Wi-Fi 7

What Is Wi-Fi 7?

Wi-Fi 7, also referred to as IEEE 802.11be or Extremely High Throughput (EHT), represents the forthcoming generation of Wi-Fi standards poised to revolutionize wireless networking capabilities. Building upon the foundation laid by Wi-Fi 6, Wi-Fi 7 introduces a suite of advanced technologies aimed at pushing the boundaries of data transmission rates and reducing latency.

Why Do We Need Wi-Fi 7?

The necessity for Wi-Fi 7 arises from the escalating demands of modern applications, which outstrip the capabilities of existing Wi-Fi standards. With the proliferation of high-bandwidth applications such as 4K/8K video streaming, virtual reality (VR)/augmented reality (AR), online gaming, remote office setups, video conferencing, and cloud computing, there's a pressing need for a Wi-Fi standard capable of delivering unparalleled throughput and ultra-low latency.

Despite the enhancements brought by Wi-Fi 6, these applications continue to strain network capacities, underscoring the urgency for Wi-Fi 7. Consequently, the IEEE is on the verge of releasing IEEE 802.11be, or Wi-Fi 7, to address these burgeoning requirements effectively.

What is the difference between Wi-Fi 7 and Wi-Fi 6E?

The distinctions between Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) and Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) revolve around their respective advancements and technological improvements, despite both utilizing the 6 GHz band. Here are the key differences and features:

Wi-Fi 6E

Standard: Based on IEEE 802.11ax. Frequency Bands: Utilizes 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz bands. Channel Width: Supports up to 160 MHz channels. Modulation: Uses 1024-QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation). Peak Data Rates: Up to 9.6 Gbps. Efficiency and Latency Features: Includes technologies like OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access), MU-MIMO (Multi-User, Multiple-Input, Multiple-Output), and Target Wake Time (TWT).

Wi-Fi 7

Standard: Based on IEEE 802.11be. Frequency Bands: Utilizes 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz bands, similar to Wi-Fi 6E but with more advanced utilization. Channel Width: Supports up to 320 MHz channels, doubling the maximum channel width of Wi-Fi 6E. Modulation: Introduces 4096-QAM, enhancing data capacity and throughput significantly. Peak Data Rates: Up to 46 Gbps, significantly higher than Wi-Fi 6E.

Wi-Fi 7 vs. Earlier Versions

Based on the Wi-Fi 6 standard, Wi-Fi 7 introduces a plurality of new technologies. The following compares Wi-Fi 7 and earlier versions.

New Features in Wi-Fi 7

Wi-Fi 7 introduces several key enhancements over Wi-Fi 6, including:

• Up to 320 MHz Bandwidth: To address the limitations of existing frequency bands, Wi-Fi 7 expands into the 6 GHz spectrum, offering new bandwidth modes to accommodate emerging applications.

• MRU (Multiple Resource Unit): Enhances spectrum resource scheduling flexibility by enabling the allocation of multiple RUs to a single user, thereby improving spectrum efficiency.

• Higher-Order 4096-QAM: Introduces 4096-QAM modulation, facilitating higher data rates compared to Wi-Fi 6.

• Multi-Link Mechanism: Implements advanced spectrum management and transmission mechanisms to efficiently utilize available spectrum resources.

• Multi-AP Coordination: Enhances coordination between APs to optimize channel selection, load balancing, and resource allocation, thereby reducing interference and improving overall network efficiency.

Wi-Fi 7 Application Scenarios

The advancements brought by Wi-Fi 7 will unlock new possibilities across various application scenarios, including video streaming, video/voice conferencing, online gaming, real-time collaboration, cloud/edge computing, industrial IoT, immersive AR/VR and interactive telemedicine.