What is the new Wi-Fi 7 standard, and do we really need this new version?

Wi-Fi has become one of the most important technologies of the 21st century, both for large companies and small businesses as well as for homes. No home is without a Router and you are most likely able to access and read the content of this article online thanks to this technology, and the Wi-Fi Alliance is trying to develop this technology in conjunction with our growing dependence on the Internet.

Although the latest Wi-Fi version was launched in 2020 under Wi-Fi 6E, technologies such as virtual reality and cloud video game services have proven that we still need further developments and improvements.

So what is the new Wi-Fi 7 standard and do we really need this new version ?

To understand the importance of the possibilities of the new version of Wi-Fi, we have to go back a little bit and note together the most prominent qualitative transfers in each update. The speed of data transfer is not only the criterion that is improved with each version, but there are many characteristics and advantages, which may not be of interest to the average consumer, but are classified as both important advantages.

Wi-Fi 4

Let’s start with the fourth version, known as IEEE 802.11n, launched in 2009 and supported data transmission at 72 to 600 Mb/s compared to its previous Wi-Fi 3 version, which had a data transfer speed of 6 to 54 Mb/s. It also covered a range of 70 meters in residential buildings and 250 meters in open spaces, compared to previous versions covering 38 to 140 meters. This version also supports a 20 and 40 MHz bandwidth, running at 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz.

Wi-Fi 4 marked the first introduction of Multiple input/Multiple Output, known as “MIMO”, which allows data to be sent in the form of two waves, using two transmission antennas, instead of a single one, ensuring a clear signal, no matter how far away you are from the router.

This technology allowed the transmission of data on several channels of each antenna under the so-called “Spatial-Multiplexing”, which significantly improved the speed of communication.

Another technique called beamforming was introduced, which can locate the device and determine the spread of the signal in a directed manner, ensuring less loss of data packets, by sending two waves and identifying their meeting point.

Wi-Fi 5

The fifth version of Wi-Fi or, IEEE 802.11ac, launched in 2012, beamforming technology mentioned in the previous version was included in “MIMO” technology, Which makes it possible for several devices to communicate and share data with the Access Point (AP) simultaneously. This technology has been named MU-MIMO.

Wi-Fi 6

The current version of Wi-Fi, known as IEEE 802.11ax, was launched in 2019. It works on a 5 GHz or 2.4 GHz bandwidth of 20 MHz to 160 MHz It was also followed by the 6E version in 2020, which included a 6 GHz range. With a data transfer speed of 9.6 GB/s, this standard is now classified under the so-called “High-Efficiency WLAN” or “HEW”.

Apart from improvements in this standard, the most prominent technology introduced was “OFDMA”, known as “Orthogonal frequency-division multiple access”. In short, this technology divides the point frequency into several parts so that several devices are allowed to communicate and transfer data at the same time on the same channel.

This standard also contained a technology called “BSS Coloring”, which reduces signal interference between contact points at the same frequency.

The improvements also included security, The WPA3 protection standard was added instead of the previous WPA2, But the most notable advantage, however, was getting rid of WPS and adding the QR code scan option instead.

Wi-Fi 7

Although Wi-Fi has reached a level that meets the usual consumer’s purpose and more, the area of development and improvement is still widely available. The Wi-Fi 7 standard, which will be named IEEE 802.11be, will offer us many advantages that will interest most organizations and companies and will inevitably concern the usual consumer in the years to come.

In addition, this standard will include frequency bands up to 320 MHz (twice the previous generation) and will operate on various frequencies from 1 GHz to 7.25 GHz.

MU-MIMO technology has also improved, with 16 Spatial streams, which means 16 transmitters and 16 receivers can be used at the same time. This development is called “CMU-MIMO”, you’ll notice the addition of the C letter from the word “Coordinated”.

This standard will also give us the ability to connect to various bandwidth channels (2.4, 5, or 6 GHz) at the same time at the same access point (AP) with each device connecting to a particular channel so that this reduces signal delays, and this technology is called “MLO” meaning “multi-Link Operation”. This ensures a seamless experience in various applications that require a connection with little signal delay.

The Wi-Fi 7 standard is still under development and improvement and will be launched in mid-2024, until then the standard will go through several development stages. However, it will take two to three years to reach the market after its launch.

Wi-Fi 6 is not supported on most devices to date despite its launch in 2019.