Super WiFi: UHF-Band Wireless Networking
O. Bejarano, A. Flores, R. Guerra, and E. Knightly
Super WiFi - Background
~100
seconds
Super WiFi Deployments
Pecan Park Houston, TX
§ First residential Super WiFi link
§ Improves multi-hop WiFi network
§ FCC allows unlicensed operation on unoccupied DTV
channels from 54 - 698 MHz (non-contiguous)
§ Vastly improved signal propagation characteristics - Longer
range and higher penetration (walls, trees, etc.)
Platform Architecture
Linux Computer
2.4 GHz
WiFi Card
Frequency
Translator
High-Q
Bandpass
Filter
Wideband
Antenna
Commodity equipment results in an easily-
deployed, fully-programmable platform
§ Open-source ath5k driver
§ Real-time robust communications
First Prototype
Linux Computer
2.4 GHz
WiFi Card
Frequency
Translator
High-Q
Bandpass
Filter
Wideband
Antenna
§ Fully programmable platform based on both
commodity and custom equipment
§ Downside: Energy leakage at 2.4GHz creates
interference
√Ω
Misiones, Argentina
Heterogeneous ISM & Super WiFi
2.4/5.8 GHz Antennas
(Point-to-point & Omni)
60˚ UHF Sector Antennas
2.4 GHz Omni Antennas
§Rural areas with rolling hills and dense foliage
§Existing fiber backbone
§Last mile access challenge
Clean slate design
Second Generation
Clean slate design
§ Open-source Linux driver
§ Direct conversion architecture
§ Wide spectrum
§ Real-time robust communications
§Backbone National
818km
§Backbone Provincial
1158km
Linux Computer
UHF Card High-Q
Bandpass
Filter
Wideband
Antenna
Whitespace - 500 MHz
Whitespace - 700 MHz
900 MHz WiFi
2.4 GHz WiFi
5 GHz WiFi
UHF Channel Availability
Houston, TX Smithville, TX
Tuesday, April 3, 2012