Terminology » WLAN » 802.11ad vs 802.11ay: Key Differences in WLAN Technologies

802.11ad vs 802.11ay: Key Differences in WLAN Technologies

wlan 802.11ad 802.11ay wireless technology data rate

This page delves into the comparison between WLAN technologies 802.11ad and 802.11ay, highlighting the key differences between them.

WLAN 802.11ad: An Introduction

The WLAN 802.11ad standard is the successor to the IEEE 802.11ac standard, often referred to as WiGig. It’s designed to provide very high data rates (around 7 Gbps) over short distances, typically ranging from 1 to 10 meters. It operates in the 60 GHz frequency band.

IEEE 802.11ad is suitable for applications requiring rapid data transfer within a limited area.

Here are some key features of WLAN 802.11ad:

Frequency Range: Utilizes unlicensed frequency allocations around 60 GHz (specifically, 58.32 GHz, 60.48 GHz, 62.64 GHz, and 64.80 GHz).
Backward Compatibility: Not backward compatible with 802.11ac or 802.11n. It was built from the ground up to deliver extremely high data rates for short-range wireless connectivity.
Number of Channels/Channel Bandwidth: Offers 4 channels, each with a wide bandwidth of 2.16 GHz.
Data Rate: Achieves throughputs of 7 to 8 Gbps.
Distance: Operates effectively over distances of about 10 meters or more, especially with beamforming enabled.

WLAN 802.11ay: An Introduction

Considered the successor to the 802.11ad standard, 802.11ay also operates in the 60 GHz frequency band. Its main goal is to achieve a maximum throughput of at least 20 Gbps while maintaining or improving power efficiency per station. It incorporates channel bonding and MU-MIMO (Multi-User Multiple-Input Multiple-Output) technologies.

Channel bonding refers to the process of combining multiple channels to achieve a wider bandwidth.

Key features of WLAN 802.11ay include:

Data Rate: Provides a throughput of about 20 to 40 Gbps.
Distance: Operates effectively over distances of approximately 300 to 500 meters.
Maximum Bandwidth: Supports a maximum bandwidth of 8.64 GHz by bonding four channels, each having a 2.16 GHz bandwidth.
MIMO: Supports MIMO with a maximum of four streams.
Modulation: Supports higher-order modulation schemes, such as 256-QAM.
Band Switching: Allows for seamless handoffs between 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 60 GHz bands.
Channel Bonding: Supports both contiguous and non-contiguous channel aggregation.
MIMO Support: Supports SU (Single-User) and downlink MU-MIMO.
Physical Layer Technologies: Utilizes technologies like OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing), SC (Single Carrier) with 64-point non-uniform constellation, and LDPC (Low-Density Parity-Check) codes.