation of PMK and PTK
  ·     Practical 4-way handshake analysis
  ·     Managing WPA3 and WPA2 with WiFi 7 deployments

• MLO data frames
  ·     Capturing MLO data frames on multiple links
  ·     Use of link _addresses in wireless frames
  ·     Use of MLD_addresses on the backend
  ·     DL and UL data frames using multiple links
  ·     Sharing of SN space

• TID-to-link mapping and link management
  ‍
• Power save in MLO using traces
  ‍
• Multi-link channel access
  ·     STR and Non-STR
  ·     Capability signaling

• Enhanced multi-link operation mode (EMLSR)
  ·     Traces of EMLSR association
  ·     EML notification frame
  ·     Initial control frame operation

• Multi-BSSID operation
  ·     Observing RNR, MLD_IDs and other information

• WFA features for WiFi 7  

‍

PHY/RF enhancements

o   Large bandwidth channels

o   Preamble puncturing examples with traces

• Different puncturing patterns and their signaling
  ‍
• Channel switch fields and their relevance for managing legacy

o   EHT Preamble ; backward and forward compatibility

o   PPDU format for SU and MU transmissions

o   Updates to modulation, coding, MIMO, MU-MIMO, beam forming

o   Other topics

‍

Summary