The rapid growth of artificial intelligence and other data intensive applications has greatly improved industrial operations, but it has also put heavy pressure on wireless networks.
The problem is usually attributed to the limitations of older Wi Fi networks, as their design does not meet modern industrial requirements. Congestion is one of the most serious problems: in many facilities, dozens or even hundreds of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) devices compete for bandwidth, causing existing networks to be overwhelmed.
Efficiency is also an issue. Traditional Wi Fi technology lacks the power management capabilities required for battery powered sensors and mobile systems.
Safety is another limitation. Network attacks are increasingly targeting industrial networks, and the WPA2 encryption provided by old networks may not provide sufficient protection.
These challenges urgently require new solutions based on modern wireless standards such as Wi Fi 6/6E (802.11ax).
How Wi Fi 6/6E meets the needs of industrial networks
One of the biggest improvements of Wi Fi 6 is the adoption of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) technology, which allows multiple devices to share the same channel, significantly increasing network capacity. Wi Fi 6E further extends these advantages by adding a 6 gigahertz (GHz) band to the existing 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, greatly reducing interference in crowded industrial environments.
For battery powered systems, target wake-up time (TWT) is another significant advantage. TWT allows devices to negotiate schedules for wake-up and data transmission. This minimizes idle time and significantly extends battery life while maintaining a reliable connection.
Finally, upgrading to WPA3 Enterprise can significantly enhance security. This technology provides stronger encryption methods, protection against brute force attacks, and improved authentication methods.
For designers, the question is how to quickly and effectively deploy all these new features.
Wi Fi 6/6E module simplifies industrial connectivity
Ezuro's Sona series Wi Fi 6/6E connectivity module provides a solution. Each module in this series will be tailored to specific performance and integration requirements, but all share a common foundation: support for Wi Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.4, industrial grade reliability, and ease of deployment.
This series includes five product lines: Sona IF573 (Wi-Fi 6E)、Sona IF513 (Wi-Fi 6E)、Sona TI351 (Wi-Fi 6)、Sona NX611 (Wi-Fi 6) And Sona MT320 (Wi Fi 6). Each one is built on a different chipset. This multi vendor approach allows developers to flexibly choose chips that are suitable for their system architecture, while reducing the risk of relying on specific vendors.
These modules adopt pluggable and surface mount technology (SMT) M.2 external dimensions, which can be integrated into various system layouts and limited spaces. Antenna selection includes MHF4 connectors, RF pins, or integrated chip antennas. The pre certified antenna option can help simplify regulatory approval.
All modules are supported by the Ezurio Connectivity Stack, which includes support for the Linux kernel (as early as version 6.1) and Android (as early as version 12). This allows designers to add modern wireless features to existing systems without the need for major software modifications.
Wi Fi 6/6E solution suitable for a wide range of industrial applications
To demonstrate the breadth of selection for the Sona series, let's take a typical use case: an IIoT gateway that aggregates data from numerous endpoints (including high bandwidth sources). The Ezuro Sona IF573 module based on Infineon Technologies chips is highly suitable for this role. Its throughput of 1200 Mb/s, 2 × 2 multi-user multiple input multiple output (MU-MIMO) configuration, and tri band 2.4/5/6 GHz Wi Fi 6E support enable the industrial gateway to maintain multiple high-speed connections. A typical example is 453-00119 (Figure 1), which is packaged with M.2 2230 Key E and includes three MHF4 connectors.