The Effect of Noisy and Interfering Environments on 802.11ax Link Throughput: An Empirical Study

Source abstract

IEEE 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) has been designed to improve spectral efficiency, network capacity, and user experience in dense wireless environments through advanced features such as Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access, Multi-User Multiple Input Multiple Output, and spatial reuse mechanisms. However, despite extensive simulation-based evaluations, there remains limited empirical evidence regarding the performance of 802.11ax networks under realistic noisy and interference-prone conditions. This study addresses this gap by experimentally investigating the impact of noise and interference on 802.11ax link throughput in a controlled yet representative wireless environment. A series of measurements was conducted under varying interference levels to quantify throughput degradation and assess the robustness of Wi-Fi 6 communications in challenging radio-frequency environments. Specifically, a series of six measurements scenarios (residential living room, university library, cafeteria, ferry terminal, building construction site, and a busy road) were conducted under varying interference levels to evaluate throughput degradation and assess the robustness of Wi-Fi 6 communications in challenging radio-frequency conditions. The results demonstrate that link throughput deteriorates significantly as interference intensity increases, highlighting the practical limitations of 802.11ax in congested wireless environments despite its enhanced PHY and MAC layer capabilities. The findings further reveal discrepancies between theoretical performance expectations and operational behaviour observed in real deployments, emphasizing the importance of empirical validation for next-generation wireless technologies. By providing experimentally derived performance benchmarks, this work contributes to a deeper understanding of Wi-Fi 6 reliability and resilience in dense wireless scenarios. The results offer valuable insights for network planning, interference management, and deployment optimization in smart campuses, enterprise networks, and Future Internet infrastructures. Furthermore, the study establishes a foundation for future research on interference-aware wireless networking, intelligent spectrum management, and the performance evaluation of emerging standards such as IEEE 802.11be (Wi-Fi 7).