Experience Faster Connections With Wi-Fi 7: Here Are Its Key Features

With each new era, Wi-Fi networks get higher at tackling high-demand purposes and high-density environments. With Wi-Fi 7, this stays the case. At its core are enhancements to hurry, latency and reliability. However, its actual impression would possibly simply be clearest when it is used for augmented or digital actuality.

The first Wi-Fi 7 routers have been launched in 2023, however they’ve turn out to be more and more inexpensive over the previous few months as the key router producers launched their very own Wi-Fi 7 strains. They additionally received a giant bump when the newest iPhone 16 fashions have been launched with assist for the brand new wi-fi normal.

The Wi-Fi Alliance, a community of over 900 firms that develops and certifies Wi-Fi know-how, formally launched its “Wi-Fi 7 Certified” program in January 2024. Since then, units like telephones, laptops and routers have been eligible for its stamp of approval. 

The Wi-Fi 7 certification had been anticipated since as early as 2019 when Wi-Fi 6 was nonetheless model new. You’ll want each a Wi-Fi 7 router and a Wi-Fi 7 gadget to reap the benefits of these advantages, and each have gotten more and more obtainable, with the brand new iPhones marking a serious step ahead in Wi-Fi 7’s reign. Like earlier requirements, Wi-Fi 7 is backward appropriate, so a Wi-Fi 7 router will nonetheless work with a Wi-Fi 6 gadget, and vice versa. 

Maureen Gallagher, Vice President of Marketing at Wi-Fi Alliance, informed CNET that she expects Wi-Fi 7 to have a serious impression on issues like AR/VR/XR, autonomous driving and community congestion. “Wi-Fi 7 helps customers overcome congestion and interference in giant or crowded venues — like conferences or stadiums — bringing improved person experiences in areas with densely packed units or neighboring networks that overlap,” she stated.

Routers from Asus, Eero, Neatgear and TP-Link have been utilizing the Wi-Fi 7 label for over a 12 months, however they’re now getting the official Wi-Fi emblem once they move the Wi-Fi Alliance’s certification checks. 

What is Wi-Fi 7?

Wi-Fi 7 refers back to the seventh era of wi-fi know-how, approaching the heels of Wi-Fi 6 (launched in 2019) and Wi-Fi 6E (2020). It’s a group of know-how requirements created by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers; the official IEEE normal for Wi-Fi 7 is 802.11be. The Wi-Fi Alliance formally launched Wi-Fi 7 in January 2024, adopted by new routers, telephones and laptops with the Wi-Fi 7 seal of approval. 

In order to reap the benefits of Wi-Fi 7 options, each your router and the gadget it’s connecting to would require Wi-Fi 7 {hardware}. (You can discover out if a tool is licensed Wi-Fi 7 on the alliance’s product finder.)

How does Wi-Fi 7 work?

Wi-Fi 7 nonetheless makes use of the identical three bands as Wi-Fi 6E: 2.4GHz, 5GHz and 6GHz. So why is Wi-Fi 7 such an enchancment? It comes right down to wider channels. Wi-Fi 7 doubles the channel dimension of the 6-GHz band, going from 160MHz to 320MHz. Think of it like a freeway going from two to 4 lanes — the quantity of information that may be transmitted without delay will likely be drastically elevated. A typical Wi-Fi 7 laptop computer might attain a “potential most” of 5.8Gbps — 2.4 instances quicker than the two.4Gbps attainable with Wi-Fi 6/6E, in line with Intel, one of many firms producing Wi-Fi 7 licensed chipsets.

The different vital step ahead for Wi-Fi 7 is Multi-Link Operation (MLO). Wi-Fi 6 and 6E offered entry to a number of bands, however units might solely join to at least one band at a time. MLO permits Wi-Fi 7 units to concurrently join on two bands. That leads to quicker speeds, however it additionally means improved reliability and ultra-low latency. Let’s return to the freeway analogy. On older variations of Wi-Fi, vehicles might solely journey in a single lane at a time, shifting to a distinct lane if there was a site visitors jam. With MLO, vehicles will be capable of journey throughout two highways on the identical time, avoiding the slowdowns that include site visitors jams. 

Do I want new gear to make use of Wi-Fi 7?

You’ll want two units to reap the benefits of these advantages: a Wi-Fi 7 router and a Wi-Fi 7 gadget to hook up with it. Fortunately, Wi-Fi 7 is totally backward appropriate, so you can use your older units with a Wi-Fi 7 router, or a Wi-Fi 7 telephone with a Wi-Fi 6 router — you simply will not reap the Wi-Fi 7 advantages.

When will Wi-Fi 7 be obtainable?

There are dozens of Wi-Fi 7 routers at the moment obtainable, and new units like telephones, laptops, and good residence devices are more and more geared up with Wi-Fi 7. The Wi-Fi Alliance predicted that 233 million Wi-Fi 7 units will enter the market in 2024 and develop to 2.1 billion units by 2028. 

That doesn’t imply it is advisable run out and change your router instantly. Devices like telephones, laptops and gaming techniques with Wi-Fi 7 aren’t fairly the norm but. That has began to vary with Apple’s newest iPhone 16 launch. Companies like Broadcom, Intel, MediaTek and Qualcomm have additionally begun producing Wi-Fi 7-certified chipsets, which the Wi-Fi Alliance has used as a take a look at mattress for certification. There is usually a few 12 months or two hole between the certification announcement and units changing into extensively obtainable, so we should always begin to see extra Wi-Fi 7 telephones, laptops and different units subsequent 12 months.

The Era of Wi-Fi 7 FAQs