Is It Time to Switch to WiFi 7? What You Should Consider

Quincy Cahilig, Tech Times 19 October 2023, 04:10 pm

(Photo: PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images) A product expert demonstrates SmartThings home technologies for Samsung Electronics Co.'s Bespoke Home appliances during a preview ahead of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada, on January 3, 2023.

Wireless connectivity is about to shift again with the release of WiFi 7. Approximately four years after WiFi 6 and two years after WiFi 6E, respectively, this milestone denotes a substantial advancement in wireless technology.

With the groundwork laid by its predecessors, WiFi 7 will offer a major internet speed boost. Utilizing the 6GHz band, which WiFi 6E first enabled and offers enough space for data transmission, is a crucial component of this improvement. Firstpost reported that WiFi 7 has the cutting-edge capability to speed up data transmission rates, lessen interference, and cut down on network latency.

The compatibility of WiFi 7 with previous devices is a remarkable feature that relieves worries about the need to update existing equipment. This backward compatibility makes switching to WiFi 7-compatible devices easy, demonstrating the benefits of this newest standard.

With a standard WiFi 7 laptop being able to theoretically achieve a high speed of approximately 5.8 GB/s, WiFi 7 is expected to give much quicker speeds. The channel bandwidth, which controls the capacity for data transmission, is the main factor in this speed increase.

With WiFi 7, the maximum channel bandwidth is doubled to 320 MHz, a significant improvement over the 160 MHz offered by WiFi 5, 6, and 6E routers. More effective data transmission is made possible by this extended channel, which is only supported in the 6 GHz range.

Enhanced Connectivity for Smart Homes

Multi-Link Operation (MLO), another feature of WiFi 7, makes it possible to combine multiple bands into a single connection. This makes it possible to combine numerous connections, which might result in rates of up to 1.7 GB/s.

With the help of orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA), WiFi 7 is anticipated to improve the dependability of networked smart home devices. WiFi 7 offers more reliable data transfer even in the face of interference by making optimal use of carrier waves.

However, OFDMA is incompatible with older devices. For the benefits of increased smart home connectivity to be fully realized, a complete switch to WiFi 7-compatible devices is required.

Future Considerations and Applications

Beyond speed and smart home enhancements, WiFi 7 offers several benefits, such as reliable mesh networks and less network latency due to the use of MLO and OFDMA.

WiFi 7 routers are available; however, limited device support and incomplete adoption may make the present not the best time to make a purchase. To ensure compliance and affordability, it is advised to wait until the WiFi Alliance certifies routers and the standard is finalized, per The Verge.

The entire potential of this cutting-edge wireless standard will become clear when WiFi 7 spreads and device support rises, ushering in a new age of high-speed wireless networking.

In a related update, Lumen Technologies this week introduced a Wi-Fi 7-capable device, set to be available soon for Quantum Fiber customers, making it the first internet service provider to offer an in-house-developed Wi-Fi 7 device.

According to Telecompetitor, Lumen's Wi-Fi 7 device supports coordinated MU-MIMO (CMU-MIMO), allowing for enhanced connectivity for applications including virtual reality, industrial usage, 8K video, and online gaming. Wi-Fi 6 only had eight antennae.

Maxine Moreau, Lumen's president of mass markets, says this is a big step toward offering the fastest, most reliable, and most secure Wi-Fi service. In the next months, the gadget's features, pricing, and availability will be revealed.