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Wireless & Mobility · Intermediate

Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access (OFDMA)

Multi-user OFDM that divides a channel into resource units so several stations transmit simultaneously.

Definition

OFDMA, introduced to Wi-Fi in 802.11ax, assigns groups of subcarriers called resource units to different clients in the same transmission. It works in both downlink and uplink, with uplink coordinated by trigger frames. It reduces latency and overhead for many small frames.

Example

An AP sends voice frames to four phones in one transmission using separate RUs.

Exam tip

OFDMA improves efficiency for many clients; MU-MIMO improves capacity using spatial streams.

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