We love trying out new skills by shouting, "Alexa, turn on the Christmas tree" or "Okay, Google, turn on the Christmas lights." But while these commands worked perfectly with Alexa-compatible Christmas tree lights, they didn't work so smoothly with Google.
This has made us think again about interoperability.
- Wouldn't it be great if every IoT product were certified to work with Google, Alexa, or Siri?
- How do these same interoperability issues apply to enterprise Wi-Fi?
- How can this problem be solved through industry standards?
Wi-Fi AllianceCertification from an independent organization like means that a product has been reviewed, tested, and complies with a specific Wi-Fi standard. The most important idea behind Wi-Fi certification is That devices and access points from different manufacturers interoperate reliably and securely according to standards.
Wi-Fi 6 certification (Wi-Fi 6 certification)For those who want to enjoy the improved speeds and advanced features announced with the Wi-Fi 6 standard,.
Vendors offering Wi-Fi 6 certification services OFDMA (orthogonal frequency division multiple access), downlink multi-user multiple-input multiple-output (MU-MIMO) technology, Next-Generation Wi-Fi Security – WPA3, increasing bandwidth by leveraging high-speed and advanced essential features such as 160 MHz channels, Wake Time (Wake Time), Target (Wake) 1024 quadrature amplitude modulation (1024 QAM) and transmit beamforming. Fast speeds and advanced features essential for Wi-Fi 6 It provides the following benefits:.
Aruba is the first enterprise Wi-Fi vendor to achieve Wi-Fi 6 certification.Not only did it
We are also committed to ensuring that future Wi-Fi 6E APs will meet all certification requirements outlined by the Wi-Fi Alliance.
Compatibility and interoperability with previous versions
As the number of devices explodes, authentication becomes increasingly important.
CTIAAccording to , there will be 31 billion connected devices by 2023.
How do we ensure that all these devices interact and coexist in a multi-vendor environment?
If I have a laptop from five years ago, will I be able to connect to Wi-Fi 6 without affecting other devices on my network?
Interoperability of Wi-Fi 6 products with previous technologies is ensured as part of the certification process.
Knowing that all these devices are backward compatible with existing Wi-Fi standards will help consumers embrace the new technology.
What if my solution isn't Wi-Fi 6 certified?
If your solution isn't officially certified, there are two main risks:.
1. Full support for new features:
New features may be partially supported or not supported on uncertified platforms.
For Wi-Fi 6 platforms, OFDMA, which helps improve network efficiency and reduce latency; WPA3, which ensures the latest wireless security, especially for IoT devices, secure guest access; and Target Wake Time (TWT), which helps preserve device battery life, may not be supported.
Additionally, it may not support bidirectional MU-MIMO, which helps increase network capacity and is efficient for low-latency apps.
2. Interoperability:
Wi-Fi certification involves testing a product in a variety of environments with multiple devices to ensure interoperability with other certified devices.
Deploying non-certified products in a multi-vendor environment often leads to interoperability issues, as they haven't undergone the rigorous Wi-Fi certification testing process. Purchasing Wi-Fi certified products provides peace of mind and assurance that your investment will work with other devices on the network, including older certified devices.
This results in a superior user experience and reduced user complaints.
How do I get my product Wi-Fi certified?
The Wi-Fi Alliance has developed detailed test plans for every standard from Wi-Fi 1 (802.11b) to Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax).
As with existing Wi-Fi standards, Wi-Fi 6 certification has several prerequisites.
To be Wi-Fi 6 certified, an access point must pass WPA3, Wi-Fi 5, and Wi-Fi 4 certification requirements.
And it must support agile multiband so that APs or client devices can efficiently utilize the available frequencies.
This process is not much different from what is required to obtain approval from the U.S. Federal Drug Administration (FDA) for a new drug.
New drugs must undergo a rigorous series of tests to ensure they deliver good results with no unacceptable side effects.
So, let's talk about how to get your access point Wi-Fi 6 certified.
Before the official certification process begins, manufacturers typically participate in Wi-Fi Alliance-hosted plugfests.
Manufacturers test and evaluate Wi-Fi products that incorporate multiple solutions within a single environment to ensure interoperability between multiple devices using chipsets from different companies. Participating in Plugfest is a best practice that helps obtain early feedback on how the offering performs against the proposed test plan.
Once the Wi-Fi certification testing plan is finalized, there are mandatory and optional test criteria for APs and devices.
For Wi-Fi 6, there are over 100 mandatory testing criteria that must pass certification.
As with any certification, preparation is key.
Aruba builds a similar testbed in-house, pre-works, and runs all test cases in preparation for certification to ensure that the APs are interoperable with other devices. This is a time-consuming task. It may take up to 3 monthsThis can be done by ensuring the AP platform supports all essential features and delivers optimal performance. After testing all supported Wi-Fi 6 features and passing the test criteria in Aruba's lab environment, the final step is to work with an authorized Wi-Fi test facility to ensure the product meets industry standards for interoperability, security, and intelligent use of network resources. Upon completion of this step, the product is eligible for Wi-Fi 6 certification.
This entire process can take up to five months.
Just like with IoT devices, if you want to make sure your Wi-Fi is interoperable and takes advantage of all the latest features...
It would be best to go through the authentication process.
Just ask the manufacturer.
Are you Wi-Fi 6 certified?
