WiFi 160Mhz ... what can use it ?

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Mark

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#240394 5-Sep-2018 23:01

I'm not so great at wifi stuff so I thought I'd ask some better brains here :-)

My Fritz box just got updated to a new version of OS and it says that wifi bandwidth is expanded from 80 to 160Mhz (it's a Fritzbox 7590) .. to use this expanded bandwidth does a client device have to be configured to do it ? Have a certain amount of antennas ?

And how much real world impact does it have ? (I'm lucky and have no otherwifi sources near me so interference should be low)

Thanks!

michaelmurfy

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#2084627 5-Sep-2018 23:13

The WiFi chipset in your device will need to support it.

IIRC - There are not many devices that do.

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hio77

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#2084634 5-Sep-2018 23:43

Someone else will correct me on my numbers here i'm sure.

IIRC, increasing from 80 to 160mhz is a 3db loss in signal with the spread of power, so it may not actually be a massive benefit till you have client devices that support

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richms

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#2084642 6-Sep-2018 00:30

There are some cheap intel cards on aliexpress that will do it, only in a 2x2 antenna but that is a great way to get more thruput on a laptop that only has 2 antennas in it.

I have seen addon cards for macs claiming 4x4 on 160MHz but not tried them as they were for desktop and no idea what the windows driver support for them would end up giving.

And also the 160MHz support for my overpriced unifi HD accesspoint has still not materialized so I have no AP capable of it.

Richard rich.ms

Jase2985

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#2084725 6-Sep-2018 09:53

it should theoretically double your speed that your device can connect at, not that many devices can support it

Crowdie

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#2084740 6-Sep-2018 10:03

Jase2985:

it should theoretically double your speed that your device can connect at, not that many devices can support it

Not correct. The overhead introduced with 80 MHz and wider channels will severely eat into the throughput (I am assuming you meant throughput when you said "speed").

Jase2985

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#2084747 6-Sep-2018 10:12

note the word theoretically

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Crowdie

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#2084755 6-Sep-2018 10:22

hio77:

IIRC, increasing from 80 to 160 MHz is a 3db loss in signal with the spread of power, so it may not actually be a massive benefit till you have client devices that support

Each time you increase the channel width (20->40 MHz, 40->80 MHz, 80->160 MHz) you raise the noise floor by 3 dB. The amount of "usable" signal is defined as the perceived signal strength (or RSSI) less the noise floor. Therefore, each time you increase the channel width you halve the amount of "usable" signal.

When you implement 80 or 160 MHz wide channels the additional overhead of RTS/CTS (remember the old serial protocols) applies. You will also see the "channel busy" stats rise as you have more contention (wait states).

People see these extremely high data rates quoted for 80 and 160 MHz wide channels but to get them you have to be almost standing next to the radio. In reality they are almost never achieved - but they do look good on the side of residential wireless router boxes :-(

For the reasons above you don't see 80 and 160 MHz wide channels deployed in enterprise sites.

Crowdie

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#2084756 6-Sep-2018 10:23

Jase2985:

note the word theoretically

Even in an isolated lab under ideal conditions you are not going to double the throughput.

sbiddle

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#2084801 6-Sep-2018 10:44

I always laugh when I see AC1300 products marketed.. With Gigabit Ethernet ports. Sums it up really!

gehenna

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#2084827 6-Sep-2018 10:58

Whenever things like this come up my first question to myself is "have I got a problem right now that this might fix?". If the answer is no, then the current state wins.

dacraka

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#2085074 6-Sep-2018 14:42

Sigh, this just adds more overcrowding to the spectrum and takes up neighbours valuable usable spectrum, if you don't need to use it all please don't set it so high. Do it for your neighbours so they can keep being happy with their WiFi.

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Mark

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#2085130 6-Sep-2018 16:33

dacraka:

Sigh, this just adds more overcrowding to the spectrum and takes up neighbours valuable usable spectrum, if you don't need to use it all please don't set it so high. Do it for your neighbours so they can keep being happy with their WiFi.

I have no neighbours .. at least no one in range, so I can be as greedy as I want :-)

hio77

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#2085132 6-Sep-2018 16:39

Mark:

dacraka:

Sigh, this just adds more overcrowding to the spectrum and takes up neighbours valuable usable spectrum, if you don't need to use it all please don't set it so high. Do it for your neighbours so they can keep being happy with their WiFi.

I have no neighbours .. at least no one in range, so I can be as greedy as I want :-)

Except you break into DFS territory which depending o if there is radar around or planes, you could be in for a bit of fun...

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freakngeek

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#2085152 6-Sep-2018 17:26

Intel Wireless AC 9260 connected to a R7800 with 160Mhz using channels 36-64

dt

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#2085171 6-Sep-2018 18:44

^^ Very nice