Wi-Fi 7 Explained

Wi-Fi 7 is the next generation of wireless technology, promising a significant leap in performance over previous versions. Based on the IEEE 802.11be standard, Wi-Fi 7 is expected to hit the market soon and offers the potential for unprecedented data transfer rates, minimised latency, and enhanced network reliability.

While Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) focused on efficient network management in an increasingly crowded environment, Wi-Fi 7 prioritises raw performance. This translates to substantial improvements in several key areas:

• Increased Throughput: Imagine a wider highway with more lanes for data to travel on. Wi-Fi 7 utilises wider channels, with a maximum bandwidth of 320 MHz compared to the 160 MHz limit of Wi-Fi 6. This effectively expands the data highway, enabling significantly faster data transmission.
• Denser Data Packing: Wi-Fi 7 employs a technique called 4096-Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) to encode more information within each data packet. This optimisation technique facilitates faster transmission without compromising signal integrity.
• Intelligent Traffic Management: The new standard introduces Multi-Link Operation (MLO) technology. MLO allows devices to concurrently utilise multiple frequency bands (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz) like using different express lanes to avoid congestion. This intelligent distribution of network traffic helps to alleviate congestion and optimise overall network performance, potentially even improving battery life for Wi-Fi-connected devices.

The 802.11be standard caters to users who require exceptional network performance. Power users, gamers, content creators, and professionals who rely on a consistently fast and reliable connection will find Wi-Fi 7 to be a valuable asset.