July 2019
This file contains important information about the WLAN Toolkit, including installation instructions, new features, bug fixes, and known issues.
OverviewProduct Security and Critical Updates
Automating the Installation of NI Products
Using NI Software with Microsoft Windows 10
Using NI Software with Microsoft Windows 8.1
WLAN Toolkit Drops Support for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 in 2021
The WLAN Toolkit gives you direct and fine control over the generation and analysis of IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac and ax signals, as well as 802.11j/p/ah/af waveforms, with industry-leading speed and accuracy. It empowers you to characterize, validate, and test a variety of WLAN connectivity products, such as RF front end components, wireless modules, and user devices.
WLAN Toolkit 19.1 supports the following 64-bit operating systems:
1 NI software installs VC2015 Runtime and .NET 4.6.2. Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2 require Microsoft updates to support these items. Refer to Microsoft KB2919442 and KB2919355 for more information about how to install these updates.
2 NI software is signed with a SHA-256 certificate. Windows 7 SP1, Windows Embedded Standard 7 SP1, and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 require Microsoft updates to support SHA-256. Refer to Microsoft KB3033929 for more information about how to install this security update.
Note In 2019, WLAN Toolkit dropped support for all 32-bit Windows operating systems. Refer to WLAN Toolkit Drops Support for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 in 2021 for information about future OS support.WLAN Toolkit 19.1 supports the following application software versions, including service packs. If you are not using NI application software, refer to Microsoft Visual Studio Support.
| Application Software | Versions Supported by WLAN Toolkit |
|---|---|
| LabVIEW | 2016, 2017 SP1, 2018 SP1, or 2019 |
| LabWindows™/CVI™ | 2013 SP2 and later |
| TestStand | 4.2.0 for TestStand sequences |
NI automates WLAN Toolkit installation using NI Package Manager. Visit ni.com/info and enter the Info Code NIPMDownload to download NI Package Manager. Refer to the NI Package Manager Manual for more information about installing, removing, and upgrading NI software using NI Package Manager.
WLAN Toolkit is available for download from NI Software Product Downloads.
Visit ni.com/security to view and subscribe to receive security notifications about National Instruments products. Visit ni.com/critical-updates for information about critical updates from National Instruments.
The following table shows the hardware models supported in WLAN Toolkit:
| Hardware Product | Hardware Model |
|---|---|
| Vector Signal Analyzer | PXIe-5663/5663E |
| PXIe-5665 | |
| PXIe-5668R | |
| Vector Signal Transceiver | PXIe-5830/5831 | PXIe-5820 |
| PXIe-5840 | |
| PXIe-5644R | |
| PXIe-5645R | |
| PXIe-5646R | |
| Vector Signal Generator | PXIe-5673/5673E |
The following are the behavior changes in WLAN Analysis 18.0 from WLAN Analysis 17.5:
The following are the behavior changes in WLAN Analysis 17.5 from WLAN Analysis 17.0:
The following are the behavior changes in WLAN Analysis 17.0 from WLAN Analysis 16.0:
The following are the behavior changes in WLAN Generation 19.1 from WLAN Generation 19.0:
The following are the behavior changes in WLAN Generation 18.0 from WLAN Generation 17.5:
The following are the behavior changes in WLAN Generation 17.5 from WLAN Generation 17.0:
You can access the software and documentation known issues list online. Refer to NI WLAN Toolkit Known Issues for an up-to-date list of known issues.
The following items are changes in WLAN Toolkit 19.1 from WLAN Toolkit 19.0.
| Bug ID | Fixed Issue |
|---|---|
| 738829 | Fixed an issue where the number of midambles computation was incorrect at midamble boundaries. |
| 737441 | Fixed an issue where the Transmit Power class is not selectable for 802.11p in Analysis Soft front Panel. |
| 736490 | Fixed an issue where the spectral flatness margin results were incorrect for 802.11ax 80MHz with HE-LTF size as 2x and CFR Interpolation Disabled. |
| 720531 | Fixed an issue where the SCO correction was incorrect for 26 RU in 802.11ax Trigger based PPDU. |
The following items are changes in WLAN Toolkit 18.0 from WLAN Toolkit 17.5.
| Bug ID | Fixed Issue |
|---|---|
| 707639 | Fixed an issue where the carrier frequency leakage results were incorrect for 802.11ax extended range SU and/or when the HE-LTF Size is 2x or 1x. |
| 457302 | Fixed an issue where error in the estimates of Tx IQ impariments were more for higher timing skew in 802.11 ax 40M SU PPDU. |
The following items are changes in WLAN Toolkit 17.5 from WLAN Toolkit 17.0.1.
| Bug ID | Fixed Issue |
|---|---|
| 681254 | Fixed an issue where the niWLANA RFSA Measure VI calls the niTClk Synchronize TClk VI, when TClk synchronization is enabled for multiple NI PXIe-5840 devices. |
| 676629 | Fixed an issue where channel estimate was not corrected for amplitude distortion when the OFDM Amplitude Tracking Enabled property was set to True. |
| 680970 | Fixed an issue where the result of the OFDM Detected PSDU Length result was incorrect for 802.11ax MU signals when dual carrier modulation (DCM) was enabled only for a few or all users. |
| 661309 | Fixed an issue where errors in the estimated sample clock offset were high for 802.11ax 40 MHz signals when the OFDM Common Clock Source Enabled property was set to False and IQ impairments compensation is enabled. |
| 660725 | Fixed an issue where errors in quadrature skew estimates were high in the presence of timing skew when the IQ mismatch model is Rx . |
| 561529 | Fixed an issue where the IQ impairments compensation was failing for 5x5 and 6x6 802.11ac MIMO signals. |
| 647016 | Fixed an issue where the preamble, pilots, and data method for CFO estimation was incorrect for trigger-based PPDU in 802.11ax when the OFDM measurement start location was non zero. |
| 680707 | Fixed an issue where the EVM reported was incorrect in the presence of ignored symbols when you set the Combined Signal Demodulation Enabled property to True. |
| 687193 | Fixed an issue where spectral measurements were incorrect on the NI 5665 with 25 MHz DDC. |
| 639337 | Fixed an issue where quadrature skew compensation was incorrect for the MIMO OFDM standards. |
The following items are changes in WLAN Toolkit 19.1 from WLAN Toolkit 19.0.
| Bug ID | Fixed Issue |
|---|---|
| 738836 | Fixed an issue where L-SIG length was incorrect for 802.11ax waveform with midamble. |
| 722796 | Fixed an issue where the waveforms were being power scaled incorrectly in multi-user Trigger based PPDU generation. |
The following items are changes in WLAN Toolkit 19.0 from WLAN Toolkit 18.0.
| Bug ID | Fixed Issue |
|---|---|
| 730357 | Fixed an issue where the toolkit is unable to generate 802.11ax MU PPDU when the number of HE-SIG-B symbols exceeds 16. |
The following items are changes in WLAN Toolkit 18.0 from WLAN Toolkit 17.5.
| Bug ID | Fixed Issue |
|---|---|
| 710003 | Fixed an issue where in multiframe generation of 802.11j or 802.11p standard, always fixed headroom of 12 dB is applied for the frames other than the first frame. |
| 703693 | Fixed an issue where the Tx Beamforming bit in the HE-SIG-B user info of the center 26 RU in 80 MHz/160 MHz was always set to 1. |
| 701203 | Fixed an issue where the number of data symbols value returned was incorrect for the standards 802.11b and 802.11g. |
| 701134 | Fixed an issue where the nominal packet padding in 802.11ax was 0 for 106 RU with DCM. |
| 700404 | Fixed an issue where the average power computation for headroom computation in ER SU PPDU with STBC was incorrect. |
| 641901 | Fixed an issue where AWGN applied was incorrect for 802.11ax MU users with power boost factor. |
| 517534 | Fixed an issue where windowing applied to the last OFDM symbol was improper in 802.11ac. |
The following items are changes in WLAN Toolkit 17.5 from WLAN Toolkit 17.0.1.
| Bug ID | Fixed Issue |
|---|---|
| 687075 | Fixed an issue where incorrect MAC padding was applied to 802.11ax when the LDPC extra symbol segment was equal to 1. |
| 648844 | Fixed an issue where the multi-user generation of trigger-based PPDU was incorrect when the number of space time streams was different across users. |
| 688689 | Fixed an issue where the waveform generated for IEEE 802.11ax was incorrect when you set the STBC All Streams Enabled property set to True and Guard Interval Type property to 1/8 or 1/16. |
WLAN Toolkit VIs are available in LabVIEW from the Functions»RF Communications»WLAN palette.
WLAN Toolkit functions are available in LabWindows/CVI from the Library menu.
To launch the WLAN Soft Front Panel, navigate to the following locations:
WLAN Analysis Soft Front PanelTo access all the installed WLAN Toolkit examples for LabVIEW and LabWindows/CVI, navigate to the following locations:
WLAN Analysis Soft Front PanelExamples also are available online that demonstrate integrating NI RF signal generators with NI RF signal analyzers and NI toolkit software including the Modulation Toolkit. Refer to ni.com/examples for these examples and for more information.
The documentation set is composed of the following documents.
| Document | Format | Description | Path |
|---|---|---|---|
| WLAN Analysis Toolkit Help | HTML/Windows Help | Information about WLAN Analysis. The help is an HTML version of a traditional user manual that includes the following information:
| (Windows 7) Start»All Programs»National Instruments»WLAN Analysis»WLAN Analysis Toolkit Documentation (Windows 10/8.1) Start»National Instruments»WLAN Analysis»WLAN Analysis Toolkit Documentation |
| WLAN Generation Toolkit Help | HTML/Windows Help | Information about WLAN Generation. The help is an HTML version of a traditional user manual that includes the following information:
| (Windows 7) Start»All Programs»National Instruments»WLAN Generation»WLAN Generation Toolkit Documentation (Windows 10/8.1) Start»National Instruments»WLAN Generation»WLAN Generation Toolkit Documentation |
| WLAN Toolkit Readme | HTML (this document) | Information about supported hardware and operating systems, new features, fixed issues, and legal notices. | (Windows 7) Start»All Programs»National Instruments»WLAN»WLAN Toolkit Readme (Windows 10/8.1) Start»National Instruments»WLAN Toolkit Readme |
For the most recent revisions of documentation and for newly released documentation, visit ni.com/manuals.
You can automate the installation of most NI products using command-line arguments to suppress some or all of the installer user interface and dialog boxes.
If the NI product you are installing uses Microsoft .NET 4.6.2, the .NET installer may run before any NI software installs and may require a reboot before the installation of NI software begins. To avoid a .NET reboot, install .NET 4.6.2 separately before you install NI software.
For more information about automating the installation of NI products, refer to the following KnowledgeBase articles:
Microsoft Windows 10 is the latest version of the Windows operating system and features significant changes compared to previous versions. Windows 10 introduces several new capabilities and also combines features from both Windows 7 and Windows 8. For more information about NI support for Windows 10, visit ni.com/windows10.
When you install National Instruments software on Microsoft Windows 8.1, you will notice a few additional tiles in the Apps view, including shortcuts to NI application software products such as NI LabVIEW, Measurement & Automation Explorer (NI MAX), and NI Launcher. For more information about NI support for Windows 8.1, visit ni.com/windows8.
WLAN Toolkit will drop support for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 starting from 2021. Versions of this product that ship after May 1, 2021, will not install or run on these operating systems. For detailed information about NI operating system support, visit ni.com/r/win32bitsupport.
For detailed information about NI application software product life cycles, visit ni.com/info and enter one of the following Info Codes:
| Product | Info Code |
|---|---|
| LabVIEW | lifecycle |
| LabWindows/CVI | cvi_lifecycle |
| Measurement Studio | mstudiolifecycle |
| TestStand | tslcp |
| DIAdem | ddlcp |
| SignalExpress | selcp |
| VeriStand | nivslifecycle |
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