Murata has recently introduced two new ultra-low power, sub-1 GHz Wi-Fi HaLow modules (LBWA0ZZ2HK and LBWA0ZZ2HL) compliant with Sub-1 GHz (S1G) 802.11ah Wi-Fi standard across key regions. The Type 2HK module operates at frequencies from 902MHz to 928MHz and features a communication range of 2km, whereas the low-power Type 2HL operates at 750MHz to 950MHz and can communicate over 1km. According to Murata, these modules can achieve high-speed communication over 1km and are suitable for applications such as smart devices, smart homes, smart accessories, and others.
The modules are based on the NEWRACOM NRC7394 chipset built around an Arm Cortex-M3 with enough processing power for handling the Wi-Fi subsystem and user applications. Both modules feature an SPI host interface with peripherals including SPI, 2x UART, 2x I2C, 2-channel 10-bit ADC, and GPIO.
Murata LBWA0ZZ2HK and LBWA0ZZ2HL specifications:
- HaLow SoC – Newracom NRC7394 SoC
- Frequency
- 2HL – Sub-1 GHz (750-950 MHz)
- 2HK – Sub-1 GHz (902-928 MHz)
- Output power
- 2HL – Up to +17dBm
- 2HK – Up to +23dBm
- Communication range
- 2HL – Over 1km
- 2HK –Over 2km
- Standard – 802.11ah (HaLow)
- Data rate – Up to 15 Mbps (max. Phy rate)
- Bandwidth – 1/2/4 MHz
- Host interface
- SPI/UART/I2C/10-bit ADC/GPIOs
- Voltage – 1.8V, 3.3V
- Modes – Standalone (freeRTOS), Hosted (Linux drivers)
- Supply Voltage – 2.7V to 3.6V
- Dimensions – 18 x 14 x 2.3 mm (surface-mount LGA package)
- Operating Temperature – -40°C to 85°C
In terms of software support, the company points to NEWRACOM’s GitHub account, notably to the NRC7394 software package (nrc7394_sw_pkg) for hosted mode operation with Linux systems and the NRC7394 SDK (nrc7394_sdk) with tools, libraries, and sample applications.
We first wrote about the 802.11 ah WiFi standard back in 2014. Then in 2016, the Wi-Fi Alliance announced that IoT devices and gateways with the 802.11ah standard would be called Wi-Fi HaLow devices. After that, we saw HaLow modules slowly brought to market like the TD-HALOM HaloMax module, the LYGO T-Halow, and the Alfa Networks AHST7394S Wi-Fi HaLow module, among others.. We have also covered Teledactic’s Halo TD-XPAH Wi-Fi HaLow development board featuring an AzureWave AW-HM482 module. It’s good that a company like Murata gets involved as it might mean that WiFi HaLow will finally gain more traction.
Murata LBWA0ZZ2HK and LBWA0ZZ2HL Wi-Fi HaLow modules are still under development, and the company has not mentioned a release date or price for them. More information can be found on the Murara website and the press release page.
Debashis Das is a technical content writer and embedded engineer with over five years of experience in the industry. With expertise in Embedded C, PCB Design, and SEO optimization, he effectively blends difficult technical topics with clear communication
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