E6680A Wireless Test Set

Look to the Future with a New Solution for IEEE 802.11 Testing

While fifth generation (5G) gets a lot of attention, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 is not standing still. Higher data rates are available today with 802.11ax. Further improvements in speed with higher-order modulation and larger signal bandwidth are planned. The next wireless local area network (WLAN) standard, 802.11be, will support higher bandwidth and modulation than 5G does today.

Signal bandwidths up to 320 MHz – twice the bandwidth of 802.11ax signals today – and 4096 quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) are two of the biggest changes introduced within the physical layer (PHY) of this new technology.

Signal bandwidths up to 320 MHz – twice the bandwidth of 802.11ax signals today – and 4096 quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) are two of the biggest changes introduced within the physical layer (PHY) of this new technology.

Signal bandwidths up to 320 MHz – twice the bandwidth of 802.11ax signals today – and 4096 quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) are two of the biggest changes introduced within the physical layer (PHY) of this new technology.

Optimize Throughput without Sacrificing Flexibility

More bands and more antennas would seem to add test time and reduce throughput. The 32 ports of the E6680A flexibly test multiple bands, multiple antennas, and multiple devices supporting many use cases.

Simplify your test system

The E6680A makes it easy to test the three WLAN bands. Each of the 32 ports supports all three bands and is configurable as half duplex or full duplex. Disconnecting and reconnecting your device to test in a different band is unnecessary saving valuable test time.

Internal switching and splitting of signals eliminate the need for separate test system components reducing calibration time and test system maintenance. Configure each port to calibrate and verify every antenna, no matter the frequency or bandwidth. Testing multiple devices and/or multiple antennas is your choice.

Making startup quick and painless, a controller is embedded within the E6680A. Software licenses and applications are loaded before shipment - just plug it in, switch it on, and you are ready to test.

Reduce test time with sequencing and parallel test

Sequencing is one method of decreasing overall test time. A set of test steps is prepared in one sequence and then initiated with a single trigger. Test speed increases since fewer commands are used. The sequence analyzer of the E6680A supports measurement sequences with varying power levels and frequencies.

Parallel test is another method of decreasing overall test time. The V9065EM2E parallel analysis of multiple devices software application runs with or without the sequence analyzer to provide fast test speed. Test time is significantly reduced when data is analyzed while configuring the device for the next tests and acquiring the next sets of data.

Up to eight devices can be tested in less than half the time when parallel test is combined with broadcasting. Connect the Tx/Rx antenna of each device to one port of the E6680A. Configure four ports to transmit the same signal to four devices simultaneously and perform Rx tests on four devices. Configure the other four ports to make desired measurements on four more devices using the V9065EM2E parallel analysis of multiple devices application. Re-configure each port between output and input to complete testing eight devices without changing physical connections.