Wi-Fi is one of the most essential technologies in our lives, enabling us to connect to the internet wirelessly and enjoy various online services and applications. But as our demands for faster speeds, lower latency, and more devices increase, Wi-Fi needs to evolve to keep up. That’s why the next generation of Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi 7, is on the horizon.
What is Wi-Fi 7?
Wi-Fi 7 is the upcoming Wi-Fi standard, also known as IEEE 802.11be Extremely High Throughput (EHT). It works across all three bands (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz) to fully utilize spectrum resources. It is expected to be finalized by 2024 and will be backward compatible with previous Wi-Fi generations.
Wi-Fi 7 promises to deliver major improvements over Wi-Fi 6 and 6E, such as:
- Faster speeds: Wi-Fi 7 could offer speeds up to four times faster than Wi-Fi 6/6E, reaching up to 5.8 Gbps on a single device. This is achieved by using wider channels, higher modulation, and more spatial streams.
- Lower latency: Wi-Fi 7 will reduce latency by using a technique called multi-link operation (MLO), which allows a device to connect to multiple access points simultaneously and switch between them seamlessly. This will enable smoother gaming, video conferencing, and AR/VR experiences.
- More capacity: Wi-Fi 7 will support more connections by using a feature called enhanced multi-user multiple-input multiple-output (E-MU-MIMO), which allows an access point to communicate with up to 16 devices at the same time. This will reduce congestion and interference in dense environments.
Why do we need Wi-Fi 7?
Wi-Fi 7 is designed to meet the growing needs of consumers and businesses for high-performance wireless connectivity. Some of the use cases that will benefit from Wi-Fi 7 include:
- Cloud gaming: With extreme wireless internet speeds and consistent low latency, Wi-Fi 7 will enable immersive cloud-based gaming experiences that require high throughput and responsiveness.
- 8K video streaming: With four times the resolution of 4K, 8K video streaming requires a lot of bandwidth and stability. Wi-Fi 7 will be able to handle this demand with ease, delivering high-quality video without buffering or lagging.
- Video conferencing and casting: With more people working and learning from home, video conferencing and casting have become essential tools for communication and collaboration. Wi-Fi 7 will ensure that multiple devices can stream video simultaneously without compromising quality or reliability.
When will Wi-Fi 7 be available?
Wi-Fi 7 is still in development and is expected to be finalized by 2024. However, some manufacturers have already announced their plans to launch Wi-Fi 7 routers in 2023. For example, TP-Link has unveiled its lineup of Wi-Fi 7 routers, which include the Archer AXE11000E gaming router, the Deco XE1000 mesh system, and the RE9000E range extender. These routers will support some of the features of Wi-Fi 7, such as wider channels, higher modulation, and MLO.
However, to enjoy the full benefits of Wi-Fi 7, you will also need compatible devices, such as smartphones, laptops, TVs, etc. These devices are likely to arrive later than the routers, as they depend on the availability of Wi-Fi 7 chipsets from companies like Intel and Qualcomm. Therefore, it may take a few years before Wi-Fi 7 becomes mainstream.
Conclusion
Wi-Fi 7 is the next evolution of wireless technology that will bring a wealth of improvements for all-new levels of responsiveness and consistency. It will enable faster speeds, lower latency, and more capacity for various online activities and applications that demand extreme consistency and precision. While it is still in development, some manufacturers have already announced their plans to launch Wi-Fi 7 routers in 2023. However, it may take some time before we see widespread adoption of Wi-Fi 7 devices.
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