My Journey in Wireless Networking: From Foundations to Expertise

What is Multi-Link Operation (MLO)?  With the introduction of the IEEE 802.11be standard (Wi-Fi 7), Multi-Link Operation (MLO) represents one of the most significant advancements in the modern Wi-Fi technology . MLO as the name signifies, allows devices to establish multiple concurrent links across different frequency bands (2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz), enabling more efficient use of available RF spectrum and significantly improving throughput, latency, and reliability. How to identifying MLO Support in a Beacon? The screenshots below shows the MLO support and capabilities in Beacon of a RUCKUS R770 AP . Let's examine the key indicators: MLO Capability Indicators In the first screenshot, we can see several critical fields that indicate MLO support: Multi-Link Control section shows basic control information with the 802.11be D3.0 tag EML Capabilities Present: True - Enhanced Multi-Link capabilities are supported MLD Capabilities Present: True - Multi-Link Device capabilitie...

 For the wireless communication, reliable data transmission is critical. Two key mechanisms that ensure this reliability are Acknowledgement (ACK) frames and Block Acknowledgement (Block ACK) frames. Let's dive deep into how these frames work and why they're essential for the Wi-Fi networks. The Fundamentals of ACK Frames ACK frames serve a dual purpose in wireless networks: Confirmation of Receipt : An ACK frame signals the sender that the frame is received. ACK could be used for data, management, or PS-Poll frame . This eliminates the need for automatic retransmission. Duration Information : For fragment bursts, the ACK frame transmits duration information to nearby Station(STAs), functioning similarly to Clear to Send (CTS) frames. ACK frame structure:  Frame Control : Contains control information for the frame (2 bytes) Duration : Specifies timing information for upcoming transmissions (2 bytes) RA (Receiver Address) : Identifies the individual MAC address of th...