RS9116 SDK Version 2.14.0 (June 2, 2026) - Release Notes#
Wi-Fi 4 RS9116x Series SDK enables Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for MCUs running RTOS or bare metal.
Click here for earlier releases.
Release Summary#
| Release Item | Version | Release Date | Release Notes | Key Features | API Changes | Bug Fixes | Chip Enablement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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RS9116 Platform |
2.14.0 |
June 2, 2026 |
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Wi-Fi |
2.14.0 |
June 2, 2026 |
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Network Stack |
2.14.0 |
June 2, 2026 |
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Bluetooth |
2.14.0 |
June 2, 2026 |
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Multi-Protocol |
2.14.0 |
June 2, 2026 |
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Impact of Release Changes#
Impact Statements | Migration Guide
Impact Statements#
None
Migration Guide#
None
Using This Release#
What's in the Release? | Compatible Software | Installation and Use | Help and Feedback
Note:
The release packages will have bug-fixes, enhancements, and new features in both 'SAPI' and 'Firmware'. Customer should update and use 'SAPI' and 'Firmware' of same release package. SAPI and firmware combinations that are not released together are not supported.
RS9116 release consists of two components:
Firmware - RS9116 Firmware Binary
SAPI Library - SAPI Library runs on Host
This release is intended for designs based on RS9116 Silicon revision 1.4 (RS9116X-xxx-xxx-Bxx) and revision 1.5 (RS9116X-xxx-xxx-Cxx).
What's in the Release?#
Compatible Software, Supported Hardware and Host Interfaces#
| Software | Compatible Version or Variant |
|---|---|
| Connectivity firmware |
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| SAPI | 2.14.0 |
| RTOS | FreeRTOS v11.1.0 |
Installation and Use#
To upgrade your existing software with this release, see instructions Updating RS9116W Firmware
To run your first demo, see our Getting Started Guides.
To review Security and Software Advisory notifications and manage your notification preferences:
Log in with your account credentials.
Click your profile icon in the upper-right corner of the page.
Select Notifications from the dropdown menu.
In the Notifications section, go to the My Product Notifications tab to review historical Security and Software Advisory notifications.
To manage your preferences, use the Manage Notifications tab to customize which product updates and advisories you receive.
For recommended settings, configurations, and usage guidelines, see the Recommended Settings section
To learn more about the software in this release, dive into our online documentation.
Help and Feedback#
Contact Silicon Labs Support.
To use our Ask AI tool to get answers, see the search field at the top of this page.
Note: Ask AI is experimental.
Get help from our developer community.
Feature Matrix#
The following sections cover the features of the Wi-Fi 4 + BT/BLE (Wi-Fi 4 RS9116x) SDK:
Supported Features#
Wi-Fi | Network Stack | Bluetooth | Multiprotocol | RS9116 Platform
Note: The following list specifies the hardware parts compatible with the Wi-Fi 4 SAPI:
NCP mode boards supported:
RS9116W-SB00-QMS
RS9116W-SB00-B00
RS9116W-DB00-CC0
RS9116W-DB00-CC1
RS916WS-01-AC1A3
Chip Revision:
1.4
1.5
Host Interfaces:
UART
SPI
SDIO
USB
Wi-Fi#
Operating Modes | Wi-Fi Protocol Features | Wi-Fi Scan | Wi-Fi Station Mode | Access Point Mode | Wi-Fi Power Save | Wi-Fi AT Commands
Operating Modes#
| Feature Name | Description | Quality | Related API Names | Chip Revision, Hardware, Host Interfaces | Related Example Names |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi Station (STA) | Wi-Fi Station mode with 802.11n support | GA |
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| Wi-Fi Access Point (SoftAP) | Wi-Fi Access Point mode with 802.11n support | GA |
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| Wi-Fi Station (STA) + Access Point (SoftAP) |
Wi-Fi concurrent mode support over the same channel. Station with 802.11n + Access Point with 802.11n |
GA |
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| Wi-Fi Enterprise Client |
Support for EAP-TLS, EAP-TTLS, EAP-FAST, and PEAP security. |
GA |
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| Wi-Fi Transmit Test Mode |
Custom, connection-less testing. |
GA |
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Wi-Fi Protocol Features#
| Feature Name | Description | Quality | Related API Names | Chip Revision, Hardware, Modes, Host Interfaces | Related Example Names |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IEEE 802.11b/g/n (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) |
IEEE 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi standards supported over the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz band. |
GA |
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| Wi-Fi Multimedia (WMM) Quality of Service (QoS) |
Wi-Fi Multimedia (WMM) Quality of Service (QoS) |
GA |
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| 2.4 GHz Band | See Supported channels on 2.4 GHz band | GA |
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| 5 GHz band | See and | GA |
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| Wi-Fi Alliance (WFA) Certification |
Pre-testing completed for WFA certification. |
GA |
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None |
Wi-Fi Scan#
| Feature Name | Description | Quality | Related API Names | Chip Revision, Hardware, Host Interfaces | Related Example Names |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selective Scan |
Channel-specific scan |
GA |
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| Active / Passive Scan |
Active scanning to send probe requests to discover networks; and passive scanning to listen for beacon frames from access points. |
GA |
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| Background (BG) Scan |
Background scan is a scan triggered after connection in station mode |
GA |
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Wi-Fi Station Mode#
| Feature Name | Description | Quality | Related API Names | Chip Revision, Hardware, Modes, Host Interfaces | Related Example Names |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi Re-join |
Enable a device to automatically re-connect to a previously connected wireless network after disconnection. |
GA |
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Note: This application needs to be modified to check for rejoin. See the Note section of rsi_wlan_connect. |
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| Wi-Fi Security |
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GA |
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Access Point Mode#
| Feature Name | Description | Quality | Related API Names | Chip Revision, Hardware, Modes, Host Interfaces | Related Example Names |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4-client Support |
Allow up to 4 clients to connect to the access point. |
GA |
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| Hidden SSID Mode |
Prevents a Wi-Fi network’s SSID from being broadcast in beacon frames, making the network name invisible to casual scans. |
GA |
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Note: Enable CUSTOM_FEAT_AP_IN_HIDDEN_MODE. See the RSI_CUSTOM_FEATURE_BIT_MAP. |
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| Auto Channel Selection |
Dynamically select the optimal Wi-Fi channel to minimize interference and improve network performance. |
GA |
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| Scan in Access Point Mode |
Wi-Fi scanning in access point mode |
GA |
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| Wi-Fi Security |
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GA |
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Wi-Fi Power Save#
| Feature Name | Description | Quality | Related API Names | Chip Revision, Hardware, Modes, Host Interfaces | Related Example Names |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standby Associated |
Standby Associated (connected sleep) with Max Power Save Profile (PSP), Enhanced MAX PSP and Max PSP |
GA |
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| Network Processor (NWP) Deep Sleep |
NWP Deep Sleep with and without RAM retention |
GA |
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Wi-Fi AT Commands#
| Feature Name | Description | Quality | Related API Names | Chip Revision, Hardware, Modes, Host Interfaces | Related Example Names |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi AT Command |
Host shall use AT Commands for interacting with RS9116 Module. |
GA |
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Network Stack#
Core Networking Features | Advanced Networking Features | IoT Cloud Integration
Core Networking Features#
| Feature Name | Description | Quality | Related API Names | Chip Revision, Hardware, Modes, Host Interfaces | Related Example Names |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core Network Protocols | IPv4, UDP, TCP, ARP, ICMP, ICMPv6 | GA |
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| Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) | Connect and exchange data with other hosts using the IPv6 protocol in the networking layer of the network stack. | Beta |
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| TLS Client | Supported versions 1.0, 1.2 | GA |
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| DHCP Client | Support for DHCPv4 and DHCPv6 | Beta |
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| DHCP Server | Support for DHCPv4 and DHCPv6 | GA |
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| BSD | BSD | GA |
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Advanced Networking Features#
| Feature Name | Description | Quality | Related API Names | Chip Revision, Hardware, Modes, Host Interfaces | Related Example Names |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advanced Network Protocols |
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GA |
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| mDNS over IPv6 | Host a Multicast Domain Name (mDNS) service over Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) to allow other network devices to look up your IPv6 address based on your host name. | Alpha |
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| SNTP Client | Retrieve date and time information from an SNTP server. | GA |
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| IGMP | Add the multicast group and exchange multicast data on a UDP socket. | GA |
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IoT Cloud Integration#
| Feature Name | Description | Quality | Related API Names | Chip Revision, Hardware, Modes, Host Interfaces | Related Example Names |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AWS IoT Core | Configure RS9116 as an IoT device and securely connect to the AWS IoT cloud to subscribe and publish on topics using the AWS MQTT library (version 3.1.0). | GA |
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| Azure IoT | Configure the RS9116 as an Azure device endpoint, connect, and exchange messages with the Azure IoT Hub. | Beta |
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Bluetooth#
BT-Classic | Bluetooth Low Energy
BT-Classic#
| Feature Name | Description | Quality | Related API Names | Chip Revision, Hardware, Modes, Host Interfaces | Related Example Names |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BT Classic AT Commands | Host shall use AT Commands for interacting with RS9116 Module. | GA |
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| Generic Access Profile (GAP) |
GAP defines how Bluetooth devices discover each other, establish and manage connections, and control access modes (discoverable, connectable, etc.). It governs the fundamental behavior of device interactions, including pairing and authentication. |
GA |
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| Serial Port Profile (SPP) |
SPP enables devices to emulate serial port communication over Bluetooth Classic using RFCOMM. It is widely used in industrial, medical, and embedded systems for wireless serial communication between devices like sensors, printers, and terminals. |
GA |
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| Secure Simple Pairing (SSP) | Secure Simple Pairing is a feature that simplifies device pairing while providing strong protection against eavesdropping and man-in-the-middle attacks. | GA |
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| Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) – Source Streaming |
A2DP Source functionality allows the device to stream high-quality stereo audio from a source (e.g., smartphone or embedded device) to a sink (e.g., headphones or speakers) over Bluetooth. It supports standard SBC and optionally other audio codecs. |
GA |
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| Audio/Video Remote Control Profile (AVRCP) |
AVRCP functionality allows the device to control audio/video playback remotely over Bluetooth. It supports standard remote control operations such as play, pause, stop, volume control, and track navigation for multimedia applications. |
GA |
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| Role Switch |
Role switching allows a Bluetooth device to dynamically change roles between master and slave during an active connection. This is essential for topology flexibility, improved connection robustness, and compliance with role preference requirements in many applications. |
GA |
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| Sniff Mode |
Sniff mode is a low-power mode that reduces power consumption by allowing the device to periodically wake up and check for activity. This is particularly important for battery-operated Bluetooth peripherals like keyboards, mice, and remote controls. |
GA |
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| Human Interface Device (HID) Profile |
HID allows Bluetooth devices to interact as input devices, such as keyboards, mice, game controllers, or styluses. It supports both interrupt and control channels for low-latency and command communication, making it suitable for consumer electronics and PC peripherals. |
GA |
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Bluetooth Low Energy#
Legacy Features#
| Feature Name | Description | Quality | Related API Names | Supported Software Variants, Hardware, Modes, Host Interfaces | Related Example Names |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BLE AT Commands | Host shall use AT Commands for interacting with RS9116 Module. | GA |
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| GAP |
Advertising, Scanning, Connection Initiation, Establishment and Bonding Handling of access modes and procedures of the device including device discovery, link establishment, link termination, initiation of security features, and device configuration. |
GA |
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| Generic Attribute Protocol (GATT) |
Defines how data is organized and exchanged between devices. It builds on the Attribute Protocol (ATT) by organizing data into hierarchical structures of profiles, services, and characteristics. |
GA |
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| Attribute Protocol (ATT) | Fundamental layer responsible for managing data transmission and handling between devices, particularly within the context of the Generic Attribute Profile (GATT) | GA |
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| Security |
Security in LE is handled by Security Manager Protocol. The Security Manager (SM) defines the protocol and behavior to manage pairing, authentication and encryption. It uses a key distribution approach to perform identity and encryption functionalities in radio communication. |
GA |
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| Human Interface Device (HID) Profile |
HID allows Bluetooth devices to interact as input devices, such as keyboards, mice, game controllers, or styluses. It supports both interrupt and control channels for low-latency and command communication, making it suitable for consumer electronics and PC peripherals. |
GA |
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| LL Privacy 1.2 | Enhanced privacy by allowing devices to use temporary, non-identifiable addresses (Resolvable Private Addresses or RPAs) instead of their public identity address | GA |
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| Accept List | Feature responsible for restricting connection allowed to a particular BLE device. | GA |
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| Directed Advertising | Broadcasting information to a specific device (the scanner) identified by its address. | GA |
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| LE PHY and Coded PHY |
LE PHY (1 Mbps, 2 Mbps, 2M PHY): Higher data throughput physical layer (2 Mbps) enabling faster data transfers while maintaining power efficiency for high-bandwidth applications. Coded PHY (125 kbps, 500 kbps): Extended range capability utilizing Forward Error Correction (FEC) allowing connectivity at up to 4x the standard distance in open environments. |
GA |
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| LE dual role topology | Demonstrates ability to function as both a central and a peripheral simultaneously on different connections. | GA |
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| LE data packet length extensions (DLE) | DLE allows Bluetooth LE devices to transmit data packets with larger payloads, increasing the maximum data rate and potentially improving throughput. | GA |
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| Asymmetric PHYs | The concept of asymmetric PHYs is where different PHYs (Physical Layers) are used for transmission (TX) and reception (RX). | GA |
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| LE channel selection algorithm 2 (CSA#2) |
The LE channel selection algorithm 2 (CSA#2), also known as Channel Selection Algorithm #2, is a more complex algorithm used to determine the channel index for the next connection event. It is designed to improve channel hopping and minimize interference, especially in high-throughput and high-interference scenarios. |
GA |
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| LE Secure connections | LE Secure Connections uses Elliptic-Curve Diffie-Hellman (ECDH) cryptography to generate a public-private key pair. | GA |
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Advertising Extensions#
| Feature Name | Description | Quality | Related API Names | Hardware Modules, Hardware Chipsets, Host Interfaces | Related Example Names |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extended Advertising |
Use secondary advertising channels to offload data that would otherwise be transmitted on the primary advertising channel. Enables multiple sets of advertisements, each with their own data, intervals, duration, address types, filter policies and PHY rates. |
GA |
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| Extended Scanning |
Extended scanning allows scanning for different PHY rates and supports different sets of scan interval, scan window, and scan type for each. |
GA |
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| Periodic Advertising Synchronization | Periodic Advertising Synchronization in BLE allows multiple devices to wake up and receive data from a single source at the same time, enabling energy-efficient communication and data sharing. | GA |
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| Simultaneous scanning on 1 Mbps and Coded PHY | Involves listening for advertisements on both PHYs at the same time. | GA |
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| Periodic Advertising | Periodic Advertising enables sending non connectable advertisements at fixed intervals. | GA |
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See example. |
| Periodic Advertising List |
A list of periodic advertising events that provides a schedule or timetable of when a device will send its advertisement data at regular intervals. This allows devices to synchronize with the advertiser and receive data at the specified times, saving power and improving efficiency. |
GA |
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| Periodic Advertising Scanning | Scan for periodic advertisements. | GA |
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Power Save#
| Feature Name | Description | Quality | Related API Names | Hardware Modules, Hardware Chipsets, Host Interfaces | Related Example Names |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wireless Power Save |
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GA |
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Multiprotocol#
| Feature Name | Description | Quality | Related API Names | Chip Revision, Hardware, Modes, Host Interfaces | Related Example Names |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi Station (STA) + BT Mode |
Co-existence of Wi-Fi Station (STA) mode and Bluetooth (BT) on the same radio, supporting complex use cases with minimal interference. This solution is built on a Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) architecture that schedules radio access between Wi-Fi and BT with optimal performance. |
GA |
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Note: This release does not include a standalone Wi-Fi + BT example. To use the Wi-Fi + BT + BLE examples for Wi-Fi + BT functionality only, disable the RSI_ENABLE_BLE_TEST macro. |
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| Wi-Fi Station (STA) + BLE Mode |
Co-existence of Wi-Fi STA mode and BLE on the same radio, supporting complex use cases with minimal interference. This solution is built on a TDM architecture that schedules radio access between Wi-Fi and BLE with optimal performance. |
GA |
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| Wi-Fi + BLE PTA 3-wire Co-existence |
Enable connecting two devices via GPIOs, with Wi-Fi as primary and external BLE as secondary, ensuring better performance on the same radio without interference. The solution relies on a radio-sharing mechanism using request, priority, and grant signals. The PTA secondary manages the request and priority, while the PTA primary handles the grant to ensure optimal performance without interference. |
GA |
Note: Flow control must be disabled to support PTA in NCP mode. |
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| Wi-Fi + Zigbee / OpenThread PTA 3-wire Co-existence |
Enable connecting two devices via GPIOs, with Wi-Fi as primary and external Zigbee or OpenThread as secondary, ensuring better performance on the same radio without interference. The solution relies on a radio-sharing mechanism using request, priority, and grant signals. The PTA secondary manages the request and priority, while the PTA primary handles the grant to ensure optimal performance without interference. |
GA |
Note: Flow control must be disabled to support PTA in NCP mode. |
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| Wi-Fi STA + BT + BLE Co-existence |
Co-existence of Wi-Fi Station (STA) mode, classic Bluetooth and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) on the same radio, supporting complex use cases with minimal interference. This solution is built on a Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) architecture that schedules radio access between Wi-Fi and BLE with optimal performance. |
GA |
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RS9116 Platform#
Firmware Upgrade#
| Feature Name | Description | Quality | Related API Names | Chip Revision, Hardware, Modes, Host Interfaces | Related Example Names |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Firmware Loading through UART and SPI |
Load firmware via ISP using UART interface or SPI interface. |
GA |
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| Secure Over-the-Air (OTA) Update |
Perform OTA firmware update via Wi-Fi from a remote HTTP/HTTPS server. |
GA |
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Auto Join#
| Feature Name | Description | Quality | Related API Names | Chip Revision, Hardware, Modes, Host Interfaces | Related Example Names |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Store configuration |
Store the profile information in the flash, so that it can be used for consecutive connection or reconnection. |
GA |
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| Auto join. |
Auto join to the profile stored using store configuration. |
GA |
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None |
Unsupported Features#
Wi-Fi | Network Stack | Bluetooth | Multiprotocol | RS9116 Platform
Wi-Fi#
AMSDU transmit is not supported.
UAPSD is not supported.
Fragmentation is not supported.
AMSDUs within AMPDU is not supported.
Currently, the RS9116 does not support the radio measurement requests feature of CCX V2.
802.11k is not supported.
Short GI is not supported.
2.4 and 5 GHz bands do not support 40 MHz bandwidth.
802.11J channels less than 16 are not supported.
Auto PAC Provisioning in EAP-FAST with TLSv1.2 is not supported.
SA query procedure is not supported in 11W AP mode.
Channel 144 is not supported.
AP standalone mode does not support Tx aggregation. Rx aggregation is supported with limited number of BA sessions.
In concurrent mode - AP mode, aggregation (Tx/Rx) is not supported.
IEEE802.11R roaming is not supported.
Network Stack#
In AT mode, the total MQTT command length (apart from MQTT publish) should not exceed 150 bytes. This includes at+rsi (start of command) to (end of command)\r\n.
Configure MQTT_VERSION in rsi_mqtt_client.h based on the server configuration; only version 3 and 4 are supported.
In Wi-Fi-only mode, the module supports either three concurrent TLS connections or one TCP and two TLS connections.
TLS curve IDs supports from 15-28. TLS handshake with third party clients depends on the TLS curve.
Transparent mode is unsupported in USB-CDC mode.
RC4_SHA, DES_CBC3_SHA, and RC4_MD5 ciphers are not supported in enterprise security
Bluetooth#
Bluetooth Classic#
BT sniff mode does not work if BT multiple peripherals feature is enabled.
For BT Classic, only one connection is supported at a time.
When using the rsibt_spptxv2 command, if the data length field value is set higher than the actual number of data bytes provided, the firmware enters a continuous polling state waiting for the remaining data. This results in either no response from the device or causes the system to become unresponsive.
BT A2DP is only supported in RS9116 Silicon revision 1.5.
BT-A2DP encoder is not supported in the firmware.
BT-A2DP is not supported in AT mode.
BT-A2DP streaming is not supported during Wi-Fi download.
BT-HID is supported only on the UART interface.
BT-HID might not interoperate with Apple devices.
RC clock feature is not supported in BT classic.
Bluetooth Low Energy#
For BLE, if the connection is established with a small connection interval (<15 ms), simultaneous roles are not supported (that is, Central/Peripheral + Advertising/Scanning).
BLE peripheral latency value is valid up to 32 only.
Maximum supported AE data length is 200 bytes.
Maximum supported ADV_EXT sets is 2.
A maximum of two BLE connections are supported (one central + one peripheral).
SMP is not supported in AE applications "ble_ae_central" and "ble_ae_peripheral".
GATT transactions and data transfer are not supported in AE applications "ble_ae_central" and "ble_ae_peripheral".
BLE duty cycling is not supported.
BLE does not support the store user configuration method.
Wake on wireless is not supported for BLE.
RTOS is unsupported in ae_peripheral, and ae_central applications.
RC clock feature is not supported with Rev 1.4 hardware.
The 9116 uses a software-based HRNG for BLE operations because the on-chip Hardware Random Number Generator (HRNG) may exhibit limited entropy or repeated output patterns under certain operating conditions.
Multiprotocol#
The following multi-protocol modes are not supported: Wi-Fi Access Point + BLE, Wi-Fi Access Point + BT, and Wi-Fi Access Point + BT + BLE.
For AT commands, Wi-Fi + BT + BLE (Opermode 9) and BT + BLE (Opermode 8 ) do not work.
In Wi-Fi + BLE mode, if the BLE scan interval and window have the same value, then the Wi-Fi connection might be unsuccessful.
RS9116 Platform#
Wake on Wireless support has only been tested for the UART AT command interface.
Firmware update via bootloader method requires the user to check the integrity of the RPS file content. A corrupt image may cause the chip to become unresponsive to host commands.
SDK Release and Maintenance Policy#
For information about the SDK release and maintenance policy, see https://www.silabs.com/developer-tools/sdk-release-and-maintenance-policy.