In today’s connected world, reliable and secure Wi-Fi is a necessity, especially in Multi-Dwelling Units (MDUs) such as apartment complexes, condominiums, and student housing. Traditional Wi-Fi security methods often fall short in these environments, leading to potential security risks and management headaches. Enter Dynamic Pre-Shared Keys (dPSK aka iPSK aka xPSK aka mPSK etc), a game-changer for MDU Wi-Fi networks. Let’s explore the benefits of using DPSK in an MDU environment.

Enhanced Security

One of the primary benefits of DPSK is enhanced security. Unlike traditional Pre-Shared Keys (PSK), where a single key is shared among multiple users, DPSK assigns a unique key to each device. This means that even if one device’s key is compromised, the rest of the network remains secure. This individualized approach significantly reduces the risk of unauthorized access and potential data breaches.

Simplified Network Management

Managing a Wi-Fi network in an MDU can be challenging, especially when dealing with frequent tenant turnover. DPSK simplifies network management by allowing administrators to easily add or revoke access for individual devices without affecting the entire network. This flexibility is particularly useful in environments where residents frequently move in and out, such as student housing.

Improved User Experience

With DPSK, residents enjoy a seamless and secure Wi-Fi experience. Each device is assigned its own unique key, eliminating the need for residents to share a common password. This not only enhances security but also reduces the likelihood of connectivity issues caused by incorrect password entries. Additionally, residents can connect multiple devices without compromising network performance or security.

Scalability

As MDUs grow and the number of connected devices increases, scalability becomes a critical factor. DPSK offers a scalable solution that can accommodate a growing number of devices without compromising security or performance. This makes it an ideal choice for MDUs of all sizes, from small apartment buildings to large residential complexes.

Auto-Assigned VLANs

Another significant advantage of using DPSK in an MDU environment is the ability to auto-assign VLANs (Virtual Local Area Networks). With DPSK, each device can be automatically assigned to a specific VLAN based on its unique key. This allows for better network segmentation and management, ensuring that traffic from different devices or users is isolated and secure. Auto-assigned VLANs can help optimize network performance by reducing broadcast traffic and improving overall efficiency. Additionally, this feature enhances security by preventing unauthorized access between different VLANs, further protecting residents’ data and privacy.

Cost-Effective Solution

Implementing DPSK can also be a cost-effective solution for MDU operators. By reducing the need for complex network configurations and minimizing the risk of security breaches, DPSK can lower operational costs. Additionally, the simplified management process can free up IT resources, allowing them to focus on other critical tasks.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Wi-Fi Dynamic Pre-Shared Keys offer a robust and flexible solution for MDUs, addressing the unique challenges of these environments. By enhancing security, simplifying network management, improving user experience, and offering scalability, DPSK is a valuable tool for any MDU operator looking to provide reliable and secure Wi-Fi to their residents. GoZone’s SecurePass helps tenant self-signup and management of their own DPSK connections and also allows additional functionality such guest plans and payment for access. Talk to An Expert for more details.

Residential communities are undergoing a significant transformation driven by advancements in artificial intelligence (AI). From senior living to multifamily and mixed-use properties, AI is revolutionizing how we manage and interact with our living spaces. Staying abreast of these AI-driven trends is crucial for properties that want to remain competitive. Here, we explore ways AI can improve the resident experience while improving profitability and sustainability.

Enhancing the Resident Experience

As smart home devices become an integral part of modern living, AI offers opportunities to improve the daily living experience in MDUs. For example, AI-driven apps can help residents control lights, thermostats, and locks. They can even learn to adjust controls for individual spaces based on residents’ habits. This can help residents save money while improving convenience. It can also improve accessibility for seniors and people with disabilities by enabling them to adjust their environment without physically accessing on-wall devices.

AI-powered virtual assistants can help residents manage daily tasks, provide entertainment, and offer reminders. They can help coordinate the use of common spaces for resident events or act as a virtual concierge. In senior living communities, these assistants can remind residents to take medication or help them schedule appointments.

AI-driven chatbots can also help property managers with routine inquiries and maintenance requests. They can also keep residents informed on the status of repairs and other events. Chatbots ensure 24/7 availability for non-urgent requests, reducing the workload on staff and improving response times and resident satisfaction. This also enables staff to focus on personal interactions that need the “human touch.”

For enhanced security and safety, AI can improve features such as biometric access and smart surveillance. This can help ensure that only authorized individuals can access residences. With real-time monitoring and alerts, AI-based security solutions can alert staff quickly to unusual activity or potential emergencies, enabling faster responses.

For senior housing communities in particular, AI technology can help monitor residents’ health through wearable devices and smart home sensors. This can ease residents’ minds and lessen the burden on staff by providing ongoing information on residents’ health and safety without constant personal check-ins. It can also provide more detailed information to support personalized care plans.

Boosting Profitability

AI not only enhances the resident experience but can also boost the profitability of multifamily properties by optimizing operations. For example, AI solutions can use sensors and machine learning for predictive maintenance. By monitoring the performance and condition of appliances, plumbing, and utilities, these tools can schedule maintenance before a breakdown occurs, reducing downtime and repair costs. For example, an AI solution can alert maintenance staff if a toilet has begun leaking. A single leaky toilet can cost over $1000 per year, not including the cost of water damage – so this can save money as well as prevent headaches!

AI-driven optimization of energy use can also save money. For example, AI solutions can adjust thermostats and lighting systems in common areas. They can even take into account factors such as occupancy and weather conditions.

AI can also help improve profitability by analyzing market trends and demand to adjust rent prices dynamically. For example, factors such as local market conditions, historical pricing data, and current demand can help properties remain competitive while maximizing revenue. While managers can undoubtedly perform these types of calculations, AI-based solutions can potentially take into account more factors and update them more frequently to optimize pricing.

Similarly, AI-assisted analytics and machine learning can help spot opportunities in everything from marketing to operations. For example, by analyzing audience data, AI can suggest better ways to target and personalize messaging to prospects. Digital agents can jumpstart the leasing process by guiding prospects through their first inquiries. They can also screen prospective tenants and schedule property tours, ensuring leads aren’t missed. Some properties have also used AI to analyze operations and determine where hangups occur to streamline processes. There are even AI-based solutions for review management!

Driving Sustainability

Sustainability is becoming a selling point for modern residential communities. Many residents, especially in younger generations, say they prefer properties that support sustainable living. Green properties not only have lower operating costs but also command rent premiums. AI can help multifamily properties become more eco-friendly. For example, smart irrigation systems can adjust water usage based on weather forecasts and soil moisture levels. This enables properties to reduce water waste while maintaining beautiful landscapes.

As noted previously, AI solutions can also optimize heating, cooling, and lighting to minimize energy waste while decreasing operating costs. AI can even help with waste management by sorting out recycling. This assistance reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills while lessening the burden on residents.

Preparing Communities for AI

AI solutions are only part of what’s needed in modern housing communities. To support these solutions, it’s crucial to establish the right digital infrastructure.

Properties must invest in fast, reliable connectivity, including Wi-Fi and wired connections that can support the increasing number of connected devices. A property’s connectivity infrastructure needs to be able to accommodate not only devices pre-installed by the property, but also resident devices such as phones, TVs, gaming systems, and wearables. It also needs to perform well even when many residents are using it. Fiber provides a good foundation for AI-powered solutions and other connected devices. Properties will also need to ensure that their Wi-Fi architecture can handle the resulting traffic without degraded performance.

Because AI-enabled solutions can potentially collect personal and sensitive data, it’s essential that properties take action to preserve data security and privacy. Ideally, properties should implement cybersecurity at every stage, from designing and building products and systems to their implementation, use, and management, and even how staff respond when an attack is detected. It’s also important to ensure that managers make residents aware of what data these solutions collect and how systems will use that data.

It’s vital that everyone, from management and owners to staff, understand where AI excels and where it does not. AI will never be able to replace all facets of human interaction; there is a need to maintain a human connection with residents. To improve resident satisfaction, consider how best to achieve a balance between AI automation and human interaction. Also, be sure to review processes on an ongoing basis to ensure fairness and transparency, as AI can be as subject to biases as humans are.

AI is transforming multifamily and senior housing: Modern housing is smart housing. Residents are increasingly coming to expect the integration of smart solutions in their daily living environment. By investing in connectivity and security, you can set your property at the forefront of this digital revolution.

Property owners need to invest in a robust and secure connectivity infrastructure to support the continuing demand for connected technology in multifamily and senior housing. WorldVue is your trusted provider that can help you meet these growing needs. Give us a call to find out how our solutions can help you meet housing community technology trends for connectivity, infotainment, and more!

Imagine upgrading from a regular bicycle to a high-speed sports car—this is the leap you’ll experience with Zyxel’s WBE530 WiFi 7 Access Point. Just as a sports car delivers unmatched speed and performance on the road, the WBE530 transforms your network with incredible WiFi 7 speeds, expanded capacity, and cutting-edge security features.

Designed to meet the demands of modern educational environments and dynamic small businesses, the WBE530 ensures you’re equipped for the digital age. It’s like moving from a basic phone to the latest smartphone, where speed, reliability, and security are taken to new heights.

The WBE530 is powered by a Qualcomm quad-core CPU, delivering blazing-fast WiFi 7 data rates of up to 11Gbps and a substantial increase in capacity. This advanced technology is tailored to enhance online learning environments and support small business operations with unmatched efficiency and reliability.

Enhanced by Zyxel’s Nebula platform, the WBE530 integrates a comprehensive suite of management and security features, providing robust connectivity and dependable performance. Nebula’s intelligent cloud management simplifies network installation and oversight, offering real-time notifications and a user-friendly interface, all without additional software or hardware costs.

With NebulaFlex Pro, the WBE530 offers unparalleled flexibility, allowing users to easily switch between cloud-managed, controller-managed, and standalone modes to fit their specific needs.

The Zyxel WBE530 WiFi 7 Access Point is more than just an upgrade—it’s a transformative leap in networking technology. Just as a sports car revolutionizes your driving experience, the WBE530 redefines your network’s speed, capacity, and security. Designed for modern educational settings and small businesses, this device offers the power and flexibility needed to excel in the digital age. With the advanced Qualcomm quad-core CPU and seamless integration with Zyxel’s Nebula platform, the WBE530 ensures that your network is prepared for today and ready for the future. Discover the difference and take your connectivity to the next level with the WBE530. For more info, click here.

PALO ALTO, Calif. — Aug. 19, 2024 — Now in its fourth year, #PlumeStrong is proud to announce two significant fundraising events: the #PlumeStrong Cycling Challenge (#PSCC24) and a Gala Philanthropic Dinner. Plume and its employees, with the help of generous corporate sponsors and individuals, are seeking to raise €1,000,000 to continue #PlumeStrong’s mission to provide education and opportunity to communities in need.

Recently, #PlumeStrong and Street Child committed to continue their partnership. This year, the focus shifts to Sierra Leone, a country where access to secondary education in rural areas remains a critical need. The funds raised during the #PSCC24 will benefit Street Child’s work in Sierra Leone. The collaboration will focus on developing 15 rural secondary schools, providing quality education to over 1,500 children annually, teacher training, and the establishment of a community agriculture project to help sustain the school.

#PSCC24 will be held from September 2-6, 2024. Riders will begin in Zurich, Switzerland and finish in Venice, Italy, covering a distance of 824 km and traversing famous mountain passes through the Alps and the Dolomites.

Returning #PlumeStrong Ambassador, three-time Tour de France champion, and recent winner of the Giro d’Italia, Tadej Pogačar, will join the ride for the first leg. Additional #PlumeStrong Ambassadors joining the ride include cyclists Urška Žigart, Scott Ogden and Marko Baloh.

The 2023 #PlumeStrong Cycling Challenge (#PSCC23) raised over €550,000 and was used to provide much-needed educational support for children affected by the Turkey-Syria earthquakes. Through the support of our riders, partners, and all of our generous donors, #PlumeStrong is building a school in one of the most impacted regions in the area.

Following the ride, #PlumeStrong will host its first-ever Gala Philanthropic Dinner in California on October 19, 2024. The Gala will raise funds to support the work of our U.S.-based partner, the Ron Brown Scholar Program, for the creation of the Ron Brown Venture Lab (RBVL). It is an innovative initiative designed to provide the essential resources that Ron Brown Scholars, Captains, and Alumni need to launch and grow their entrepreneurial ventures. The event will include both a silent and a live auction.

The Ron Brown Venture Lab will create a robust support network to address the significant challenges Black founders often face in securing the resources needed to bring their business ideas to life. By providing social, human, and financial capital, RBVL supports developing and scaling ventures within the community. The initiative aims to ignite a new generation of socially-minded innovators to drive transformative change in their communities and beyond.

“What started as an internal program has grown beyond even our own expectations. We started #PlumeStrong to assist our employees and support one another at a time when people felt isolated and alone. Now, we have extended #PlumeStrong’s reach all over the world and have created a program that actively provides resources for education and community building. Our employees, business partners, and sponsors have played a vital role in this endeavor, and we are so grateful for their continued support. Our extraordinary #PlumeAmbassadors, including cycling star Tadej Pogačar, have helped to spread the word about the #PlumeStrong Cycling Challenge and the aims of our global mission. #PlumeStrong has gone from strength to strength, and I am so proud of this team.” – Fahri Diner, Founder and CEO, Plume

• Follow along for #PSCC24 updates on Instagram
• Learn more about how to sponsor our individual #PSCC24 riders here
• For details on the Ron Brown Venture Lab click here
• Get more information on the Gala Philanthropic Dinner Ticket & Sponsorship information here
• For details on how to partner with us or take part in #PSCC24 please visit the #PlumeStrong website

The World’s Only Wireless Bridge That Goes Through Concrete

The introduction of any new technology or a new application of an existing technology comes with a “lessons learned” phase. We have been shipping and deploying with customers the innovative WaveTunnelTM system for more than a year now. This experience, which includes numerous trials, testing sessions and commercial deployments, has proven that 60GHz broadband wireless technology has truly found its home as an indoor wireless backbone. As a result, we have proven that the WaveTunnel provides pervasive Gigabit-speed connectivity in MDUs, factories, warehouses, conference centers and other similar large properties.

This success is based on our first-in-the-industry accomplishment of achieving NLOS connectivity for 60GHz systems. NLOS in the case of the WaveTunnel means it can indeed penetrate interior walls such as plasterboard and wood, glass windows and partitions of various types. Advances in beam steering capabilities mean that WaveTunnel signals can also go down long corridors (distances of 150 meters are no problem, with transmission rates averaging 1 Gbps – distances of 100 – 125 meters average 1.8 Gbps) and “bend” around corners (even 90-degree ones). All of this has resulted in tremendous cost and time savings in terms of Ethernet cables and other equipment (such as conduits and IDFs), labor and permitting processes.

However, there is one obstacle that we just cannot avoid and “get around” – and that is thick concrete walls, which average 20 cm / 8 in. or more in Commercial Real Estate (CRE) buildings around the world. These types of walls can form a building’s perimeter, serve as interior load bearing walls and as protection for spaces such as fire control or network server rooms. Connecting rooms or production areas separated by such walls can be even more problematic than connecting scores of Wi-Fi APs and other equipment in a wide open and spacious factory floor, as it often involves drilling a fairly good-sized hole through the wall, which is known as “core” drilling.

Obviously, this type of task requires additional expertise (not the “average” cable installation company) and can entail additional considerations. For example, if the wall is classified as a firewall, then permits and x-ray style inspections become part of the process – which adds time and money to the project. Another issue is that of fire alarm control rooms. Any CRE structure of a certain size (which varies from one locality to another) must contain a fire control system and often they are located in the basement and surrounded by thick concrete walls.

These rooms are mandated to have connectivity to the outside world (to the fire department and perhaps other first responder entities) and 3G wireless connections have been used to accomplish this vital link since the introduction of that technology more than 20 years ago. However, 3G is now being phased out. Furthermore, newer fire control systems require more of a broadband connection and 3G does not have the required bandwidth. 5G does have the required bandwidth, but its signal propagation characteristics prevent it from penetrating the walls and making a connection. In this situation, our analysis shows that the core drilling required to run an Ethernet cable through the wall would cost between $3000 and $10,000 and require a Professional Engineer sign-off — all of which can extend the project time by weeks or months.

And this is only looking at the problem from a “sideways” perspective – what about “up and down” (as in floors and ceilings)? Almost all floors in CRE structures are made up of concrete and rebar with a thickness of 4 to 5 inches minimum. To connect the floors, present mode of operations today consists of either routing cables to the nearest elevator riser shaft or existing riser or drilling through the floor. In the case of the latter, structural integrity requirements call for permits and inspections that add an average of $3000 to the cost and a month added to the project timeline.

After being confronted with this reality over the last year, we went back to the lab to see how we could develop a solution that, combined with the proven effectiveness of the WaveTunnel, would result in an all-inclusive and pervasive broadband backhaul solution within any large structure. The goal was to be able to provide a 2+ Gbps connection through a minimum of 12” of concrete.

We completed our in-house testing in May 2024 and over the last few months we have been trialing the system with select customers, some in conjunction with our North America distributor Power & Tel (P&T). These were our “proof of concept” deployments and the new WaveCore systems passed with flying colors. In one trial we connected through 8” of concrete in the middle of a 54’- link at 3Gbps. In another we were able to connect through a 12” concrete wall in a garage in a 6-foot link at just under 4Gbps.

WaveCore Tested on a 8” Cinderblock Wall

Backed by these impressive results, we are now excited to announce the commercial availability of the new WaveCore product. It is available for immediate shipment and you can see it in action at the SCTE Cable Tec Expo next month in Atlanta (in the booth of our partner P&T). Thanks to the efforts of our engineering team, our technology partners and customers, Airvine now has a complete product portfolio and the combination of the WaveTunnel and WaveCore product lines replaces the need for what can be miles of Ethernet cabling in a wide variety of settings – and the associated labor costs to deploy it.

Our innovations in wireless engineering enable gigabit speed connections that now can go around corners, through floors and walls (including thick, load-bearing walls) and other formerly impenetrable barriers. Gone are the days of conduit, drilling, permits, structural inspections and other hassles that come with deploying cables to connect Wi-Fi APs, IoT equipment and other Ethernet devices. The introduction of the WaveCore represents the culmination of efforts at Airvine since the founding of the company—that is, solutions that can be deployed in Any Building, with Any Floor Plan and Anywhere.

The Smart City Living Lab Wi-SUN Challenge is a dynamic platform that aims to support hardware innovators, start-ups, and academic institutions in developing workable prototypes utilizing the Wi-SUN RF mesh. The challenge encourages them all to harness the potential of the Wi-SUN network. By doing so, they contribute to smarter cities, efficient utilities, and innovative healthcare solutions. With over three hundred members across forty-six countries, the Wi-SUN Alliance drives interoperability and standardization in IoT applications. This challenge aligns with this greater vision.

The thematic areas eligible for the scheme covered domains such as smart cities, energy, water utilities, healthcare, smart parking, metering, smart streetlighting, and more. Focus areas included edge intelligence, predictive maintenance, battery-powered smart utility solutions, etc. We received an overwhelming number of submissions, a total of 266 which consisted of a diverse pool – students, researchers, working professionals, entrepreneurs, and startups—all eager to tackle real-world problems using Wi-SUN technologies. All the teams provided not only their ideas but also detailed plans for executing their projects including budgetary and component requirements.

A thorough screening process was undertaken by our esteemed judge panel – Dr. Aftab Hussain, Mrs. Anuradha Vattem – Lead Architect from IIITH, Venkatesh Narasimhan, and Srinivasa Dukkipati from Silicon Labs, which took place in three stages, the first based on the relevance to the smart city applications, the second based on their understanding on sensors and cloud connectivity, and the final round, which was an online interview round designed to check their capability to ready their concept in the stipulated amount of time, their experience with IoT applications and their understanding on Wi-SUN.

Our expert panel narrowed down the submissions, after thorough review and discussions and announced the chosen Top 10. Consisting of six teams from startups and four from college students, the ideas were innovative and fresh. These finalists, spanning four Indian States, are poised to make a difference with their ideas. Ranging from smart dustbins, particulate matter monitoring devices, and real-time water quality monitoring systems to warehouse management bots and real-time soil monitoring, they have it all covered.

In the first week of August, a one-day workshop will have been planned for the ten finalists to give them hands-on experience with the LFN (Limited Function Node) HW kit and SW development platform, following which the participants will begin the development of the application.

Once the concepts are built, in the final leg of their journey, the ten teams will evaluate the PoC at the Living lab using the existing Wi-SUN backbone network in the IIIT Hyderabad campus.

The winners would then be finalized by the panel of experts followed by the award ceremony where the winners will take home grand cash prizes worth Rs. 8 lakhs (9.6 k in USD).

The Wi-SUN Challenge is a collaborative effort between IIITH Smart City Living Lab and Silicon Labs, as part of their campus-wide Wi-SUN network initiative. The Wi-SUN Challenge has been a tremendous success so far. However, this is not just a competition—it is a catalyst for real-world impact. It is about working together and striving to make substantial changes in the world around us.

A Q&A with Khushboo Kalyani, Product Manager, Wireless Connectivity and Cellular Test Systems, LitePoint

Q1: You’ve been representing LitePoint at various Wi-Fi industry events. What is Wi-Fi 7 bringing to the table that’s new and interesting?

Khushboo: At LitePoint, we expect to start seeing Wi-Fi 7 used more widely in IoT applications, which will be a key growth driver, in addition to more conventional uses in clients such as smartphones, access points, gateways, laptops and tablets. These emerging IoT uses cases could include Wi-Fi 7 adoption in devices such as smart TV speakers, home door locks and other smart home sensors.

Today, there are different technologies used by IoT devices. Approximately a third of them operate on low-power long range wide area network technologies like Sigfox, LoRa, HaLow, NB-IoT, CAT-M and such. Another third uses wireless personal area network (WPAN) technologies like Bluetooth, Zigbee, Z-Wave or similar. The remaining third or less use Wi-Fi. Based on what I’m hearing from customers, I think people are concluding that Wi-Fi can easily – and equally – serve the IoT category.

That is especially true among applications that are latency-sensitive, which will benefit from Wi-Fi 7’s new low-data-rate modulation coding schemes, MCS14 and MCS15. These schemes were introduced to increase reliability and maximize transmission range in the 6GHz band for low-power IoT devices.

Q2: What are the broader implications for IoT adoption of Wi-Fi 7?

Khushboo: In many applications today, Wi-Fi is already omnipresent. That has sparked a larger conversation on the adoption of Wi-Fi across IoT devices, where they can leverage existing Wi-Fi infrastructure and simplify deployment within industrial, home and enterprise applications. This, in turn, will facilitate scalability and minimize interoperability issues.

Key chipset companies around the globe are already leading the way with low-power W-Fi solutions.

Q3: How are these emerging Wi-Fi 7 chipsets for IoT applications keeping a tight rein on power budgets?

Khushboo: IoT devices do not require a constant active internet connection. With that in mind, Wi-Fi 6 introduced a feature called target wake time (TWT). This feature allows devices to negotiate when and how often they will wake up to send or receive data, significantly reducing power consumption by minimizing unnecessary wakeups. Although the feature was introduced in Wi-Fi 6, we expect it to take off in Wi-Fi 7 and beyond.

Additionally, chipsets can implement custom low-power listening modes, which enhance efficiency when listening for network activity and further reduces power consumption when monitoring signals.

Q4: What are some of the underlying technical advantages of Wi-Fi 7?

Khushboo: Three features stand out for me. First, is the new 4096-QAM modulation scheme, which allows for higher data rates by packing more bits together but requires higher signal-to-noise ratio or clean-channel conditions and increases radio complexity.

Another feature that is more functional is multi-link operation, which allows more efficient use of spectrum. This feature was not available in previous generations of Wi-Fi and will truly improve practical Wi-Fi deployment and can be used in Wi-Fi 7 and beyond.

For me, this is a differentiating feature compared to previous-generation technology, because it allows you to aggregate multiple channels, whether it’s a 2.4GHz, a 5GHz or a 6GHz channel, or whatever combination of spectrum you have available. This allows you to do a few of things:

• Send different data streams across channels to increase overall throughput
• Send the same data stream across multiple channels to increase redundancy
• Perform dynamic channel switching in real-time to improve the opportunities for high-priority transmission.

The other thing multi-link operation enables is a more optimized use of the 6GHz band, which has not been adopted uniformly across all countries for unlicensed use. Now, whichever geographic region you’re serving, Wi-Fi 7’s multi-link operation will allow you to fully utilize your available spectrum efficiently.

The third important feature is preamble puncturing, a very useful capability that enables efficient spectrum utilization. It is particularly beneficial in the 5GHz band where an incumbent would otherwise prevent the entire channel’s use. By allowing transmissions to occur even in the presence of narrowband interference, preamble puncturing enhances overall throughput and spectral efficiency.

Q5: With the proliferation of Wi-Fi 7, what do customers need to know about test requirements?

Khushboo: What is driving change is the need for 160MHz and 320MHz test capability. In the past, 20MHz, 40MHz and 80MHz were the channel bandwidths available in the 2.4GHz and 5GHz spectrum and were deployed in a typical enterprise access point or home set-up.

With Wi-Fi 7, despite the lack of practical deployment, customers are still eager to highlight the capability of 320MHz or 160MHz Wi-Fi across six or seven channels. For that reason, they need equipment with the capability to test that much bandwidth either during R&D or as part of manufacturing or design validation testing. LitePoint has the equipment capable of testing with supreme accuracy at 320MHz and 160MHz.

Customers also need equipment with excellent error vector magnitude (EVM) performance that is at least 8dB to 10dB better than the device’s performance. This is to ensure that the tester does not introduce any inaccuracies to the device measurement.

Another critical aspect to test is UL-OFDMA. For this feature to work accurately, client devices must be synchronized to avoid interference and align correctly within the allocated subcarriers. From a testing perspective, this involves measuring carrier frequency offset and transmission timing accuracy to ensure synchronization within a specific tolerance.

Another important aspect to validate is spectrum mask for a PPDU containing punctured channel(s). The IEEE spec has defined a definitive list of puncturing patterns for OFDMA and non-OFDMA transmissions based on PPDU and puncturing bandwidth. When testing this, the idea is to measure the leakage from the occupied subchannel(s) into the punctured subchannel(s) to ensure it is low and will not cause any interference.

In addition to all the standard tests on power, transmit center frequency leakage, receiver sensitivity, spectral flatness and more must be performed to ensure accurate calibration and transmit and receiver RF parametric verification.

Q6: How is LitePoint engineering your test equipment to keep ahead of customer requirements? As they integrate multiple wireless standards into their chipsets, for example, are they expecting a similar level of integration with your test platforms?

Khushboo:  We have seen integrated chipsets and modules supporting Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for a while now in the market and recently some chipset companies have announced solutions that integrate Ultra-wideband (UWB) technology as well into the mix. From a test perspective each of these technologies needs to be tested well, as their underlying implementation is different thus requiring different RF PHY characteristics to be validated, they operate on different frequency ranges, bandwidths and thus they may have different test times.

While integrated chipsets are advancing, the choice of test equipment depends on many factors, since the requirements vary significantly between R&D to production. As an example, generally R&D & design validation groups tend to have dedicated teams specifically focusing on characterization and validation of a specific technology which requires purpose-built testers with advanced features and accuracy. QA teams on the other hand may find some value in an integrated platform as their test plan includes end product performance validation, interoperability tests or coexistence tests as some of these technologies share antennas and common frequency bands. If you look at manufacturing there KPI’s are centered around equipment reliability, longevity, yield, throughput, support for customized automation tool, cost of test and test times as they can vary drastically for each of these technologies. As you can see there are multiple factors that play a role in designing a tester and the requirements vary based on the product development stage.  So honestly there is no one-size tester that fits all and hence we work closely with our customers to see what makes sense for them in terms of technology, cost and more.

Q7: In closing, what sets LitePoint apart from other companies offering Wi-Fi test?

Khushboo: Our motto is “simplifying test through innovation”.  As each generation becomes more complex, we strive to provide a simplified testing solution so you can focus on your product. We achieve this by building high-performance test systems and offering strong, continued customer support.

LitePoint’s comprehensive availability of automation solutions, the most extensive in the industry, sets us apart. Our IQfact+ software tool is known in the industry for simplicity and ease of use. Additionally, we’ve been the first movers in test to offer a fully integrated non-signaling solution for every Wi-Fi standard that’s come along. Our close collaboration with leading chipset vendors enables us to develop turnkey, chipset-specific solutions that meet your testing needs effectively.

At RUCKUS Networks, we understand the challenges you face as a higher education IT professional. Whether it is reduced funding, onboarding difficulties, outdoor connectivity, and more, RUCKUS is here to help. With our higher education-tailored products and solutions, you can overcome these challenges and achieve pervasive campus connectivity that elevates the student experience.

In the dynamic world of higher education, you face myriad challenges when it comes to managing your network. Some of these challenges include working with limited resources and the need to achieve campus-wide connectivity. At RUCKUS, we understand these challenges and offer solutions to help you get pervasive connectivity and ultimately elevate the student experience on your campus.

Limited Resources: Maximizing Value with Resource-Effective Solutions 

A major challenge for IT teams is operating within tight budget constraints. With demands on the campus network increasing while budgets remain the same, finding cost-effective solutions is critical.

RUCKUS^® solutions, which are powered by a broad range of access points (APs), switches, and AI-driven technology, are designed to scale easily so you can expand your network without significant additional costs. This scalability allows the network to grow with the institution’s needs without substantial investments. RUCKUS solutions are also built to last—they are specifically designed to handle high-density environments and data-intensive applications to reduce the need for frequent upgrades. One solution, in particular, RUCKUS One^®, is key to lowering operational expenses. This AI-driven network management program provides network management from a single pane of glass, helping lower costs by eliminating the need for multiple, costly management tools.

Another challenge facing higher education IT teams is staffing. Managing a complex campus network requires heavy resources, but many institutions struggle with short-staffed teams.

Resolving staffing issues is another key benefit of our network management solution, RUCKUS One. RUCKUS One can act as an additional team member by automating routine tasks, identifying and resolving network issues, providing analytics and insights into your network, and offering AI-driven recommendations to enhance network operations. With these tasks now taken off your team’s daily workload, you can focus on more strategic initiatives to enhance your campus. For more information on the benefits of managing your network with RUCKUS One, click here.

RUCKUS One is not the only way we can help your team; we also offer 24/7 customer support to make sure any issues are resolved accurately and promptly.

Campus Connections: Achieving Pervasive Connectivity

To properly serve students, staff, and faculty, your network needs to reach every corner of campus. Although this can pose a major challenge to IT teams, leveraging our suite of higher education products can help.

Our indoor and outdoor APs can help users get a strong connection no matter where they are on campus. In addition to this, RUCKUS One helps unify fragmented applications and services for easier management of the network and student use. Whether it is professors teaching in a lecture or fans sharing gameday clips from the stadium, RUCKUS products and solutions have your entire campus covered and ultimately help you enhance the student experience through your network infrastructure.

An Improved Campus with RUCKUS

Higher education IT teams face many challenges, but RUCKUS offers purpose-driven network solutions to address these issues. At RUCKUS, we are committed to helping you overcome these challenges and ultimately have a network with high-performing, pervasive connection that elevates the campus experience. For more information on how to achieve this, click here.

VIA Technologies has launched its powerful new range of IoT platforms, the SOM-5000, VAB-5000, and ARTiGO A5000, designed for industrial, commercial, and consumer applications that require highly capable edge AI.

Product designers have the option of the VIA SOM-5000, an advanced system-on-module that mounts into a carrier board; the VAB-5000, a pico-ITX form factor with built-in flexible I/O, a 40-pin RPi compatible connector, and direct DC power; and the ARTiGO A5000, an ultra-compact full system. All three are fanless designs, offering exceptional power-efficiency and extensibility.

At their heart, the MediaTek Genio 700 provides a powerful octa-core CPU featuring two Arm Cortex-A78 processors, plus a highly capable Mali-G57 GPU, dual display support, and advanced AV1/H.265/H.264 video decoding. Its multi-core NPU accelerates edge AI applications, enabling immediate responsiveness with on-chip processing. The integrated ISP supports very high-resolution cameras via the dual MIPI CSI interface. Connectivity includes Gigabit Ethernet MAC, plus options for WiFi-6 and 5G wireless connectivity. Applications can be developed using popular Android, Yocto Linux, or Ubuntu OS, and benefit from MediaTek’s NeuroPilot SDK for accelerating AI integration.

Learn more about VIA Technologies’ new Genio 700 powered platforms >