CDRouter WiFi Performance & Stability

Overview

The purpose of this training session is to provide an overview of basic WiFi testing with CDRouter. A new WiFi configuration file and test packages will be created. These test packages will include a mix of functional and performance tests.

Package level options that allow tests to be looped and repeated will also be discussed. Looping and repeating functional and performance tests together is the basis of stability testing which is where interesting WiFi performance issues are often found.

Agenda

• Wi-Fi configuration review
  • Configuring multiple Wi-Fi clients
  • wifi test module - tests to verify WiFi client association behavior
• Overview of tests available in Performance expansion
  • Throughput, packet-loss, and latency tests
  • Fixed-rate throughput tests
  • Multi-client throughput tests
• Performance test configuration overview
  • Configuring test bandwidth rates and thresholds
  • Configuring per-client performance settings
  • Wireless mesh test environments
• Analyzing performance test results logs
• Summary of 802.11 wireless characteristics and capabilities
  • Determining expected throughput performance during testing
  • Explanation of maximum theoretical throughput vs user data “goodput” performance
  • Interpreting real-time wireless client connection details in test logs
• Package options and long-term performance stability testing
  • Use package level options to run tests multiple times over an extended period of time
  • Graphing performance test results across multiple test iterations
• Wi-Fi Range vs Rate (RvR) test overview¹
  • RF Attenuator Kit setup
  • Available RvR test cases
  • RvR test results and graphs

Prerequisites

• All prerequisites from the CDRouter Basics training module must be in place prior to the start of training.

• Securely connect all supplied antennas to the RP-SMA connectors on the rear panel of the NTA1000 chassis.

• Access to DUT’s management interface should be available in order to modify configuration settings.

• Locate the DUT near the NTA1000 to ensure WiFi signal strength.

• Understand and note the WiFi capabilities of the DUT, including:

  • Band(s) supported
  • Channel(s) supported
  • Security modes supported (WPA3/WPA2, Personal/Enterprise, etc.)
  • Number of spatial streams (2x2, 4x4, etc.)
  • Physical layer modes supported (802.11ac Wave 2, 802.11ax, etc)
  • Channel widths supported (20/40/80/160 MHz)

• If an isolation chamber is to be used, please contact support@qacafe.com for assistance with physical connections and setup.