Silex Technology, a global leader in wired and wireless networking solutions, announced the introduction and availability of its new wireless LAN module, SX-PCEAX, today. The SX-PCEAX includes the latest Wi-Fi 6E standard to expand into the 6 GHz spectrum for unprecedented Wi-Fi communications performance, stability, and efficiency. Designed for improved communications in highly-congested environments, the new Wi-Fi 6E module delivers the critical reliability, efficiency, and performance needed to expand IoT devices in factories, warehouses, and medical facilities. Built on the latest Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 standards, the SC-PCEAX is available in three form factors – M.2, Mini PCI Express, and surface-mount – all of which will obtain module certification in Europe, Japan, and North America. The SX-PCEAX is available immediately for design evaluation and prototyping using NXP and Nvidia enablement platforms. Mass production and shipping will begin in March 2022.

Wi-Fi 6 Functionality with 6 GHz Performance

The SX-PCEAX is a tri-band (2.4GHz / 5GHz / 6GHz) wireless LAN combo module that supports Wi-Fi 6E + Bluetooth® v5.2, using Qualcomm QCA2066. Wi-Fi 6E extends the benefits of Wi-Fi 6 into the 6 GHz communication spectrum, enhancing the speed and reliability even more. With seven super-wide 160 MHz channels available in Wi-Fi 6E, devices have six times the bandwidth capacity available on Wi-Fi 6 networks running in 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bandwidth. The module supports both station and access point modes. It is equipped with a wide range of features unique to Wi-Fi 6, such as Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) and Target Wake Time (TWT), to enable high-speed communication and enhanced communication efficiency and stability of the system. Combining Wi-Fi 6 features with the expansion into 6 GHz communications makes the SX-PCEAX an ideal wireless LAN module for developing next-generation wireless LAN systems.

The Wi-Fi 6E standard moves Wi-Fi communications into the 6GHz spectrum where legacy devices operating in 2.4 and 5 GHz cannot negatively impact the network performance. Customers designing medical and industrial devices can now jump to Wi-Fi 6E for better performance, less crowded networks, and a longer lifecycle for their designs.

"It is common to find a mix of legacy clients operating on the Wi-Fi network, making the network sub-optimal. Legacy clients are inefficient, and the overhead needed to maintain backward compatibility contributes to further efficiency losses," said Mr. Pape, Master Specialist FO Wireless at Silex’ Customer Phoenix Contact. "Wi-Fi 6E does not only make the new products future-proof, but it also does away with the complexities of the past by limiting access to only Wi-Fi 6 and newer protocols in the 6 GHz band. Coupling the Wi-Fi 6 protocol with Wi-Fi 6E spectrum will allow Wi-Fi 6 abilities to shine in a greenfield installation."

Why Silex for Wi-Fi 6E

As one of the select few Qualcomm Design Centers globally, Silex provides leading wireless technology with design support worldwide. We provide driver support for operating systems such as Linux and Windows. We can help customers port the driver to their specific platforms. Our reference platforms for driver evaluation and development are the NXP’s iMX 8M and NVIDIA’s Jetson AGX Xavier. To further expedite the product development process, Silex also provides additional engineering services, including custom driver development, certification services, and hardware schematic design reviews.

SX-PCEAX Features:

• Six times more capacity than 2.5 and 5 GHz bands   
• Seven super wide 160 MHz channels
• Lower latency, less congestion Wi-Fi 6E (Tri-Band): Devices can operate in the 6 GHz band providing:

– Dual-Band Simultaneous: Supports two separate Wi-Fi networks simultaneously using both 2.4- and 5-GHz frequency bands. It not only doubles the available bandwidth but also allows for a more reliable dedicated Wi-Fi network.

– OFDMA: Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) effectively shares channels to increase network efficiency and lower latency for both uplink and downlink traffic in high-demand and dense environments.

– Multi-User Multiple Input Multiple Output (MU-MIMO): This allows more downlink data to be transferred at once and enables an access point to transmit data to a larger number of devices concurrently.

– Target Wake Time (TWT): Significantly improves battery life in Wi-Fi devices, such as Internet of Things (IoT) devices.

Pricing and Availability

The product is now available. Please contact our sales team at sales@silexeurope.com and sales@silexamerica.com for more details for early enablement.