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Wireless & Mobility · Advanced

Preamble Puncturing

Transmitting a wide channel while skipping (puncturing) a busy or unavailable 20 MHz subchannel.

Definition

Preamble puncturing lets a device still use most of an 80, 160, or 320 MHz channel when part of it is occupied by interference or incumbents. It was optional in 802.11ax and became mandatory to support in Wi-Fi 7. It improves wide-channel usability.

Example

An AP using 160 MHz punctures one 20 MHz subchannel affected by interference.

Exam tip

Without puncturing, a busy secondary 20 MHz would force a narrower channel.

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