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11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi
Joseph Zaloker, Director of Technical Marketing, Arrow Electronics
Steve Weeres, M2M Business Development Manager, Arrow Electronics
Wi-Fi or the wireless standard IEEE 802.11 allows you easily connect your embedded, mobile or fixed
asset device to each other wirelessly, via the Internet, without wires or cables. 802.11 allows the user to
connect devices easily, quickly and securely, without worrying about finding a wired network
connection. Wi-Fi is the most prevalent wireless connectivity technology in use today for connecting
devices to the Internet.
What is Wi-Fi?
Wi-Fi is a trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliancean industry association promoting the standardization and
interoperability of wireless local area network (WLAN) connectivity based on the IEEE 802.11 series of
standards. Wi-Fi wireless technology allows devices to connect and access the Internet directly or
through a router without any physical association with a wired network.
The 802.11 standards are a group of evolving specifications defined by the Institute of Electrical and
Electronic Engineers (IEEE). Now commonly referred to as Wi-Fi, the 802.11 standards define a
through-the-air interface between a wireless client and an access point or between two or more
wireless clients. All 802.11 Wi-Fi standards use the unlicensed radio spectrum.
802.11a
802.11a was the first standard aimed at enterprise-class wireless LAN technology, offering many
advantages over previous options. At speeds of up to 54 Mbps, 802.11a provides higher throughput over
the entire coverage area. The 5 GHz band that 802.11a operates in is not highly populated, so there is
less congestion to cause interference or signal contention. 802.11a is a reliable and efficient medium for
accommodating high-bandwidth applications for numerous users.
Devices utilizing 802.11a are required to support speeds of 6, 12, and 24 Mbps. Optional speeds go up to
54 Mbps and include 48, 36, 18 and 9 Mbps throughput rates. These differences are the result of
implementing different modulation techniques and Forward Error Correction (FEC) levels. As an 802.11a
client device travels farther from its Access Point (AP), the connection remains intact but speed
decreases or falls back.
Pros: Fast maximum speed and regulated frequencies prevent interference from other devices.
Cons: Higher cost, shorter range and a signal that is easily obstructed.
802.11b
The IEEE established 802.11b in 1999 to improve the data rate of the original 802.11 standard defining
rates up to 11 Mbps. 802.11b devices suffer from interference from other products operating in the
2.4 GHz band. Devices operating in the 2.4 GHz range include microwave ovens, Bluetooth devices,
baby monitors and cordless telephones.
Pros: Low cost, good signal range.
Cons: Slowest maximum speed, interference with other home appliances on the unregulated frequency
band.
802.11g
802.11g works in the 2.4 GHz band (like 802.11b), but additionally includes the same OFDM based
transmission scheme as 802.11a. It operates at a maximum physical layer bit rate of 54 Mbit/s, exclusive
of forward error correction codes, providing about 22 Mbit/s average user-level data throughput.
802.11g hardware is fully backwards compatible with 802.11b hardware.
Pros: Fast maximum speed, good signal range and is not easily obstructed.
Cons: More expensive than 802.11b and home appliances may interfere with this unregulated
frequency.
802.11n
802.11n is a recent amendment that improves upon the previous 802.11 standards by adding multipleinput multiple-output antennas (MIMO) and many other newer features. Two-stream (or two antenna)
MIMO defines data rates up to 300 Mbps, three-stream up to 450 Mbps and four-stream up to 600
Mbps.
Pros: Fastest maximum speed, best signal integrity, resistant to signal interference from outside sources.
Cons: More expensive than 802.11g and use of multiple channels may interfere with other 802.11 b/g
networks.
2.4/5
Data Rate
Typical
Maximum
23 Mbit/s
54 Mbit/s
4.5 Mbit/s
11 Mbit/s
19 Mbit/s
54 Mbit/s
300 Mbit/s
74 Mbit/s
(2 streams)
Approximate Indoor
Range
Meters
Feet
35
115
38
125
38
125
70
230
Approximate Outdoor
Range
Meters
Feet
120
390
140
460
140
460
250
820
What form factors are Wi-Fi interfaces available in and how is a solution chosen?
Wi-Fi interfaces are available from Arrow in chipset level, module level and box level form factors.
Whether you choose a fully certified Wi-Fi module, design your own solution using an embedded
module from one of our suppliers, or seek a chipset solution, please speak to an Arrow representative to
discuss which solution is right for your application.
Chipset Wi-Fi interface design is for very high volume applications, typically 300K or greater Estimated
Annual Usage (EAU). Chipset designs provide the smallest footprint solution, lowest Bill Of Materials
(BOM) cost, but also has the highest Non-Reoccurring Engineering (NRE) cost and the highest
compliance testing cost of the three solutions listed above. Chipset designs also have the greatest design
risk and the longest project schedule. Only the most advanced companies with expertise in wireless
design should attempt a chip level design. To help clients with little to no experience in this discipline,
Arrow has design services partners who are experts in chip level design.
One of the most common approaches to adding Wi-Fi connectivity to your product is through the use of
a certified module. Certified modules offer a small footprint solution, a low BOM cost and a moderate
NRE and compliance testing cost. Time to market is generally faster with a certified module, as the
design risk is lower than a chip level design, and compliance testing is a subset of what is required in a
chipset design. Implementing an FCC/CE certified module is easier than a chipset, but it is not as easy as
simply connecting power and antenna to the module. When exploring a module solution chose a
module vendor who offers technical support and good and complete design documentation to ensure
success.
Arrow offers third party design service companies that are experts at wireless system design and
certification testing services. For those who wish to proceed independently, setting up a consulting
arrangement with a design service firm is a good way to have a technical expert on speed dial. This is
especially important if the product will employ multiple radios such as GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and cellular
concurrently in the product design.
A box level Wi-Fi solution provides the quickest time to market for implementing Wi-Fi connectivity.
Most terminal box solutions can connect to a device via a serial UART or USB connection. Box level
solutions are the highest cost solution of the three listed, but are the fastest time to market and lowest
design risk solution. There will not be any wireless certification test required for the box level solution, if
the selected product is pre-certified. Box level solutions are also ideally suited for updating legacy
hardware deployed in the field where the cost to retrofit existing hardware is cost prohibitive or
impossible.
What certification tests are typically required for a Wi-Fi module level implementation?
Most commercially available Wi-Fi modules are certified for operation in the US, Canada and the
European Union. If the module is implemented per the manufacturers recommendations including the
antenna connection, and there are no other radios in the device, the module manufacturers
certification can likely be used at the product level. Certification testing would be only necessary as
directed by the remainder of the design. If radios other than the Wi-Fi interface are used in the device, a
unique FCC identification will be required and a customized certification test plan will be required. FCC
Part 15.247 is the predominant test specification used for US certification of a Wi-Fi module. Arrow,
through its certification partner-experts can assist on identifying certification requirements early in the
development process.
With several 802.11 communication standards available (a/b/g/n), which is recommended for
M2M applications?
Most available modules support b/g/n standards and several supports 802.11 a/b/g/n, so from a
hardware perspective the module itself will work with all possible, available routers. 802.11 b/g is the
most common protocol used with 802.11n also increasing in availability. The data rates supported with
b/g will be sufficient for most M2M applications. 802.11n provides operational advantages of higher
data throughput, greater range and robust link quality, and enables greater network utilization. Using
multiple antennas further increases data rate and range.
Contact Us Today!
Call 1-800-833-3557 to speak with your local Arrow M2M representative, or visit
www.arrownac.com/m2m for more information.