Wi-Fi 6E: The Basics

[kc6108]

Is it a requirement for devices using Wi-Fi 6E to implement 802.11k?

I ask because I saw an option (or set of options really) on either the advanced wireless or debug screens of a Netgear RAXE500 to enable/disable 802.11k(v) in an older version of firmware, but now all references to those options seem to have been removed. I think the options were listed under a section called Smart Roaming. I'm wondering if Netgear removed support for this "Smart Roaming", simply removed the ability to turn it on and off, or removed it from the interface cause it wasn't supposed to be there in the first place.

I was discussing this with a buddy of mine, and he said his Netgear R9000 has an option to enable/disable 802.11k on its advanced wireless screen.

I don't have access to the RAXE500 or the old firmware it was running any longer. I saw 802.11k mentioned in this article, but I'm still unclear if 802.11k is a requirement of Wi-Fi 6E.

I wish I had taken a screenshot of the RAXE500 options I'm talking about. It would make it so much easier to explain.

 

[microchip]

Is it a requirement for devices using Wi-Fi 6E to implement 802.11k?

I ask because I saw an option (or set of options really) on either the advanced wireless or debug screens of a Netgear RAXE500 to enable/disable 802.11k(v) in an older version of firmware, but now all references to those options seem to have been removed. I think the options were listed under a section called Smart Roaming. I'm wondering if Netgear removed support for this "Smart Roaming", simply removed the ability to turn it on and off, or removed it from the interface cause it wasn't supposed to be there in the first place.

I was discussing this with a buddy of mine, and he said his Netgear R9000 has an option to enable/disable 802.11k on its advanced wireless screen.

I don't have access to the RAXE500 or the old firmware it was running any longer. I saw 802.11k mentioned in this article, but I'm still unclear if 802.11k is a requirement of Wi-Fi 6E.

I wish I had taken a screenshot of the RAXE500 options I'm talking about. It would make it so much easier to explain.

It's not a requirement but a recommendation. My R7800 also has the "Enable 11k" option on its debug page

 

[thiggins]

Is it a requirement for devices using Wi-Fi 6E to implement 802.11k?

Not that I know of. I believe it's a requirement that multi-band 6E APs advertise available 6 GHz channels as 11k reduced neighbor reports in 2.4 and 5 GHz. However, I don't think all APs currently do this.

11k and v have MANY options. So you really have to capture packets to know what is going on. Some options are only enabled when a STA that supports them is associated or probing. See the series that starts here for details: https://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wireless/wireless-features/33195-wi-fi-roaming-secrets-revealed