Get Started with Communications Toolbox

Design, simulate, and analyze the physical layer of communications systems

Communications Toolbox™ provides algorithms and apps for the design, end-to-end simulation, analysis, and verification of communications systems. The toolbox includes a graphically based app that lets you generate custom- or standard-based waveforms. You can create test vectors to verify receiver performance or to create datasets for artificial intelligence (AI) applications by adding RF impairments to waveforms. The toolbox lets you model propagation channels statistically or with ray-tracing solutions that include terrain and buildings. You can compensate for the effects of channel degradations and use SDRs to verify your designs with over-the-air (OTA) testing.

Communications Toolbox facilitates modeling communications links from antenna to RF chain to bit processing (with Antenna Toolbox™ and RF Blockset™). You can accelerate BER simulations using the cloud or your local cluster (with Parallel Computing Toolbox™). The toolbox helps you solve communications problems using AI techniques (with Deep Learning Toolbox™).

Tutorials

Simulating a Communications Link

Examine 256-QAM Using Simulink
This example shows you how to model a communications system with quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM), additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channel, and phase noise using Simulink®.
Accelerating BER Simulations Using the Parallel Computing Toolbox
This example uses Parallel Computing Toolbox™ to accelerate a simple, QPSK bit error rate (BER) simulation.
Compute BER for QAM System with AWGN Using MATLAB
Communications Toolbox features build upon the MATLAB^® computational and visualization tools, enabling you to use higher level functions when simulating communications systems.
OFDM Modulation Using MATLAB
Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) is the multicarrier digital modulation technique used by modern wireless communications systems such as 5G and LTE cellular, and WiFi.

Waveform Generation

Create Waveforms Using Wireless Waveform Generator App
Create, impair, visualize, and export modulated waveforms.

Visualization and Measurements

Analyze Performance with Bit Error Rate Analysis App
Learn how to use the Bit Error Rate Analysis app.
Scatter Plot and Eye Diagram with MATLAB Functions
This example shows how to visualize signal behavior through the use of eye diagrams and scatter plots.
Measure Modulation Accuracy
Learn about EVM and MER for measuring modulation accuracy.
ACPR and CCDF Measurements with MATLAB System Objects
This example shows how to measure the adjacent channel power ratio (ACPR) from a baseband, 50 kbps QPSK signal.
RF Propagation and Visualization
Visualize coverage maps, SINR maps, and propagation paths in outdoor and indoor environments.

About Communications System Modeling

Configure Simulink Environment for Communications Models

Learn how to configure the Simulink^® environment for communications simulation automatically.

Interactive Learning

Wireless Communications Onramp
Learn how to use MATLAB to simulate wireless communications systems.

Videos

Simulink for Wireless System Design
Learn why Simulink is appropriate for wireless system design.

Easy Wireless Waveform Generation with MATLAB
Use the Wireless Waveform Generator app to create, impair, visualize, and export modulated waveforms, and transmit them over the air.