Anritsu Company announced a Network Mode for its Wireless Connectivity Test Set MT8862A, which is an instrument capable of supporting various WLAN protocol standards such as IEEE802.11ac/n/a/g/b. This makes the MT8862A the industry’s first solution capable of measuring the performance of an 802.11ac-capable WLAN device under test (DUT) in the actual operating state. With the Network Mode configuration, the MT8862A serves as a more efficient manufacturing test solution to verify WLAN chipsets designed into smartphones, smart home electronics, connected cars, and IoT systems, which eventually entails into faster time to market and lower testing cost.

RF performance characteristics, such as Tx power and Rx sensitivity (PER), as well as waveform coverage range can be measured over-the-air (OTA) using the Network Mode, which eliminates the need for dedicated vendor-provided test modes typically required for WLAN device verification. Removal of a physical connection establishes a more accurate representation of the actual DUT performance in a real-world environment, as the measurements take into consideration the effect of the internal wireless antennas.

The Wireless Connectivity Test Set MT8862A can be operated remotely via web browser from a control PC connected by Ethernet. This configuration simplifies conducting measurements by eliminating more complex setups, for more efficient testing.

Engineers realize numerous advantages when using the Wireless Connectivity Test Set MT8862A compared to conventional WLAN test equipment. It can be easily and quickly integrated into a production line, and is simple to maintain and calibrate. The MT8862A reduces test system costs, increases production throughput, and delivers the most flexible WLAN testing available.