Intel Launches Wi-Fi 6 AX200 Wireless Network Adapter
by Anton Shilov on April 3, 2019 2:00 PM EST- Posted in
- Networking
- Intel
- Wi-Fi
- 802.11ax
- Wi-Fi 6
- Cyclone Peak
Intel has quietly launched its first Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) wireless network adapter, codenamed Cyclone Peak. The new WLAN adapter will deliver up to 2.4 Gbps network throughput when used with a compatible access point, but, like Wi-Fi 6 in general, its main advantage is that it will work better than existing adapters in RF-noisy environments where multiple Wi-Fi networks co-exist.
The Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200 is a CNVi WLAN card that supports 802.11ax via 2x2 MU-MIMO antennas over the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. And never found too far from a Wi-Fi card, Intel's AX200 also supports Bluetooth 5.0.
The maximum throughput supported by the Wi-Fi 6 AX200 is a speedy 2.4 Gbps, but the key advantage of the Wi-Fi 6/802.11ax technology is not necessarily peak bandwidth, but rather improved spectral efficiency when working with compatible APs. In particular, the tech adds OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access) to allow different devices to be served by one channel, by dedicating different sub-carriers for individual client devices. As a result, even existing Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) client devices can benefit from a Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) AP, though matching Wi-Fi 6 devices will deliver the best results.
The Wi-Fi 6 AX200 devices come in M.2-1216 or M.2-2230 form-factors, interacing with host PCs over a combined PCIe 3.0 x1 (Wi-Fi) and USB 2.0 (Bluetooth) connection. The adapter should be compatible with all existing desktop, laptop, and tablet PCs that support CNVi WLAN solutions. CNVi itself is relatively new – the roll-out plans for it were disrupted by the quasi-cancelation of Intel's 10nm Cannon Lake processors – but will be growing in number as Intel launches more CNVi-capable chipsets and platforms.
Intel’s web-site says that the first Cyclone Peak wireless network adapter has been launched, so the device is available to makers of PCs. Depending on the order, the Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200 costs Intel’s customers from $10 to $17.
Related Reading:
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- Netgear Announces Nighthawk RAX80 and RAX120 802.11ax AX6000 Routers
- Wi-Fi Naming Simplified: 802.11ax Becomes Wi-Fi 6
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Source: Intel (Thanks, SH SOTN)
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ksec - Wednesday, April 3, 2019 - link
I am already looking forward to next ( or next next ) generation of WiFi , 802.11be.jordanclock - Wednesday, April 3, 2019 - link
Wasn't that just proposed in February? As in the very first draft?apollom - Wednesday, April 3, 2019 - link
Link to the paper: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1902.04320 - some interesting new technologies are being considered.mooninite - Wednesday, April 3, 2019 - link
Will they put out any non-CVNi cards? Will the 9260 be the last wifi card that "old" systems will be able to use?ikjadoon - Wednesday, April 3, 2019 - link
Yes. The non-CNVi is called the AX201, but hasn't been officially released. Likely close, as it's hit the FCC already:https://fccid.io/PD9AX201NG
http://www.snbforums.com/threads/m-2-version-intel...
brakdoo - Thursday, April 4, 2019 - link
Intel ark says this (200) is non-CNVI. The CNVI parts will probably arrive when cpus/chipsets with wifi 6 support get released. Could be comet lake or ice lake....Alexvrb - Wednesday, April 3, 2019 - link
Not just old systems. Non-Intel systems too.Samus - Thursday, April 4, 2019 - link
Now lets see how many people can actually upgrade to it with all the BIOS whitelisting still going on among the OEM's... :(Reflex - Thursday, April 4, 2019 - link
Who is still doing that? Lenovo was for a long time but they dropped it a couple years ago. I know Dell does not. Anyone else?oRAirwolf - Thursday, April 4, 2019 - link
I will happily buy one of these for both of my laptops. It's a cheap enough upgrade that it doesn't matter if your AP is rated for 802.11ax yet.