MM8108-M20 - High-Power Wi-Fi HaLow Module 28.5dBm | Morse Micro
MPN: MM8108-M20 ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
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| 1 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 10 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 100 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 500 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 1,000 | $0 | $0.00 |
MM8108-M20 Overview
Wi-Fi HaLow is the sub-1 GHz flavor of Wi-Fi defined by the IEEE 802.11ah standard. Unlike 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi, HaLow trades bandwidth for range, wall penetration, and power efficiency, making it a wireless protocol positioned between legacy Wi-Fi and LPWAN technologies such as LoRa in the IoT connectivity hierarchy. The MM8108-M20 brings standard IP networking over sub-GHz links, so devices can use native TCP/IP stacks without gateways that translate protocols.
Key features include transmit amplification up to 28.5 dBm delivered by an integrated external power amplifier, a surface acoustic wave (SAW) filter tuned to the 902-928 MHz North American band for exceptional receive sensitivity, and host connectivity via USB 2.0 High-Speed, SDIO, or SPI interfaces. The underlying MM8108 second-generation SoC integrates radio, PHY, and MAC functions compliant with IEEE 802.11ah and supports PHY rates up to 43.3 Mbps using 256-QAM modulation at 8 MHz bandwidth.
The module is a single-chip solution built around the MM8108 SoC, which Morse Micro states delivers up to 3x more energy efficiency than the next best Wi-Fi SoC, extending battery life in power-sensitive designs. The SAW-filtered RF front end improves out-of-band rejection and receiver blocking performance, which is critical in the crowded sub-GHz license-exempt bands.
Typical applications include industrial IoT sensor networks, security cameras and surveillance systems, smart building infrastructure, and long-range access points such as the Gateworks GW16170 M.2 2230 E-Key radio card, which uses the MM8108-M20 with up to +27.5 dBm transmit power in the 902-928 MHz band.
Design consideration: the MM8108-M20 is region-specific to the 902-928 MHz band (FCC/IC markets); designs targeting other regulatory domains should evaluate the MM8108-MF15457 module covering 850-950 MHz instead. Antenna matching and thermal layout on the host PCB should follow the Morse Micro hardware design guide.
This page synthesizes verified distributor and manufacturer data, drop-in alternative analysis, application guidance, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for MM8108-M20 — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Variants in this series
Same-series models that are drop-in compatible with MM8108-M20 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Core SoC, Modulation.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
MM8108-M20-US
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MM8108-MF15457
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
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View Datasheet →MM8108-M20 Specifications (manufacturer-published)
| Product Type | Wi-Fi HaLow (IEEE 802.11ah) Transceiver Module |
| Core SoC | Morse Micro MM8108 (2nd generation) |
| Frequency Band | 902-928 MHz |
| Max Transmit Output Power | 28.5 dBm (with external PA) |
| RF Standard | IEEE 802.11ah (Wi-Fi HaLow) |
| Max PHY Data Rate | 43.3 Mbps |
| Modulation | Up to 256-QAM |
| Channel Bandwidth | 8 MHz |
| RF Front End | External PA plus SAW filter (receive) |
| Host Interfaces | USB 2.0 High-Speed, SDIO, SPI |
| Dimensions | 18.5 mm x 14 mm |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Region Certification Focus | North America (902-928 MHz) |
MM8108-M20 Interfaces & Connectors
No manufacturer-published interface list is available for MM8108-M20. Refer to the manufacturer documentation for connector and header details.
Refer to the manufacturer documentation for the full expansion header pinout and connector pin numbering.
Typical Applications
MM8108-M20 is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial IoT Sensor Networks, Security Cameras and Surveillance, Smart Building and Access Points, Long-Range Backhaul and Rural Connectivity, Battery-Powered IoT Devices, Edge AI and Connected Robotics.
Industrial IoT Sensor Networks
The MM8108-M20 fits industrial IoT sensor networks because its 28.5 dBm transmit power and SAW-filtered 902-928 MHz receiver sustain reliable links across factories, tank farms, and outdoor plants where 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi fails on range and penetration. With 43.3 Mbps PHY rate over 8 MHz channels, it aggregates many sensor nodes on standard IP infrastructure, and the MM8108 SoC's up-to-3x energy-efficiency advantage extends battery life for nodes that cannot be wired. The module is placed between the host MCU or gateway SoC and the antenna via USB 2.0 High-Speed, SDIO, or SPI, letting integrators keep native TCP/IP stacks without a protocol-translating gateway. The trade-off versus LoRa is higher active power in exchange for dramatically higher throughput and standard Wi-Fi security and management tooling.
Recommended
Security Cameras and Surveillance
Video surveillance is a flagship Wi-Fi HaLow use case, and the MM8108-M20's 28.5 dBm output plus the high receive sensitivity of the 902-928 MHz SAW filter give cameras the link budget to stream through multiple walls, foliage, and across campus distances that defeat 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi. The 43.3 Mbps peak PHY rate via 256-QAM at 8 MHz bandwidth accommodates compressed video streams, while lower MCS modes at 1 MHz/2 MHz channels maintain connectivity at extreme range. Morse Micro positions HaLow directly for camera backhaul, and the module's USB 2.0 High-Speed interface suits camera SoCs with USB device capability. Compared with cellular IoT, HaLow avoids recurring SIM data costs; compared with LoRa, it provides enough bandwidth for actual video rather than telemetry only.
Recommended
Smart Building and Access Points
For smart buildings, the MM8108-M20 serves both as the radio in HaLow access points and as the connectivity module in battery-powered devices such as locks, thermostats, and occupancy sensors. Its 902-928 MHz operation penetrates concrete and drywall far better than higher Wi-Fi bands, allowing one ceiling-mounted AP to cover an entire floor, and Gateworks demonstrates exactly this architecture with the GW16170 M.2 card built on the MM8108-M20 at up to +27.5 dBm. Standard Linux IP networking stacks are supported, so building-management systems integrate the network without proprietary middleware. The SDIO and SPI host interfaces suit cost-sensitive embedded controllers, while USB 2.0 High-Speed fits gateway-class hardware. Regional note: the band tuning targets North American FCC/IC deployments.
Recommended
Long-Range Backhaul and Rural Connectivity
The MM8108-M20's 28.5 dBm transmit power and sensitive SAW-filtered receiver make it suitable for kilometer-scale point-to-multipoint backhaul in rural, agricultural, and utility metering deployments where running fiber or Ethernet is impractical. Operating in the 902-928 MHz license-exempt band, links penetrate foliage and tolerate non-line-of-sight paths, and the 43.3 Mbps capacity is far beyond sub-GHz LPWAN alternatives, supporting aggregated meter traffic or site telemetry. Morse Micro cites up to 1 km range capability for its MM8108-class products. In gateway hardware the module pairs naturally with M.2 carrier designs such as the Gateworks GW16170. Designers should budget for proper antenna gain and height to maximize link margin, and verify duty-cycle compliance with regional sub-GHz regulations.
Recommended
Battery-Powered IoT Devices
Battery-operated devices benefit most from the MM8108 SoC inside the MM8108-M20: Morse Micro states up to 3x better energy efficiency than the next best Wi-Fi SoC, meaning more data sent or longer life per charge. Sub-GHz HaLow links also require less transmit power for a given range than 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi because path loss and wall attenuation are lower at 902-928 MHz, compounding the silicon-level efficiency gain. Typical battery devices include asset trackers, agricultural probes, wearable tags, and door locks. The SPI host interface minimizes pin count and cost in MCU-based designs, while deep-sleep states between transmissions dominate the energy budget. The trade-off is that the M20's external high-power PA raises peak TX current versus the 26 dBm MM8108-MF15457, so battery-critical designs should model duty cycle carefully.
Recommended
Edge AI and Connected Robotics
Morse Micro targets its MM8108 family at IoT and Edge AI applications, and the MM8108-M20 fits connected robots, AGVs, and edge-AI camera nodes that need both mobility and throughput. The 43.3 Mbps PHY rate supports sensor-data streaming and model/telemetry exchange, while 902-928 MHz propagation maintains connectivity around metal racking, walls, and outdoor terrain where 2.4 GHz links drop. Because Wi-Fi HaLow is standard IP, edge devices roam onto existing network management, VLAN, and security tooling without gateways - a key advantage over proprietary industrial wireless. Host integration is flexible via USB 2.0 High-Speed for compute modules or SDIO/SPI for embedded controllers. For deployments outside North America, pair with the 850-950 MHz MM8108-MF15457 instead to satisfy CE/Telec regulatory domains.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for MM8108-M20 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | MM8108-M20-US | MM8108-MF15457 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 18.5 mm x 14 mm SMD module | 18.5 mm x 14 mm SMD module - same | SMD RF PAD module - different footprint, verify against datasheet |
| Brand | Morse Micro | Morse Micro | Morse Micro |
| RF Standard | IEEE 802.11ah (Wi-Fi HaLow) | IEEE 802.11ah (Wi-Fi HaLow) | IEEE 802.11ah (Wi-Fi HaLow) |
| Max TX Power | 28.5 dBm (external PA) | 28.5 dBm (external PA) | 26 dBm |
| Frequency Band | 902-928 MHz (North America) | 902-928 MHz (North America) | 850-950 MHz (multi-region) |
| Max PHY Data Rate | 43.3 Mbps (256-QAM, 8 MHz) | 43.3 Mbps (256-QAM, 8 MHz) | 43.3 Mbps (256-QAM, 8 MHz) |
| RF Front End | External PA + SAW filter | External PA + SAW filter | Integrated front end (no high-power PA/SAW per verified data) |
| Certifications | North America (902-928 MHz) | US market variant | FCC, IC, CE, Telec |
Key Differentiators
- Highest link budget in the Morse Micro module family (vs MM8108-MF15457)
- Dedicated 902-928 MHz SAW filter (vs MM8108-MF15457)
- Industry-leading energy efficiency (vs MM8108-MF15457)
Design Notes
The MM8108-M20 is region-tuned: its SAW filter is optimized for the 902-928 MHz North American band, so it should not be deployed in CE/Telec (EU/Japan) regulatory domains. For global SKUs, design the host PCB to accept either the M20 or the MM8108-MF15457 (850-950 MHz, FCC/IC/CE/Telec certified) and validate the land pattern against both datasheets early, since the footprints differ. Antenna selection must cover 902-928 MHz with adequate VSWR; the 28.5 dBm PA output also demands attention to conducted-spurious and harmonic compliance in the certification plan.
Keep the module's RF pad land pattern exactly as specified in the Morse Micro preliminary datasheet, with a solid, unbroken ground plane under and around the module and a keeper keep-out for the 18.5 mm x 14 mm body plus antenna clearance. Since the document is preliminary, re-check the latest revision before production release. Provide low-impedance supply decoupling at the module supply pins and route the USB 2.0 High-Speed or SDIO host lines as controlled-impedance differential/single-ended pairs per interface requirements; keep SPI/SDIO clock lines short and away from the antenna feed to avoid coupling noise into the SAW-filtered receive path.
Two recurring pitfalls: first, assuming the MM8108-M20 and MM8108-MF15457 are interchangeable - both run the same MM8108 SoC and IEEE 802.11ah stack, but the M20's external PA/SAW front end and 28.5 dBm rating mean different supply current, land pattern, and certification scope, so a drop-in swap on an MF15457 PCB is not valid. Second, GPIO alternate-function mapping (SPI master, I2C, PWM, UART) is not uniformly documented per pin; Morse Micro community threads note this gap, so confirm pin muxing with Morse Micro support before committing the host schematic.
Compliance Information
Regulatory certifications (FCC/IC for the 902-928 MHz band) are indicated by the product positioning and the related MF15457's FCC, IC, CE, Telec certifications; RoHS/REACH status for the MM8108-M20 specifically is not stated in the verified data as of 2026-10-20.
