Wi-Fi 8 DRU Calculator: Spreading Gain & Uplink Formula

As the industry moves toward the next generation of wireless connectivity with IEEE 802.11bn, popularly known as Wi-Fi 8, the focus has shifted from raw peak speeds to Ultra High Reliability (UHR). One of the most significant innovations in this new standard is the Distributed-tone Resource Unit (DRU). Designed specifically to overcome strict Power Spectral Density (PSD) limits in the 6 GHz band, DRUs allow devices to spread subcarriers across a wider bandwidth rather than bunching them together.

This technique unlocks a critical “Spreading Gain,” which provides a massive boost to uplink transmit power. By leveraging Spreading Gain, Wi-Fi 8 ensures that even low power smartphones and IoT sensors can maintain high speed, reliable connections at distances that would have caused previous standards to fail. This page covers professional Wi-Fi 8 DRU Spreading Gain Calculator to help you quantify range improvements and signal reliability for next-gen devices.

EXAMPLE:

INPUTS:

• Dru_type (str) : ‘DRU26’, ‘DRU52’, ‘DRU106’, ‘DRU242’, ‘DRU484’
• dbw (int) : 20, 40, 60, 80 (Distribution Bandwidth in MHz)

OUTPUT:

• DRU spreading gain = 12 dB

Wi-Fi 8 DRU Spreading Gain Formula as per 802.11bn

The following table is used to derive or trace spreading gain based on DRU_Type and DBW value.

Summary:

The introduction of Distributed tone Resource Units (DRUs) marks a fundamental change in how Wi-Fi manages the uplink link budget. Our Wi-Fi 8 DRU Calculator serves as a valuable tool in 802.11bn development and planning.

References :

• IEEE 802.11bn draft amendment
• Research Papers on Wi-Fi 8