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When Next-Gen Sensing Meets Legacy Wi-Fi: Performance Analyses of IEEE 802.11bf and IEEE 802.11ax Coexistence

Navid Keshtiarast, Pradyumna Kumar Bishoyi, Ido Manuel Lumbantobing, Marina Petrova

TL;DR

The paper addresses the coexistence of sensing-enabled IEEE 802.11bf networks with legacy IEEE 802.11ax in dense Wi-Fi deployments by developing a joint analytical framework and a system-level ns-3 simulation. It derives how MAC-layer contention impacts 802.11bf sensing delay and 802.11ax throughput, and validates the model with a dedicated ns-3 module that implements TB-based sensing atop 802.11ax, including PCF-like coordination and MU-OFDMA. The study reveals trade-offs between sensing interval, access category, channel bandwidth, and antenna configuration, showing how these factors shape latency and throughput in generic and TR 38.901 indoor office scenarios, with open-source tools provided for reproducibility. The results underscore the need for balanced MAC parameterization to achieve effective coexistence and practical sensing performance in real-world Wi-Fi networks.

Abstract

Sensing is emerging as a vital future service in next-generation wireless networks, enabling applications such as object localization and activity recognition. The IEEE 802.11bf standard extends Wi-Fi capabilities to incorporate these sensing functionalities. However, coexistence with legacy Wi-Fi in densely populated networks poses challenges, as contention for channels can impair both sensing and communication quality. This paper develops an analytical framework and a system-level simulation in ns-3 to evaluate the coexistence of IEEE 802.11bf and legacy 802.11ax in terms of sensing delay and communication throughput. Forthis purpose, we have developed a dedicated ns-3 module forIEEE 802.11bf, which is made publicly available as open-source. We provide the first coexistence analysis between IEEE 802.11bfand IEEE 802.11ax, supported by link-level simulation in ns-3to assess the impact on sensing delay and network performance. Key parameters, including sensing intervals, access categories, network densities, and antenna configurations, are systematically analyzed to understand their influence on the sensing delay and aggregated network throughput. The evaluation is further extended to a realistic indoor office environment modeled after the 3GPP TR 38.901 standard. Our findings reveal key trade-offs between sensing intervals and throughput and the need for balanced sensing parameters to ensure effective coexistence in Wi-Fi networks.

When Next-Gen Sensing Meets Legacy Wi-Fi: Performance Analyses of IEEE 802.11bf and IEEE 802.11ax Coexistence

TL;DR

The paper addresses the coexistence of sensing-enabled IEEE 802.11bf networks with legacy IEEE 802.11ax in dense Wi-Fi deployments by developing a joint analytical framework and a system-level ns-3 simulation. It derives how MAC-layer contention impacts 802.11bf sensing delay and 802.11ax throughput, and validates the model with a dedicated ns-3 module that implements TB-based sensing atop 802.11ax, including PCF-like coordination and MU-OFDMA. The study reveals trade-offs between sensing interval, access category, channel bandwidth, and antenna configuration, showing how these factors shape latency and throughput in generic and TR 38.901 indoor office scenarios, with open-source tools provided for reproducibility. The results underscore the need for balanced MAC parameterization to achieve effective coexistence and practical sensing performance in real-world Wi-Fi networks.

Abstract

Sensing is emerging as a vital future service in next-generation wireless networks, enabling applications such as object localization and activity recognition. The IEEE 802.11bf standard extends Wi-Fi capabilities to incorporate these sensing functionalities. However, coexistence with legacy Wi-Fi in densely populated networks poses challenges, as contention for channels can impair both sensing and communication quality. This paper develops an analytical framework and a system-level simulation in ns-3 to evaluate the coexistence of IEEE 802.11bf and legacy 802.11ax in terms of sensing delay and communication throughput. Forthis purpose, we have developed a dedicated ns-3 module forIEEE 802.11bf, which is made publicly available as open-source. We provide the first coexistence analysis between IEEE 802.11bfand IEEE 802.11ax, supported by link-level simulation in ns-3to assess the impact on sensing delay and network performance. Key parameters, including sensing intervals, access categories, network densities, and antenna configurations, are systematically analyzed to understand their influence on the sensing delay and aggregated network throughput. The evaluation is further extended to a realistic indoor office environment modeled after the 3GPP TR 38.901 standard. Our findings reveal key trade-offs between sensing intervals and throughput and the need for balanced sensing parameters to ensure effective coexistence in Wi-Fi networks.

Paper Structure

This paper contains 25 sections, 31 equations, 14 figures, 3 tables.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Motivation
  3. Related Works
  4. Contributions
  5. Primer on 802.11bf
  6. Initial Channel Access
  7. Phases in TB Configuration
  8. Analytical Model for Coexistence Analysis
  9. Channel Access Mechanism
  10. Derivation of Probability of Collision and Success
  11. Throughput Analysis of 802.11ax
  12. Expression for $T_{f,x}$
  13. Expression for $T_{s,x}$
  14. Expression for $T_{s,x}$
  15. Sensing Delay Analysis of 802.11bf
  16. ...and 10 more sections

Figures (14)

  • Figure 1: Illustration of roles and sensing configuration of 802.11bf.
  • Figure 2: Trigger-based sensing measurement protocol.
  • Figure 3: Coexistence of 802.11bf and 802.11ax networks.
  • Figure 4: Illustration of 802.11bf and 802.11ax AP operation in a coexistence scenario.
  • Figure 5: The effect of increasing the number of 802.11bf AP on sensing latency and 802.11ax throughput.
  • ...and 9 more figures