Software tool supports 802.11ax multiuser test

10th May 2017

Mick Elliott

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The WLAN Test Toolkit 17.0 with support for Draft 1.1 of the IEEE 802.11ax standard has been announced by NI. Combined with NI’s second-generation Vector Signal Transceiver (VST), the WLAN Test Toolkit 17.0 supports 802.11ax waveform generation and analysis for characterisation, validation and production test of products, such as RF front end components, wireless modules and user devices, that implement Draft 1.1 of the IEEE 802.11ax standard.

The WLAN Test Toolkit 17.0 enables users to generate and analyse a wide range of 802.11ax standard-compliant waveforms, including extended single user, multiuser OFDMA and multiuser multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) with per-user configuration and measurement results.

The toolkit helps users solve demanding new access point test cases by generating signals that simulate multiuser environments, including per-user impairments.

Engineers can also use the new software to generate trigger frames to test the real-time response of client devices and make power pre-correction and relative center frequency measurements.

“As the standardisation and evolution of 802.11ax continues, engineers require a software-centric test approach that can keep pace with the latest standard features and challenging new test cases,” said Charles Schroeder, vice president of RF marketing at NI. “Taking advantage of NI’s modular platform and second-generation VST can help users lower their cost of test and reduce time to market.”

With the WLAN Test Toolkit 17.0 and second-generation VST, engineers can configure up to 8x8 MIMO systems in a single PXI chassis.

Users can also expect EVM measurements better than -50 dB, leading to rigorous device characterisation and reliable test results.

Furthermore, engineers can control their systems with the toolkit’s generation and analysis soft-front panels, and benefit from extensive LabVIEW, C and .NET system design software APIs and example code when programming and automating their systems.