What is the sensitivity requirement for a Wi-Fi 7 receiver at the maximum data rate?
Wi-Fi 7 Receiver Sensitivity
The sensitivity at maximum data rate is sometimes misleadingly used to describe receiver quality, but in practice, it is the sensitivity at moderate MCS (MCS7-9) that determines real-world coverage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Wi-Fi 7 sensitivity so much worse at 320 MHz?
The noise power scales with bandwidth: 320 MHz has 12 dB more noise than 20 MHz. Additionally, 4096QAM requires 36 dB more SNR than BPSK. Combined: the sensitivity difference between MCS0/20 MHz and MCS13/320 MHz is roughly 48 dB (-95 dBm vs -46 dBm). This is the fundamental trade-off between throughput and range.
Does NF matter at high MCS?
Less than at low MCS. At MCS13/4096QAM: the required SNR is 38 dB, and the dominant factor is the implementation EVM floor (phase noise, IQ errors). A 1 dB NF improvement only improves the sensitivity by 1 dB, which extends range by only approximately 10%. At MCS0: a 1 dB NF improvement at -95 dBm sensitivity can significantly extend the cell edge coverage. So NF optimization is most impactful for coverage (low MCS) rather than peak throughput (high MCS).
How do I improve the high-MCS sensitivity?
Focus on: phase noise: use a lower-noise PLL (improves the EVM floor). IQ calibration: improve the DC offset, gain imbalance, and phase imbalance correction algorithms. ADC resolution: use a 12-14 bit ADC (instead of 10-bit) for better quantization noise. PA linearity (TX side): ensure the transmitting AP has sufficient EVM quality at the modulated output. Room environment: minimize multipath reflections that spread the constellation (use directional antennas or beamforming).