Microchip looks to simplify the deployment of Wi-Fi 6 access points and small cell nodes

Update: June 16, 2021

Microchip looks to simplify the deployment of Wi-Fi 6 access points and small cell nodes

Microchip looks to simplify the deployment of Wi-Fi 6 access points and small cell nodes

Microchip Technology has created a more flexible and cost-effective alternative when it comes to the deployment of Wi-Fi 6 access points (APs) and 5G small cell access nodes where AC power is available or if their switch can deliver both power and data to them as required.

Microchip has developed the first multiport Power over Ethernet (PoE) power sourcing equipment (PSE) injector, also known as a midspan, that enables any multigigabit switch to support these devices’ high powering needs and data rates, with no network configuration or downtime necessary.

“Our new family of multiport, multigigabit PoE PSE injectors offers the easiest and most cost-effective way to install Wi-Fi 6 devices and small cell equipment,” said Iris Shuker, director of Microchip’s PoE business unit. “Patented technology from Microchip solves the challenge of powering these devices while also supporting their 10 gigabit-per-second data rates. This greatly simplifies deployment of Wi-Fi 6 APs while enabling service providers, for the first time, to quickly and inexpensively install 5G picocells and femtocells wherever they are needed, which is rarely near an AC outlet.”

Multigigabit PoE-enabled switches with sufficient power for Wi-Fi 6 devices and small cell equipment tend to be very expensive and are not widely adopted. A more cost-effective way to inject power into the network for these high-speed devices is to install a multiport, multigigabit midspan between them and any standard multigigabit switch.

Available in 6-, 12- and 24-port configurations, each midspan supports Wi-Fi 6 devices’ high IEEE 802.11ax data rates and delivers up to 60W of output power per port in compliance with the IEEE’s 802.3bt PoE and 10GBASE-T specifications. The midspans can be securely monitored and controlled remotely using Microchip’s web-based PowerView Pro platform.