Realtek RTL8188CE, RTL8188CEAU User Manual

RTL8188CE, RTL8188CEAU

802.11b/g/n RTL8188CE miniCard
User’s Manual

Rev. 1.0

08 Jun 2011

Realtek Semiconductor Corp.

No. 2, Innovation Road II, Hsinchu Science Park, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan
Tel.: [phone]. Fax: [phone]
www.realtek.com.tw

RTL8188CE, RTL8188CEAU

User’s Manual

COPYRIGHT

©2009 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced,
transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any language in any form or by any
means without the written permission of Realtek Semiconductor Corp.

DISCLAIMER

Realtek provides this document “as is”, without warranty of any kind, neither expressed nor implied,
including, but not limited to, the particular purpose. Realtek may make improvements and/or changes in this
document or in the product described in this document at any time. This document could include technical
inaccuracies or typographical errors.

TRADEMARKS

Realtek is a trademark of Realtek Semiconductor Corporation. Other names mentioned in this document are
trademarks/registered trademarks of their respective owners.

USING THIS DOCUMENT

This document is intended for the software engineer’s reference and provides detailed programming
information.

Though every effort has been made to ensure that this document is current and accurate, more information
may have become available subsequent to the production of this guide. In that event, please contact your
Realtek representative for additional information that may help in the development process.

ii Rev.1.0

RTL8188CE, RTL8188CEAU

User’s Manual

Table of Contents

1. GENERAL DESCRIPTION.........................................................................................................................................1

2. FEATURES...................................................................................................................................................................2

3. BLOCK DIAGRAM.....................................................................................................................................................3

4. PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS...................................................................................................................................4

4.1. MINI PCI EXPRESS PIN ASSIGNMENT .........................................................................................................................4

4.2. MECHANICAL...........................................................................................................................................................5

4.3. ENVIRONMENTAL.....................................................................................................................................................5

4.3.1. Operating........................................................................................................................................................5

4.3.2. Storage............................................................................................................................................................5

4.4. FUNCTIONAL SPECIFICATIONS ...................................................................................................................................5

4.5. WARNING ................................................................................................................................................................6

4.5.1 Federal Communication Commission Interference Statement.................................................................................6

4.5.2 Industry Canada Statement...................................................................................................................................8

4.5.3 NCC

警語

...........................................................................................................................................................10

List of Tables

TABLE 1. MINI PCI EXPRESS PIN ASSIGNMENT........................................................................................................................4

TABLE 2. FUNCTIONAL SPECIFICATIONS..................................................................................................................................5

List of Figures

FIGURE 1. RTL8188CE MINICARD APPLICATION DIAGRAM.....................................................................................................3

FIGURE 2. RTL8188CE MINICARD MECHANICAL SPECIFICATION.............................................................................................5

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1. General Description

The Realtek RTL8188CE, RTL8188CEAU is a highly integrated single-chip Wireless LAN (WLAN)
controller compatible with the IEEE 802.11n specification. It combines a MAC, a 1T1R capable baseband,
and RF in a single chip. The RTL8188CE, RTL8188CEAU provides a complete solution for a
high-performance wireless client.

The RTL8188CE, RTL8188CEAU baseband implements Multiple Input, Multiple Output (MIMO)
Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) with one transmit and one receive path (1T1R).
Features include one spatial stream transmission, short Guard Interval (GI) of 400ns, spatial spreading, and
support for both 20MHz and 40MHz channel bandwidth.

For legacy compatibility, Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS), Complementary Code Keying (CCK)
and OFDM baseband processing are included to support all IEEE 802.11b, and 802.11g data rates.
Differential phase shift keying modulation schemes, DBPSK and DQPSK with data scrambling capability are
available, and CCK provides support for legacy data rates, with long or short preamble. The high speed
FFT/IFFT paths, combined with BPSK, QPSK, 16QAM, and 64QAM modulation of the individual
subcarriers, and rate compatible punctured convolutional coding with coding rate of 1/2, 2/3, 3/4, and 5/6,
provide higher data rates of 54Mbps and 150Mbps for IEEE 802.11g and 802.11n OFDM respectively.

The RTL8188CE, RTL8188CEAU builds in an enhanced signal detector, an adaptive frequency domain
equalizer, and a soft-decision Viterbi decoder to alleviate severe multi-path effects and mutual interference in
the reception of multiple streams. Robust interference detection and suppression are provided to protect
against Bluetooth, cordless phone, and microwave oven interference.

Efficient IQ-imbalance, DC offset, phase noise, frequency offset, and timing offset compensations are
provided for the radio frequency front-end. Selectable digital transmit and receive FIR filters are provided to
meet transmit spectrum mask requirements and to reject adjacent channel interference, respectively.

The RTL8188CE, RTL8188CEAU supports fast receiver Automatic Gain Control (AGC) with synchronous
and asynchronous control loops among antennas, antenna diversity functions, and adaptive transmit power
control functions to obtain better performance in the analog portions of the transceiver.

The RTL8188CE, RTL8188CEAU MAC supports 802.11e for multimedia applications, 802.11i for security,
and 802.11n for enhanced MAC protocol efficiency. Using packet aggregation techniques such as A-MPDU
with BA and A-MSDU, protocol efficiency is significantly improved. Power saving mechanisms such as
U-APSD, and APSD, reduces power wasted during idle time, and compensates for the extra power required
to transmit OFDM. The RTL8188CE, RTL8188CEAU provides simple legacy and 20MHz/40MHz
co-existence mechanisms to ensure backward and network compatibility.

1 Rev.1.0

2. Features

General

n 48-pin QFN
n CMOS MAC, Baseband PHY and RF in a

single chip for IEEE 802.11b/g/n compatible
WLAN

n 75Mbps receive PHY rate and 75Mbps

transmit PHY rate using 20MHz bandwidth

n 150Mbps receive PHY rate and 150Mbps

transmit PHY rate using 40MHz bandwidth

n Compatible with 802.11n specification
n Backward compatible with 802.11b/g devices

while operating at 802.11n data rates

Host Interface

n Complies with PCI Express Base

Specification Revision 1.1 / USB 2.0

Standards Supported

n IEEE 802.11b/g/n compatible WLAN
n IEEE 802.11e QoS Enhancement (WMM)
n IEEE 802.11i (WPA, WPA2). Open, shared

key, and pair-wise key authentication services

MAC Features

n Frame aggregation for increased MAC

efficiency (A-MSDU, A-MPDU)

n Low latency immediate High-Throughput

Block Acknowledgement (HT-BA)

n Long NAV for media reservation with

CF-End for NAV release

n PHY-level spoofing to enhance legacy

compatibility

n Power saving mechanism
n Channel management and co-existence
n Multiple BSSID feature allows the

RTL8188CE to assume multiple MAC
identities when used as a wireless bridge

RTL8188CE, RTL8188CEAU

User’s Manual

n Supports Wake-On-WLAN via Magic Packet

and Wake-up frame

n Transmit Opportunity (TXOP) Short

Inter-Frame Space (SIFS) bursting for higher
multimedia bandwidth

Peripheral Interfaces

n General Purpose Input/Output (8 pins)
n Three configurable LED pins
n Configurable Bluetooth Coexistence

Interface

PHY Features

n IEEE 802.11n OFDM
n One Transmit and one Receive path (1T1R)
n 20MHz and 40MHz bandwidth transmission
n Short Guard Interval (400ns)
n DSSS with DBPSK and DQPSK, CCK

modulation with long and short preamble

n OFDM with BPSK, QPSK, 16QAM, and

64QAM modulation. Convolutional Coding
Rate: 1/2, 2/3, 3/4, and 5/6

n Maximum data rate 54Mbps in 802.11g, and

150Mbps in 802.11n

n Switch diversity for DSSS/CCK
n Hardware antenna diversity
n Selectable digital transmit and receive FIR

filters

n Programmable scaling in transmitter and

receiver to trade quantization noise against
increased probability of clipping

n Fast receiver Automatic Gain Control (AGC)
n On-chip ADC and DAC

2 Rev.1.0

3. Block Diagram

Antenna B

Antenna A

TX/RX

Matching

Circuit

2.4GHz
PA

NV Memory

2.4GHz

Transceiver

RTL8188CE, RTL8188CEAU

User’s Manual

Radio
on/off

RX I/Q

TX I/Q

LED

ADCDAC

RTL8188CE

Ext

Interface

MAC

Configuration

Control and

Memory

Host

Interface

SPS/LDO

Regulators

3.3V

40MHz

40MHz

Crystal

Crystal

Baseband

(PHY)

Figure 1. RTL8188CE, RTL8188CEAU miniCard Application Diagram

3 Rev.1.0

4. Product specifications

4.1. Mini PCI Express Pin Assignment

Table 1. Mini PCI Express Pin Assignment

PIN# Pin Name

1 WAKE# YES 2 3.3Vaux YES
3 COEX1 YES 4 GND YES
5 COEX2 YES 6 1.5V NC
7 CLKREQ# YES 8 UIM_PWR NC

9 GND YES 10
11 REFCLK- YES 12
13 REFCLK+ YES 14
15 GND YES 16

PIN# Pin Name

RTL8188CE, RTL8188CEAU

User’s Manual

UIM_DATA
UIM_CLK
UIM_RESET
UIM_VPP

NC
NC
NC

NC
17 RESERVED NC 18 GND YES
19 RESERVED NC 20 W_DISABLE# YES
21 GND YES 22 PERST# YES
23 PERn0 YES 24 +3.3Vaux NC
25 PERp0 YES 26 GND YES
27 GND YES 28 +1.5V NC
29 GND YES 30 SMB_CLK NC
31 PETn0 YES 32 SMB_DATA NC
33 PETp0 YES 34 GND YES
35 GND YES 36 USB_D- YES
37 GND YES 38 USB_D+ YES
39 +3.3Vaux NC 40 GND NC
41 +3.3Vaux NC 42 LED_WWAN# NC
43 GND
45 RESERVED NC 46 LED_WPAN# NC
47 RESERVED NC 48 +1.5V YES
49 RESERVED NC 50 GND YES

YES

44 LED_WLAN# YES

51 RESERVED NC 52 +3.3Vaux YES

4 Rev.1.0

4.2. Mechanical

RTL8188CE, RTL8188CEAU

User’s Manual

Figure 2. RTL8188CE, RTL8188CEAU miniCard Mechanical Specification

4.3. Environmental

4.3.1. Operating

Operating Temperature: 0 to 70 °C
Relative Humidity: 5-90% (non-condensing)

4.3.2. Storage

Temperature: -55 to 125 °C
Relevant Humidity: 5-95% (non-condensing)

4.4. Functional Specifications

Table 2. Functional Specifications

POWER SUPPLY
MODULATION TYPE

MODULATION Technology

3.3Vdc±0.3Vdc , 365mA from host equipment
CCK, DQPSK, DBPSK for DSSS
64QAM, 16QAM, QPSK, BPSK for OFDM
DSSS, OFDM

5 Rev.1.0

RTL8188CE, RTL8188CEAU

800ns GI): 65 / 58.5 / 52 / 39 / 26 / 19.5 /

Draft 802.11n (20MHz, 400ns GI): 72.2 / 65 / 57.8 / 43.3 / 28.9 /

ns GI): 150 / 135 / 120 / 90 / 60 / 45 /

User’s Manual

Transfer rate

FREQUENCY Range
NUMBER OF CHANNEL

802.11b: 11 / 5.5 / 2 / 1Mbps

802.11g: 54 / 48 / 36 / 24 / 18 / 12 / 9 / 6Mbps
Draft 802.11n (20MHz,
13 / 6.5Mbps
Draft 802.11n (40MHz, 800ns GI): 135 / 121.5 / 108 / 81 / 54 /

40.5 / 27 / 13.5Mbps

21.7 / 14.4 / 7.2Mbps
Draft 802.11n (40MHz, 400
30 / 15Mbps
2400MHz ~ 2483.5MHz
11 for 802.11b, 802.11g, draft 802.11n (20MHz)
7 for draft 802.11n (40MHz)

4.5. Warning

4.5.1 Federal Communication Commission Interference Statement

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device,
pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against
harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio
frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful
interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a
particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception,
which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the
interference by one of the following measures:

- Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

- Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.

- Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that

to which the receiver is connected.

- Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1)
This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired operation.

FCC Caution: Any changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance
could void the user's authority to operate this equipment.

IMPORTANT NOTE:
FCC Radiation Exposure Statement:
This equipment complies with FCC radiation exposure limits set forth for an uncontrolled environment. This
equipment should be installed and operated with minimum distance 20cm between the radiator & your body.

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This transmitter must not be co-located or operating in conjunction with any other antenna or transmitter.

IEEE 802.11b or 802.11g operation of this product in the U.S.A. is firmware-limited to channels 1 through

11.

This device is intended only for OEM integrators under the following conditions:
The antenna must be installed such that 20 cm is maintained between the antenna and users, and
The transmitter module may not be co-located with any other transmitter or antenna,
For all products market in US, OEM has to limit the operation channels in CH1 to CH11 for 2.4G band by
supplied firmware programming tool. OEM shall not supply any tool or info to the end-user regarding to
Regulatory Domain change.
As long as 3 conditions above are met, further transmitter test will not be required. However, the OEM
integrator is still responsible for testing their end-product for any additional compliance requirements
required with this module installed (for example, digital device emissions, PC peripheral requirements, etc.).

IMPORTANT NOTE: In the event that these conditions can not be met (for example certain laptop
configurations or co-location with another transmitter), then the FCC authorization is no longer considered
valid and the FCC ID can not be used on the final product. In these circumstances, the OEM integrator will
be responsible for re-evaluating the end product (including the transmitter) and obtaining a separate FCC
authorization.

End Product Labeling
This transmitter module is authorized only for use in device where the antenna may be installed such that 20
cm may be maintained between the antenna and users. The final end product must be labeled in a visible area
with the following: “Contains FCC ID: TX2-RTL8188CE”.

Manual Information To the End User
The OEM integrator has to be aware not to provide information to the end user regarding how to install or
remove this RF module in the user’s manual of the end product which integrates this module.
The end user manual shall include all required regulatory information/warning as show in this manual.
Industry Canada Statement
This device complies with RSS-210 of the Industry Canada Rules. Operation is subject to the following two
conditions:

1) this device may not cause interference and

2) this device must accept any interference, including interference that may cause undesired operation of the
device

This device has been designed to operate with an antenna having a maximum gain of 3.45dBi.
Antenna having a higher gain is strictly prohibited per regulations of Industry Canada. The required antenna
impedance is 50 ohms.

To reduce potential radio interference to other users, the antenna type and its gain should be so chosen that
the EIRP is not more than required for successful communication.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

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User’s Manual

IC Radiation Exposure Statement:
This equipment complies with IC radiation exposure limits set forth for an uncontrolled environment. This
equipment should be installed and operated with minimum distance 20cm between the radiator & your body.

4.5.2 Industry Canada Statement

This device complies with RSS-210 of the Industry Canada Rules. Operation is subject to the following
two conditions:

1) this device may not cause interference and

2) this device must accept any interference, including interference that may cause undesired operation of the
device

This device has been designed to operate with an antenna having a maximum gain of 3.45dBi.

Antenna having a higher gain is strictly prohibited per regulations of Industry Canada. The required
antenna
impedance is 50 ohms.

To reduce potential radio interference to other users, the antenna type and its gain should be so chosen that
the EIRP is not more than required for successful communication.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

IC Radiation Exposure Statement:

This equipment complies with IC radiation exposure limits set forth for an uncontrolled environment. This
equipment should be installed and operated with minimum distance 20cm between the radiator & your body.

This device is intended only for OEM integrators
under the following conditions:

1) The antenna must be installed such that 20 cm is maintained between the antenna and users, and

2) The transmitter module may not be co-located with any other transmitter or antenna,

3) For all products market in Canada, OEM has to limit the operation channels in CH1 to CH11 for 2.4G

band by supplied firmware programming tool. OEM shall not supply any tool or info to the end-user
regarding to Regulatory Domain change.

As long as 3 conditions above are met, further transmitter test will not be required. However, the OEM
integrator is still responsible for testing their end-product for any additional compliance requirements
required with this module installed.

8 Rev.1.0

RTL8188CE, RTL8188CEAU

User’s Manual

End Product Labeling

The final end product must be labeled in a visible area with the following: “Contains IC :
6317A-RTL8188CE”.

Manual Information That Must be Included

The OEM integrator has to be aware not to provide information to the end user regarding how to install or
remove.

This RF module in the user’s manual of the end product which integrates this module.
The user’s manual for OEM Integrators must include the following information in a prominent location

“IMPORTANT NOTE: To comply with FCC RF exposure compliance requirements. The antenna must not
be co-located or operating in conjunction with any other antenna or transmitter”.

Ce dispositif est conforme à la norme CNR-210 d'Industrie Canada applicable aux appareils radio exempts de
licence. Son fonctionnement est sujet aux deux conditions suivantes: (1) le dispositif ne doit pas produire de
brouillage préjudiciable, et (2) ce dispositif doit accepter tout brouillage reçu, y compris un brouillage
susceptible de provoquer un fonctionnement indésirable.

NOTE IMPORTANTE: (Pour l'utilisation de dispositifs mobiles)
Déclaration d'exposition aux radiations:
Cet équipement est conforme aux limites d'exposition aux rayonnements IC établies pour un environnement
non contrôlé. Cet équipement doit être installé et utilisé avec un minimum de 20 cm de distance entre la
source de rayonnement et votre corps.

(Le manuel d'utilisation de dispositifs émetteurs équipés d'antennes amovibles doit contenir les informations
suivantes dans un endroit bien en vue:)

Ce dispositif a été conçu pour fonctionner avec une antenne ayant un gain maximal de 3.45dBi. Une antenne
à gain plus élevé est strictement interdite par les règlements d'Industrie Canada. L'impédance d'antenne
requise est de 50 ohms.

Conformément à la réglementation d'Industrie Canada, le présent émetteur radio peutfonctionner avec une
antenne d'un type et d'un gain maximal (ou inférieur) approuvé pourl'émetteur par Industrie Canada. Dans le
but de réduire les risques de brouillage radioélectriqueà l'intention des autres utilisateurs, il faut choisir le type
d'antenne et son gain de sorte que lapuissance isotrope rayonnée équivalente (p.i.r.e.) ne dépasse pas
l'intensité nécessaire àl'établissement d'une communication satisfaisante.

Cet appareil est conçu uniquement pour les intégrateurs OEM dans les conditions suivantes: (Pour utilisation
de dispositif module)

1) L'antenne doit être installée de telle sorte qu'une distance de 20 cm est respectée entre l'antenne et les
utilisateurs, et

2) Le module émetteur peut ne pas être coïmplanté avec un autre émetteur ou antenne,

3) Pour tous les produits vendus au Canada, OEM doit limiter les fréquences de fonctionnement CH1 à

9 Rev.1.0

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CH11 pour bandes de fréquences 2.4G grâce aux outils de microprogrammation fournis. OEM ne doit pas
fournir d'outil ou d'informations à l'utilisateur final en ce qui concerne le changement de réglementation de
domaine.

Tant que les 3 conditions ci-dessus sont remplies, des essais supplémentaires sur l'émetteur ne seront pas
nécessaires. Toutefois, l'intégrateur OEM est toujours responsable des essais sur son produit final pour
toutes exigences de conformité supplémentaires requis pour ce module installé.

NOTE IMPORTANTE:

Dans le cas où ces conditions ne peuvent être satisfaites (par exemple pour certaines configurations
d'ordinateur portable ou de certaines co-localisation avec un autre émetteur), l'autorisation du Canada n'est
plus considéré comme valide et l'ID IC ne peut pas être utilisé sur le produit final. Dans ces circonstances,
l'intégrateur OEM sera chargé de réévaluer le produit final (y compris l'émetteur) et l'obtention d'une
autorisation distincte au Canada.

Plaque signalétique du produit final

Ce module émetteur est autorisé uniquement pour une utilisation dans un dispositif où l'antenne peut être
installée de telle sorte qu'une distance de 20cm peut être maintenue entre l'antenne et les utilisateurs. Le
produit final doit être étiqueté dans un endroit visible avec l'inscription suivante: "Contient des IC:
6317A-RTL8188CE".

Manuel d'information à l'utilisateur final
L'intégrateur OEM doit être conscient de ne pas fournir des informations à l'utilisateur final quant à la façon
d'installer ou de supprimer ce module RF dans le manuel de l'utilisateur du produit final qui intègre ce
module.Le manuel de l'utilisateur final doit inclure toutes les informations réglementaires requises et
avertissements comme indiqué dans ce manuel.

4.5.3 NCC 警語

經型式認證合格之低功率射頻電機，非經許可，公司、商號或使用者均不得擅自變更頻率、加大功
率或變更原設計之特性及功能。

低功率射頻電機之使用不得影響飛航安全及干擾合法通信；經發現有干擾現象時，應立即停用，並
改善至無干擾時方得繼續使用。前項合法通信，指依電信法規定作業之無線電通信。低功率射頻電
機須忍受合法通信或工業、科學及醫療用電波輻射性電機設備之干擾。

本模組於取得認證後將依規定於模組本體標示審合格籤，並要求平台上標示「本產品內含射頻模
組：ID編號」

Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
Headquarters

10 Rev.1.0

No. 2, Innovation Road II, Hsinchu Science Park,
Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone]
www.realtek.com.tw

RTL8188CE, RTL8188CEAU

User’s Manual

11 Rev.1.0