Maximizing WiFi 6/7 Speeds

So you bought a shiny new Access Point to experience WiFi 6/7 – 802.11 ax, but it seems just as slow as your old one?  Fear not, with the proper knowledge, you too can experience WiFi Nirvana!

EQUIPMENT

  • WiFi 6/7 Access Point – SonicWALL SonicWave 621, 641, 681
  • PoE Injector – Multi-Gigabit 802.3Bt PoE+
  • Router or Switch with SFP+ 10Gb Ports – SonicWALL TZ670
  • SFP+ Transceiver – SonicWALL 02-SSC-1874 (1G, 2.5G, 5G, 10G over Copper)
  • CAT 6A/8 Ethernet Cable (Copper)
  • Shielded RJ45 Connectors for Shielded Ethernet Cables
  • Shielded Keystone Jack (if using a Wall Plate)
*SonicWALL is just one Brand that I like to use for all my Networking Security and Access.

MULTI-GIG

What is Multi-Gig?  As the need for faster speeds arose, faster standards needed to be developed.  Most are familiar with 10Mb/100Mb/1000Mb Base-T Copper Ethernet connection rates.  Newer rates are 2.5Gb, 5.0Gb, and 10Gb.  The old days of assuming all network cables connect using RJ45 connectors are over.  Today, you must look at the connectors on all your devices.  Does your device use RJ45 connectors?  SFP+ connectors? Or a mix of SFP+ to RJ45 connection?  It’s important to know.

10/100/1000 Base-T vs. SFP+

For Shielded RJ45 Cables

For Unshielded Rj45 Cables

Shielded Multi-Gig Cables into Ports

Example of SFP+ Ports – SonicWALL TZ670 Router

To understand the newer connections, lets explain the difference between the older Base-T connections and SFP+ connections.

1000 Base-T is an Ethernet connection using 8 Copper wires using a RJ45 connector.  SFP & SFP+ stands for Small Form-factor Pluggable.  *The original spec for SFP is only for gigabit speeds.  The plus (SFP+) is used to note faster than, or > gigabit speed.

SFP utilizes a transceiver to plug into your network device, and your cable plugs into that.  SFP can utilize either Copper or Fiber ethernet cables.  The transceiver you choose will be rated for Copper or Fiber, but not both, and the connection speeds it offers.  For example, some only connect at 10Gb speeds.  Some will connect at multiple speeds like 2.5Gb, 5.0Gb, & 10Gb.  Faster specs like SFP28 (25Gbps) and SFP56 (50Gbps) are for Enterprise environments.  You must look at their ratings before purchasing, to ensure you get the proper equipment.

PoE, PoE+, PoE++ POWER OVER ETHERNET INJECTOR

But how do you power your Access Point on the ceiling when there is no power?  The solution is to use a PoE Injector or a PoE Switch.  When using PoE devices, it injects a DC voltage over a COPPER ethernet cable.  To use a PoE injector, you plug in the data cable into the injector, the PoE injector is plugged into AC power, and then a mixed Power/Data signal is sent over another output cable to your PoE device.  If your Switch/Router has the proper PoE spec, you would just plug in one ethernet cable from the Router/Switch to your PoE device, and configure the Router/Switch to send Power over Ethernet.  What’s with the PoE+ and PoE++?  The plus means more power, and the plus plus means even more power.  Most importantly are the power requirements of the Access Point which will dictate which PoE standard you must use.  Depending on class/power requirements, power is delivered on either 2 or 4 wires.

CONNECTING TO THE ACCESS POINT – CABLE DISCUSSION

Access Points to date DO NOT utilize a Fiber Ethernet connection, they are all Copper Ethernet with RJ45 connections.  The newest Access Points require 5Gb connections in order to maximize their full potential.  But how do you do this?  Most network switches and routers do not have a 5Gb RJ45 port.  Just now are we seeing 2.5Gb RJ45 ports.  Most of Multi-Gig ports are in the SFP+ form factor.  That means if my Router has a 10G SFP+ port, and my Access Point has a 5Gb RJ45 port, how do I connect them?  You would need a SFP+ Transceiver and a CAT 6A/CAT8 Copper Ethernet Cable; wired as a passthrough twisted pair config.  The SFP+ transceiver plugs into your Router/Switch, your RJ45 terminated CAT6A/8 cable would then plug into the transceiver, while the other end terminates into the Access Point’s 5Gb port.  The Router/Switch should be able to connect at the 5Gb speed, therefore maximizing its speed potential.  But back up…. why CAT6A/8?  Can’t I just I just use my old CAT 5e cables?  Can’t I just use the cheapest cable?  That depends on the environment, and length of cable, and the speed you wish to achieve without errors.  Choose the cable based on speed and length as per the chart below:

WHAT TYPE OF CABLE DO I NEED? S/FTP, UTP, WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?

Copper Ethernet cables are made up of 8 twisted pair wires.  Some are pure copper, some are copper clad, some have shielding, some don’t.  We need to understand the abbreviation coding of the cable first:

So if we use CAT8 cable, it is normally sold as S/FTP.  It lets us know that it has an outer Braided Shield, then Foil Shielding around the Twisted Pairs.

 

*NOTE: When working with Shielded Cables, you MUST USE a Shielded RJ45 Ethernet Jack on BOTH ends, as well as the Keystone if using a Wall-plate.

I HAVE A WALL PLATE, DO I NEED ANYTHING SPECIAL?

YES!  When working with Shielded ethernet cables, one must use a “Shielded Keystone Jack”.  Special attention is given when terminating shielded cables.  When using Shielded Cables, DO NOT USE a standard RJ45 (unshielded) jack!  CAT8 cables are ALWAYS SHIELDED.

When working with CAT8 Wall Jacks:

  1. Remove about 40mm of the outer plastic sheathing exposing the braided shielding.
  2. Pull down on the shielding and wrap it around the cable (where you cut the outer plastic sheathing).
  3. Wrap your Copper/Metal tape around the braided shielding that is wrapped around the cable.
  4. Insert your twisted pairs into the punch-down plate.
  5. Trim the excess wires from the punch-down plate.
  6. Close the metal Keystone until it clicks (force is required to get it to click.  Tools can be used to simplify this step and save your hands).
  7. Attach a wire-tie around the Keystone so that it cannot pop back open again.  There is a ledge where the Keystone meets the cable *to your eye.  The wire-tie goes around that.
*You DO NOT need a metal wall-plate when using a shielded Keystone Jack.  The Keystone provides the ground path.  The wall plate can be plastic or metal.  

LINKUP Brand – CAT 8 Metal/Shielded Keystone Jacks for Wall-Plate & Punch Panel Installations

Quick Reference: Twisted Pair Color Coding for 568A & 568B Configurations

How to terminate CAT8/CAT6A cable to a Shielded RJ45

How to terminate CAT8/CAT6A to a Shielded Keystone

CONCLUSION

One must really do their research to ensure a flawless installation.  Know the speed you want to connect to.  What port types will allow that speed?  And what cable will allow that speed based on the distance required.  Do that and you’ll be well on your way to super fast Wi-Fi speeds.

– Jim