Edgewater Wireless February 2016 Disruptive Innovation Demonstrating WiFi3 vs 802.11ac Solving WiFi interference & capacity issues just got easier with 3 channels on a single radio WiFi3 technology. It is predicted by 2017 there will be 5 devices/connections for every internet user. Smart phone devices, tablets etc; have allowed internet access to almost half of the global population. Increased access is now driving accelerated data demand via high bandwidth applications like Netflix, Hulu, Skype as well as passive data transfer using applications such as Dropbox and Apple s icloud for photo and media storage. The result WiFi networks are being taxed to the tipping point as standard WiFi architecture struggles to deliver the capacity required of wireless networks in high density environments. The growing demand for data also signals strong growth for the WiFi access point market. WiFi is the primary technology for device connection and a recent report by Market and Markets targeted the global WiFi market to be worth an estimated $36 billion by 2020. The densification of WiFi networks is one of the biggest evolving challenges faced by network operators globally. The demand for connectivity via WiFi is also accelerating issues associated with operating WiFi networks in busy or dirty RF environments. Dirty RF environments are created by densification as the increasing number of deployed access points create and increase interference and QoS. Where traditionally densification was confined to large public areas, convention centers, arenas etc., today WiFi is gaining rapid adoption in the large enterprise market segment as well as extending to some SME and residential-consumer markets. This further contributes to the interference/capacity crunch impacting network performance. WiFi innovation in hardware and software works to maximize WiFi performance in the unlicensed spectrum. Innovative technologies such as smart antennas, or implementation innovation, such as MU-MIMO, have been designed to mitigate issues of congestion and interference. However, these innovations are all based on standard reference designs by major chipmakers and do not address what is fundamentally an RF issue. Demo Scenario LOCATION MEASUREMENT & TRAFFIC SIMULATION HARDWARE TESTED Plug & Play Center San Jose, California November 2015 7 Signal RF Monitoring & Measurement Technology iperf Wireless Traffic Simulation Software Edgewater Wireless EAP3030 VS Vendors Withheld Commercial 802.11ac access point products Edgewater s WiFi3 is following a path of disruptive innovation in WiFi hardware innovation. WiFi3 is fundamentally changing the capabilities of standards-compliant WiFi by increasing the number of available channels in a given area. WiFi3 is the only WiFi architecture to deliver multiple, concurrent channels of transmit (Tx) and receive (Rx) from a single radio. Network operators need to plan and optimize their environments for capacity and managing a high density of users.
The Demonstration Test Environment The testing environment was chosen to provide a real world WiFi scenario in a high density location. The Plug and Play Center located in Sunnyvale, California is a center of excellence and incubator of some of the most innovative, emerging technology. The center is home to over 50 early stage technology companies. The demonstration was held in a 600 sq. ft demonstration room within the Plug and Play Center facility. The Equipment: Edgewater Wireless entry level EAP3030 access point part of the Edgewater s suite of products, broadcasts three (3) concurrent, asynchronous channels from a single radio in the 2.4Ghz spectrum. Competing vendors commercial-grade 802.11ac access points were utilized based on industry popularity and company stated performance capabilities. The 2.4GHz spectrum was chosen for the demonstration as it is generally agreed that 2.4GHz is considered highly congested and plagued by interference. Simply put, operating in the 2.4 GHz spectrum is the most challenging for operating in a majority of real world deployments. This scenario was chosen to replicate a real-world large enterprise or public area deployment with multiple clients connected to the WiFi network to actively access content like HD video and facetime/skype applications. The scenario is representative of what a true High Density WiFi network experiences; Real World ACI and CCI, Intensive, Data Demanding Applications. RF Environment Baseline Standard vendor performance testing typically utilizes controlled laboratory test environments which are selected to minimize or often eliminate interference and overall network congestion, as well as, delivering the highest possible performance metrics. These metrics are then utilized as a marketing benchmark to showcase the outstanding performance and speed of a vendor s access point. These test laboratory environments, often appear very similar to a Faraday Cage and virtually never demonstrate real world scenarios where RF interference is combined with density of users and data (packet) transmission. In order to demonstrate the real world impact of interference and density of users, the environmental baseline was demonstrated in what is considered a typical, large enterprise office environment at the Plug and Play Centre in Sunnyvale, California. As is typical in many large enterprise environments, multiples of WiFi access points/networks were operating in the testing environment. This real world environment is a common example of a WiFi network deployment where resolving capacity issues is achieved by adding additional access points (NOTE: additional access points will increase interference and impact the immediate RF environment). As part of establishing the RF Environmental Baseline, a complete spectrum scan of the RF environment revealed upwards of 40 access points operating concurrently on multiple channels resulting in a dirty RF environment with significant co-channel and adjacent channel interference. Our makes sense disclaimer: At Edgewater, we recognize that every real world scenario and impact of RF interference is continually changing. Edgewater Wireless has tested and demonstrated in a variety of environments and believe the demonstration highlighted in this document is representative of an extreme, high density location. Aliquam scelerisque sagittis erat. 2
Test and Performance Results The demonstration testing parameters remained static with the exception of the re-association of traffic from the EAP3030 Access Point to the competitors 802.11ac access points. iperf traffic was simulated on 12 client devices running 5MB bursts (packets) of data over a 30-minute testing period. Upon completion of the 30-minute traffic simulation, one access point radio would be turned off and another access point radio turned on and re-associated with the testing devices. 7Signal (7signal.com) provided continuous monitoring during the testing period and three critical parameters provided real time performance metrics Downlink Data Volume (Throughput), Retransmission Rates and Connected Client Devices. The charts provided below are the actual, real time reports generated by 7Signal. A competitor access point is identified by the single diamond shape icon which is turquoise in color. The Edgewater Wireless access point is represented by the three channels of separate transmit and receive on a single access point radio respectively represented by a green triangle icon, red square icon and blue circle icon. Monitoried Downlink Volume - Throughput The throughput test demonstrated the overall downlink performance of the Edgewater Wireless access point and competitors 802.11ac access points. The performance advantages of the Edgewater Wireless access point over the demonstration testing period were conclusive demonstrating an average throughput of 16-19 Mbps of real world performance. As shown in the chart below, typical competitor s 802.11ac access point performance operating under the same real-time testing environment achieved a peak performance of 3.4 Mbps and an average of 500Kbit/s. As illustrated in the chart below the test was conducted numerous times with a consistent pattern of performance demonstrated by each competitor access points utilized in the demonstration. 3
Retransmission (retries) Performance When an 802.11 client device hears another WiFi signal it will defer packet transmission until the signal ceases. Interference that occurs during transmission also causes packet loss, which creates Wi-Fi retransmissions. The combination of high noise levels and high retry rates generally indicates that RF interference is impacting the wireless network. These retransmissions negatively impact throughput and result in reduced performance for all users sharing an access point. The RF environment in which the demonstration was conducted is considered a high-density location. The testing averages for competitors retransmission rate were typically in the 80 th percentile peaking at 100% retransmission rate. The Edgewater Wireless EAP303 averages for retransmission rate were in the 30 th percentile with a peak of 45% retransmission on a single channel. Subsequent testing in different deployment scenarios with reduced RF interference did lower retransmission rates slightly however the overall retransmission rates indicated poor to unusable WiFi in the 2.4GHz spectrum for competitors access points. Edgewater Access Point products demonstrated consistent capability to perform in the 2.4GHz spectrum. This is largely the result of WiFi3 technology s capability to broadcast three, asynchronous channels of transmit and receive on the same wireless radio. 4
Connected Concurrent Client Devices Eleven client devices were employed during the testing period and as detailed in the graphic below. A competitor s access point is demonstrated by the single turquoise diamond icon and aggregate client devices were distributed across three simultaneous channels of transmit and receive on the same radio using the Edgewater EAP3030 access point. As is illustrated in the real time image capture of the data in Figure 3, device connectivity was relatively similar throughout the demonstration. Competitors access points averaged 12 connected devices during the testing period before achieving maximum and the Edgewater Wireless access point maintaining an aggregate of 9 connected devices during the testing period. Subsequent testing and demonstrations have shown consistent consistent average of 12 connected clients to competitors access points in a parallel deployment scenario with a maximum of 15 connected client devices. Under the same test scenario, Edgewater Wireless maintained a consistent average of 12 connected clients and a maximum of 18 connected client devices. Client devices included a mix of Android and Apple based OS phones, tablets and laptops which utilized the iperf (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.magicandroidapps.iperf&hl=en)network bandwidth simulation application to provide traffic through the APs. 5
The Future of High Density Edgewater Wireless is addressing the challenges of capacity and interference by innovating at the hardware level with the development of the world s first, standards-compliant multichannel WiFi3 technology. WiFi3 technology is available in our complete suite of Access Point products with the option of controller or controllerless architecture, Virtual Network Management System (NMS) software. Service providers and network managers can leverage WiFi3 technology to mitigate the issues of interference and capacity in High Density hotspots or as a complete High Density network deployment. Edgewater Wireless delivers advanced product solutions designed to meet the high-density, high quality of service (QoS) and high-reliability needs of service providers and their customers. Leveraging over twenty (20) patents, Edgewater s WiFi3 is redefining Wi-Fi technology with its wide-band, multi-channel radio and high-capacity Access Point solutions, that deliver next generation Wi-Fi, today. The best solution for High-Density Wi-Fi networks: Edgewater Wireless WiFi3 powered access point products enable innovative service providers to plan, build and deploy reliable, high-capacity services (like VoWiFI) for high-density wireless data demand in any environment. Do more with less! Fewer access points delivering high quality service at a lower overall deployment cost make our patented WiFi3 technology the right choice for your next high density Wi-Fi network. Engaging with Edgewater Wireless Each of our products integrate with one or more WiFi3 -powered radios capable of supporting up to three concurrent channels simultaneously. Each channel supports four Virtual Access Points (VAPs)providing unbeatable flexibility for configuration. Each WiFi3 integrated radio supports Edgewater Wireless Spectrum Surveillance Architecture (SSA ) with the ability to identify interferers and security threats. Independent transmit power control is supported on each channel and can be configured by the operator to optimize the network deployment. Edgewater Wireless WiFi3 technology is backed by our growing portfolio of over 20 patents. Through our rich patent portfolio we have created a depth of intellectual property (IP) that makes up our WiFi3 technology which is quickly being accepted as the solution for solving the congestion and data demand issues that evolving and impacting high-density WiFi networks. Edgewater Wireless offers licensing and technology integration solutions to manufacturers of OEM equipment and products for the wireless and WiFi industry to leverage our extensive patent portfolio and technology. ENGAGING WITH EDGEWATER WIRELESS To discuss the Edgewater Wireless Products, Development Kit, Technology Licensing or Partnerships, please contact us. Edgewater Wireless www.edgewaterwireless.com +1-613-271-3710