u-blox NORA-W4 Wi-Fi 6 module

u-blox’s NORA-W4 is a versatile, single-band Wi-Fi 6 module for battery-operated devices. With its comprehensive range of wireless technologies (Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth LE 5.3, Thread and Zigbee) and compact form factor (10.4 x 14.3 x 1.9 mm), it is suitable for IoT applications such as smart home, asset tracking, health care and industrial automation.

The device is a single-band tri-radio Wi-Fi 6 module, built on the Espressif ESP32-C6 system-on-chip, that enables battery-powered IoT nodes to operate directly over Wi-Fi. This simplifies implementation and reduces system-level costs by limiting the need for a Bluetooth gateway, making it useful for applications like wireless battery-operated sensors.

The product uses Wi-Fi 6 technology that is optimised for IoT and should reduce network congestion in environments such as factories, workplaces and warehouses, thereby improving throughput and reducing latency. Fully backward compatible with Wi-Fi 4, the module can also be used in cases where the Wi-Fi infrastructure has not been upgraded.

The module supports Matter protocol, Thread and Zigbee technologies that are designed for new applications in the smart home environment. Consequently, it allows interoperability with other Matter smart home devices. Its small form factor meanwhile permits designers to adapt to device size constraints.

Compatibility with other u-blox NORA modules enables effortless technology migration, such as transitioning from Wi-Fi 4 to Wi-Fi 6. In addition, the module is packed with enhanced security features, including secure boot, trusted execution environment and flash encryption. It is available in six different variants: open CPU or u-connectXpress, antenna pin or PCB antenna, and with either 4 or 8 MB flash memory.