PCTEL RM-WIFI-AC-2X2-HP-US Quick setup guide

INTEGRATION GUIDE
802.11ac Wave 2
2x2 Radio Module
Installation, Setup and Conguration
RM-WIFI-AC-2X2-HP-US, RM-WIFI-AC-2X2-HP-EU, RM-WIFI-AC-2X2-HP-CA

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INTEGRATION GUIDE
Table of Contents
Tables and Figures ............................................................................................................................ 4
Text Format Conventions .............................................................................................................. 4
Terms and Abbreviations............................................................................................................... 4
Referenced Documents.................................................................................................................. 5
1. Overview .......................................................................................................................................... 5
2. Architecture................................................................................................................................... 6
2.1. Product Description........................................................................................................ 6
2.2. Block Diagram................................................................................................................... 6
2.3. WiFi Features..................................................................................................................... 7
2.4. Hardware Overview......................................................................................................... 7
2.5. Software Overview........................................................................................................... 7
3. Connectors..................................................................................................................................... 8
3.1. WiFi Antenna (2)............................................................................................................... 8
3.2. PCIe ....................................................................................................................................... 8
4. Software Integration.............................................................................................................. 11
4.1. Radio Module Firmware Installation..................................................................... 11
4.2. ath10k Driver Installation........................................................................................... 11
4.3. ath10k Driver Conguration ..................................................................................... 11
4.4. Radio Module Conguration.................................................................................... 11
4.5. Board Data File [BDF]........................................................................................... 11-12
5. Mechanical.................................................................................................................................. 13
5.1. Form Factor..................................................................................................................... 13
5.2 Mechanical Implementation .................................................................................... 14
6. Compliance ................................................................................................................................. 15
6.1. Manufacturer’s Federal Communication Commission (FCC)
Compliance Statements............................................................................................. 15
6.1.1. Antenna Information.................................................................................................... 16
6.1.2. FCC Declaration of Conformity Statement ........................................................ 16
6.1.3. FCC Radiation Exposure Statement ..................................................................... 17
6.1.4. Factors Aecting Module Usage Related to FCC Compliance................. 17

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INTEGRATION GUIDE
Table of Contents (continued)
6.2. Manufacturer’s Innovation, Science and Economic
Development (ISED) Canada Compliance Statements ................................ 19
6.2.1. Antenna Information.................................................................................................... 19
6.2.2. ISED (Canada) Compliance Statement ............................................................... 20
6.2.3. ISED Canada Radiation Exposure Statement................................................... 20
6.2.4. Limits on Module Usage Related to ISED Compliance .........................21-22
6.3. Manufacturer’s European Union (EU) and United Kingdom (UK)
Compliance Statements............................................................................................. 23
6.3.1. EU & UK Declaration of Conformity...................................................................... 23
6.3.2. Antenna Information.................................................................................................... 24
6.3.3. European Union and UK Radiation Exposure Statement ............................ 24
6.3.4. EU and UK Compliance Statement ................................................................24-25
7. Safety Notices............................................................................................................................ 26

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INTEGRATION GUIDE
Tables and Figures
Figure 1 Block Diagram.................................................................................................................. 6
Table 1 Mini PCIe connector pinout for the odd pins...................................................... 9
Table 2 Mini PCIe connector pinout for the even pins................................................. 10
Figure 2 Radio Module ................................................................................................................ 13
Figure 3 Dimensioned Drawing of the Radio Module.................................................... 13
Figure 4 Typical Mounting Congurations Showing Installation .............................. 14
of Thermal Pad
Figure 5 Bottom View of the Radio Module Showing Thermal .................................. 14
Pad Coverage
Figure 6 Compliance .................................................................................................................... 15
Table 3 Approved Antennas............................................................................ 16, 17, 18, 25
Text Format Conventions
Monotype – Palatino Linotype MONOTYPE, Bold
   [Commandprompt,directories,les]
Courier New, Bold
[Console commands and input]
Terms and Abbreviations
SoC System-on-Chip
OFDM Orthogonal Frequency-division Multiplexing
MU-MIMO Multi-User, Multiple Input, Multiple Output
DSSS Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum
CCK Complementary Code Keying
AMSDU Aggregated MAC Service Data Unit
AMPDU Aggregated MAC Protocol Data Unit

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INTEGRATION GUIDE
Referenced Documents
Document Description Version
PCTEL®RM-WIFI-AC-2x2-HP Datasheet 2x2, 802.11ac Wave 2 WiFi 1.0
Radio Module
1. Overview
The PCTEL®RM-WIFI-AC-2x2-HP 802.11ac Wave 2 Radio Module is built in a
standard mini-card format following the mini-PCIe interface standard. The radio
module features true enterprise-class specications including high TX output
power and support for all 802.11ac channel denitions up to and including 80 MHz
channels.
The radio module adheres to the PCI-SIG PCI Express Mini Card Specication
2.0 mechanical form factor with an electrical interface that meets the PCIE
Specication 1.1. The small solution and low power consumption make this radio
module ideal for integration into edge computers and other platforms.
This Integration Guide provides both hardware and software information needed to
properly integrate the radio module into a host platform.
Additional information can be found in the PCTEL Industrial IoT Radio Module Datasheet.

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INTEGRATION GUIDE
2. Architecture
2.1. Product Description
Figure 1. Block Diagram
The PCTEL RM-WIFI-AC-2x2-HP WiFi Radio Module is compliant with the IEEE
802.11ac Wave 2 standard. It is a single-band 5 GHz radio with 2 RF chains. An
EEPROM memory is included for calibration information storage. There is no
external volatile memory for application processing.
The Qualcomm Technology QCA9898 5 GHz WiFi radio transceiver chip provides
the radio module functionality. An external power amplier for each channel is
provided to achieve high transmit power.
Mini PCIe Edge
Connector
40 MHz
XTAL
Boost
Converter
EEPROM
QCA9898
BPF
BPF
BPF
BPF
U.FI
Antenna
Connector
U.FI
Antenna
Connector
3.3v
PCIe 1.1 x1
12c
LNA
PA
CPLR
SPDT
LNA
SPDT
PA
CPLR
2.2. Block Diagram

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INTEGRATION GUIDE
2.3. WiFi Features
• IEEE 802.11a/n/ac Wave 2 standards
• Capable of 2x2, two spatial stream communication
• Supports 20/40/80 MHz at 5 GHz
• Supports up to 256 QAM
• Data rates of up to 867 Mbps in 802.11ac 80 MHz channels using reduced
(short) guard interval (SGI)
• Supports Multiuser MIMO (MU-MIMO) technology
• Supports Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS) in required 5 GHz bands
• Maximal likelihood (ML) decoding
• Spatial multiplexing, cyclic-delay diversity (CDD), low-density parity check
(LDPC), maximal ratio combining (MRC), and space-time block coding (STBC)
• AMSDU and AMPDU frame aggregation
• Compatible with software encryption of AES-CCMP at 128/256 bits or
AES-GCMP at 128/256 bits
• Compatible with WEP, TKIP hardware encryption or WAPI hardware encryption
• PCIe 1.1 compliant communication to host processor
2.4. Hardware Overview
The PCTEL RM-WIFI-AC-2X2-HP Radio Module utilizes the Qualcomm QCA9898
SoC. The on-board EEPROM is used to store radio parameters. All communication
is made over a single channel PCIe 1.1 interface.
The Radio Module requires a nominal 7 W [2.2 amps @ 3.3 VDC] of power from the
system power supply.
2.5. Software Overview
The PCTEL radio module is supported in Linux OS systems by the standard
Qualcomm Technology ath10k mac80211 wireless driver.

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INTEGRATION GUIDE
3. Connectors
3.1. WiFi Antenna (2)
• 50 Ω U.FL-style – 5 GHz (2)
• The two connectors, J3 and J4, are visible on the top side of the radio module.
3.2. PCIe
The radio module adheres to the PCI-SIG PCI Express Mini Card Specication
2.0 mechanical form factor with an electrical interface that meets the PCIE
Specication 1.1. The connector pinout follows.

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INTEGRATION GUIDE
Pin Description Legend Direction on Radio
1WAKE# Open drain, active low signal. When the card supports
wakeup, this signal is used to request that the system
return from a sleep/suspended state to service a
function-intiated event.
Input/Output
3COEX1 Chip Power down control. Connected to CHP_PWD_L
on the QCA 9898. Must be de-asserted after both 3.3
V power and 1.1 V power become stable.
5Unused
7CLKREQ# Reference clock request signal Output
9GND GND
11 REFCLK- PCI Express dierential reference clock (100 MHz) Input
13 REFCLK+ PCI Express dierential reference clock (100 MHz) Input
15 GND GND
Mechanical Key
17 Unused
19 Unused
21 GND GND
23 PERn0 PCI Express Rx- (Rx WRT host) Output
25 PERp0 PCI Express Rx+ (Rx WRT host) Output
27 GND GND
29 GND GND
31 PETn0 PCI Express Tx- (Tx WRT host) Input
33 PETp0 PCI Express Tx+ (Tx WRT host) Input
35 GND GND
37 GND PCIe Lane 2 GND GND
39 Unused
41 Unused
43 GND PCIe Lane 2 GND GND
45 Reserved
47 Reserved
49 Reserved
51 Reserved
Table 1. Mini PCIe connector pinout for the odd pins

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INTEGRATION GUIDE
Pin Description Legend Direction on Radio
23.3V Power
4GND GND
6Unused
8Unused
10 Unused
12 Unused
14 Unused
16 Unused
Mechanical Key
18 GND GND
20 W_Disable1# Active low signal. Used by the system to disable radio
operation on cards that implement radio frequency
applications. (This has been implemented on the
PCTEL RM-WIFI-2x2-HP. Connected to GPIO18).
Input
22 PERST# Functional Reset to the card Input
24 3.3V Power
26 GND GND
28 Unused
30 Unused
32 Unused
34 GND GND
36 Unused
38 Unused
40 GND GND
42 Unused
44 LED_WLAN# Open drain, active low signal for LED indication of
status (Tied low for boot strap; connected to QCA
9898 GPIO017)
Output
46 Unused
48 Unused
50 GND GND
52 3.3V Power
Table 2. Mini PCIe connector pinout for the even pins