6 GHz Wi-Fi Planner
Plan 6 GHz Wi-Fi 6E/7: channel count for your regulatory domain, LPI or standard-power EIRP and the resulting cell radius.
Inputs
Non-Overlapping Channels
7
Permitted AP EIRP
27.0dBm
Free-Space Cell Radius
465m
Radios Sharing Each Channel
4.29
Link Budget
102.0dB
Step by step
Values used
Available 6 GHz spectrum = 1200 MHz — 5925–7125 (FCC, full band); Channel width = 160 MHz; Low-power indoor (LPI) rather than AFC standard power = Yes; 6 GHz radios in the coverage area = 30 radios; Client receiver sensitivity = -75 dBm
6 GHz Wi-Fi
channels = spectrum ÷ width; EIRP = min(cap, PSD limit + 10·log10(width)); radius solves 20·log10(d_km) + 20·log10(6500) + 32.44 = EIRP − sensitivity.
Non-Overlapping Channels
= 7
Permitted AP EIRP
= 27.0 dBm
Free-Space Cell Radius
= 465 m
Radios Sharing Each Channel
= 4.29
Link Budget
= 102.0 dB
How it works
6 GHz power is regulated as a power spectral density, so a wider channel is allowed more total EIRP up to a fixed ceiling. Inverting the free-space path loss equation at 6.5 GHz turns that EIRP and the client's sensitivity into a line-of-sight cell radius. 6 GHz is the first Wi-Fi band with enough spectrum for genuine one-AP-per-channel reuse, but LPI power limits mean cells are smaller than the 5 GHz ones they replace, so AP counts go up.
Formula
6 GHz Wi-Fi
channels = spectrum ÷ width; EIRP = min(cap, PSD limit + 10·log10(width)); radius solves 20·log10(d_km) + 20·log10(6500) + 32.44 = EIRP − sensitivity.
- psd
- 5 dBm/MHz for LPI, 23 dBm/MHz for AFC standard power
- capDbm
- Absolute EIRP ceiling: 30 dBm LPI, 36 dBm standard power
Frequently Asked Questions
How is 6 GHz Wi-Fi calculated?
channels = spectrum ÷ width; EIRP = min(cap, PSD limit + 10·log10(width)); radius solves 20·log10(d_km) + 20·log10(6500) + 32.44 = EIRP − sensitivity. 6 GHz power is regulated as a power spectral density, so a wider channel is allowed more total EIRP up to a fixed ceiling. Inverting the free-space path loss equation at 6.5 GHz turns that EIRP and the client's sensitivity into a line-of-sight cell radius.
Why does 6 GHz Wi-Fi matter?
6 GHz is the first Wi-Fi band with enough spectrum for genuine one-AP-per-channel reuse, but LPI power limits mean cells are smaller than the 5 GHz ones they replace, so AP counts go up.
What values do I need to enter?
This calculator takes 5 inputs: Available 6 GHz spectrum, Channel width, Low-power indoor (LPI) rather than AFC standard power, 6 GHz radios in the coverage area, Client receiver sensitivity. The pre-filled defaults are a realistic starting point — replace them with figures from your own environment for a result you can act on.