T&M WLAN Testing with NI PXI Solutions
This article discusses WLAN device testing according to IEEE 802.11a, 11g, 11n, and 11ac standards, highlighting National Instruments (NI) hardware and software solutions for this purpose.
Understanding WLAN
WLAN, short for Wireless LAN, is designed for medium to high data rate indoor applications. It operates in the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency bands.
NI’s WLAN Test Platform
NI offers a test platform based on PXI hardware and dedicated WLAN application software, capable of testing WLAN 11ac compliant chipsets and devices. This solution handles both transmitter and receiver testing.
Key Features of NI’s WLAN Software:
- Supports legacy WLAN standards: IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n.
- Supports 4x4 MIMO configurations.
- Handles signal bandwidths of 20/40/80/160 MHz.
- Supports modulation types including BPSK, QPSK, and 256-QAM.
NI PXI RF-VSG and RF-VSA for WLAN Tests
The following table details the RF Vector Signal Generator (VSG) and Vector Signal Analyzer (VSA) hardware models that can be integrated into a PXI chassis for WLAN device testing:
| NI Model | Description |
|---|---|
| NI PXIe-5663E (VSA) | Used as a Vector Signal Analyzer, supporting frequencies up to 6.6 GHz with a 50 MHz instantaneous bandwidth. |
| NI PXIe-5673E | Used as a Vector Signal Generator for frequencies up to 6.6 GHz, supporting an RF bandwidth greater than 100 MHz. |
Cost-Effective Solution
Since WLAN uses RF channel frequencies of 2.4 GHz, 4.9 GHz, and 5 GHz, and these frequencies are supported by the NI PXI modules listed above, the combined hardware and software solution provides a cost-effective approach to WLAN testing.
NI also offers other VSG and VSA models for different RF frequencies and bandwidth requirements.
