Range extension mode for WiFi

1. A method for generating a physical layer (PHY) data unit for transmission via a communication channel, the PHY data unit conforming to an extended range mode of a wireless communication protocol, the method comprising:

encoding, at a communication device, a plurality of information bits to generate a plurality of encoded bits;

mapping, at the communication device, the plurality of encoded bits to a plurality of constellation symbols, including mapping each bit to multiple constellation symbols;

generating, at the communication device, a plurality of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols corresponding to the PHY data unit using the plurality of constellation symbols, wherein the OFDM symbols are generated such that:

the OFDM symbols have a tone spacing that is ¼ of a tone spacing of a legacy wireless communication protocol, and

the OFDM symbols span only a subband of a 20 MHz communication channel; and

generating, at the communication device, a transmission signal using the plurality of OFDM symbols, the transmission signal spanning only the subband of the 20 MHz communication channel.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication protocol defines a normal mode that utilizes bandwidths that span at least the 20 MHz communication channel.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein mapping the plurality of encoded bits to the plurality of constellation symbols includes:

mapping each bit to a respective first constellation symbol; and

mapping each bit to a respective second constellation symbol that is phase shifted with respect to the respective first constellation symbol.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein mapping the plurality of encoded bits to the plurality of constellation symbols includes:

mapping each bit to a respective first constellation symbol; and

copying each first constellation symbol to a respective second constellation symbol.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein mapping the plurality of encoded bits to the plurality of constellation symbols further includes:

applying a phase shift to each second constellation symbol.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein mapping the plurality of encoded bits to the plurality of constellation symbols includes:

mapping each bit to two constellation symbols.

7. An apparatus, comprising:

a network interface device implemented using one or more integrated circuit (IC) devices, including:

a media access control (MAC) processing unit configured to operate according to a communication protocol that defines an extended range mode, the MAC processing unit implemented using the one or more IC devices, and

a physical layer (PHY) processing unit coupled configured to operate according to the communication protocol, the PHY processing unit coupled to the MAC processing unit and implemented using the one or more IC devices;

wherein the PHY processing unit is configured to:

encode a plurality of information bits to generate a plurality of encoded bits;

map the plurality of encoded bits to a plurality of constellation symbols, including mapping each bit to multiple constellation symbols;

generate a plurality of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols corresponding to a PHY data unit using the plurality of constellation symbols, wherein the PHY data unit conforms to the extended range mode, and wherein the OFDM symbols are generated such that:

the OFDM symbols have a tone spacing that is ¼ of a tone spacing of a legacy wireless communication protocol, and

the OFDM symbols span only a subband of a 20 MHz communication channel; and

generate a transmission signal using the plurality of OFDM symbols, the transmission signal spanning only the subband of the 20 MHz communication channel, wherein the transmission signal corresponds to the PHY data unit.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the wireless communication protocol defines a normal mode that utilizes bandwidths that span at least the 20 MHz communication channel.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein mapping the plurality of encoded bits to the plurality of constellation symbols includes:

mapping each bit to a respective first constellation symbol; and

mapping each bit to a respective second constellation symbol that is phase shifted with respect to the respective first constellation symbol.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein mapping the plurality of encoded bits to the plurality of constellation symbols includes:

mapping each bit to a respective first constellation symbol; and

copying each first constellation symbol to a respective second constellation symbol.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein mapping the plurality of encoded bits to the plurality of constellation symbols further includes:

applying a phase shift to each second constellation symbol.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein mapping the plurality of encoded bits to the plurality of constellation symbols includes:

mapping each bit to two constellation symbols.

13. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the PHY processing unit includes:

one or more transceivers.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising:

one or more antennas coupled to the one or more transceivers.

15. A tangible, non-transitory computer readable medium, or media, storing machine readable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

encode a plurality of information bits to generate a plurality of encoded bits; map the plurality of encoded bits to a plurality of constellation symbols, including mapping each bit to multiple constellation symbols;

generate a plurality of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols corresponding to physical layer (PHY) data unit using the plurality of constellation symbols, wherein the PHY data unit conforms to an extended range mode of a wireless communication protocol, and wherein the OFDM symbols are generated such that:

the OFDM symbols have a tone spacing that is ¼ of a tone spacing of a legacy wireless communication protocol, and

the OFDM symbols span only a subband of a 20 MHz communication channel; and

generate a transmission signal using the plurality of OFDM symbols, the transmission signal spanning only the subband of the 20 MHz communication channel, wherein the transmission signal corresponds to the PHY data unit.

16. The computer readable medium, or media, of claim 15 , wherein the wireless communication protocol defines a normal mode that utilizes bandwidths that span at least the 20 MHz communication channel.

17. The computer readable medium, or media, of claim 15 , further storing machine readable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

map each bit to a respective first constellation symbol; and

map each bit to a respective second constellation symbol that is phase shifted with respect to the respective first constellation symbol.

18. The computer readable medium, or media, of claim 15 , further storing machine readable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

map each bit to a respective first constellation symbol; and

copy each first constellation symbol to generate a respective second constellation symbol.

19. The computer readable medium, or media, of claim 18 , further storing machine readable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

apply a phase shift to each second constellation symbol.

20. The computer readable medium, or media, of claim 15 , further storing machine readable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

map each bit to two constellation symbols.