Mitigating 6 GHz unlicensed interference – Will Wi-Fi 6E move your network?

Will your 6 GHz network be affected by Wi-Fi 6E interference? What can be done to ensure critical communications? The FCC is allowing 802.11ax (HE) U-NII unlicensed wireless stations to use 6 GHz microwave bands from 5950 MHz to 7125 MHz. While the 6E wireless equipment is smart and intends to avoid using occupied channels, there isn’t much to do if interference does happen.

One solution is to migrate to other frequency bands. For 6 GHz licenses, this means going to higher frequencies such as 11 GHz, 18 GHz, and 23 GHz. Reliable operating range becomes more difficult with increasing frequency. Multi-hop link replacement becomes necessary.

Peninsula Engineering Solutions RF-11000E repeater can be used at the intermediate radio relay site or sites between existing end points/terminals. The RF repeater boosts microwave signals thus making longer 11 GHz paths possible.

The advantages of using a microwave RF repeater at the intermediate sites are simplicity and reliability. These units have low DC power consumption, protected amplifiers, and remote supervision. Typical site DC power is 80 Watts for a duplex 11 GHz repeater with supervision. Off-grid power such as solar is practical and cost effective. The equipment is outdoor rated and typically does not require an equipment shelter. Additional path protection is available using adaptive modulation, space diversity, multi-carrier link aggregation, and frequency diversity.

The Peninsula RF-11000E repeater models support channel capacities from 1.25 MHz to 80 MHz on standard frequency plans. Model configurations are available from 1+0 through 4+0. Units may be combined for greater capacity up to 8+0 (2 x 4+0). XPIC is also supported for greater capacity per channel by using both polarizations. Modulations up to 2048QAM are supported.

In practice, Peninsula recommends alternating carrier polarization on successive hops and locating the RF repeater such that the hops form a “dog leg”. Both practices reduce possible overshoot, cochannel, selfinterference as these repeaters do not change frequency.

Contact us now to discuss your needs with our staff.