AFC Support for 6 GHz Standard Power Mode

AFC Support for 6 GHz Standard Power Mode

The Cisco Catalyst IW9167I supports the Automated Frequency Coordination (AFC) 6 GHz Standard Power mode. A standard power AP joins the system. Before enabling standard power, the AP must get the available frequencies and the power in each frequency range from the AFC system.

The AFC system computes the available frequencies and maximum allowable power based on the information provided by the regulatory body (FCC for United States and ISED for Canada). The response is sent back to controller, which may assign a standard power channel to the AP based on the allowed channel list returned by the AFC system.

Standard Power AP coordinate through an AFC service. The AFC accesses information and, along with the AP’s geographical location and antenna characteristics, creates a topographical propagation map modeling the AP’s interference radius. This map allows you to assign maximum transmission power and coordinate/configure the channel settings to avoid interference.

Table 1. Radio 6 GHz power mode support

Deployment Mode

Low-power Indoor Support

Standard Power Support

Outdoor

No

Yes

The transmission power is limited to a maximum of 36 dBm Effective Isotropic Radiated Power (EIRP), and APs must be coordinated through an AFC service. In the U.S., APs are allowed to operate in the UNII-5 frequency band from 5.925 GHz to 6.425 GHz and the UNII-7 frequency band from 6.525 GHz to 6.875 GHz.

From Release 17.18.1, the -A (Canada) domain supports standard power using AFC and operates in the UNII-5, UNII-6, and UNII-7 frequency bands, which range from 5.925 GHz to 6.875 GHz.

Table 2. 6 GHz Target Power

Antenna Gain

Max Conducted per Path Power

(SP/AFC)

Tx x Rx Chains

Max EIRP

(SP/AFC)

20-80 MHz

160 MHz

5 dBi

10 dBm

10 dBm

4x4

21 dBm

Verifying AFC Status on AP

To verify the AFC request and response data on AP, run the show rrm afc command. 

Device#show rrm afc
Location Type: 1
Deployment Type: 2
Height: 129
Uncertainty: 5
Height Type: 0
Request Status: 5
Request Status Timestamp: 2023-08-31T06:20:17Z
Request Id Sent: 5546388983266789933
Ellipse 1: longitude: -121.935066 latitude: 37.512830 major axis: 43 minor axis:
 9 orientation: 36.818100
AFC Response Request ID: 5546388983266789933
AFC Response Ruleset ID: US_47_CFR_PART_15_SUBPART_E

To verify the current operating power mode, run the show controllers dot11Radio 2 | i Radio command. 

Device#show controllers dot11Radio 2 | i Radio
Dot11Radio2     Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 24:16:1B:F8:06:C0
Radio Info Summary:
Radio: 6.0GHz (SP)