Wi-Fi 7 Technology: Overview
Wi-Fi 7 is the latest wireless generation, released in the autumn of 2023. The technology is so new that the Wi-Fi Alliance is still working on the certification, but some industry leaders have already released Wi-Fi 7 routers and access points (APs) for early adopters. With this generation coming so quickly after the release of Wi-Fi 6 and 6E (in 2019 and 2020, respectively), many organizations are left wondering if the benefits of Wi-Fi 7 over 6/6E are worth another costly upgrade. In this guide, the wireless networking experts at WAV discuss the key features and advantages of Wi-Fi 7 technology and explain how to integrate it with your existing network using Wi-Fi 7 access points from RUCKUS Networks.
WAV offers the best selection of wireless networking solutions, including Wi-Fi 6, Wi-Fi 6E, and Wi-Fi 7 technology from RUCKUS Networks. Reach out today to learn more.
What is Wi-Fi 7? Key Features
Wi-Fi 7, whose official name is IEEE 802.11be, supports the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz wireless bands, just like Wi-Fi 6E. It features a max channel bandwidth of 320 Hz, with a max of 16 spatial streams and 2400 Mbps bandwidth per stream. Wi-Fi 7 technology also uses Multi-Link Operation (MLO) to connect clients using multiple simultaneous wireless bands and channels - assuming those clients support 802.11be. Overall, a Wi-Fi 7 access point (AP) like the RUCKUS R770 offers reduced latency, faster data transfer speeds, and a greater overall network capacity compared to previous generations.
Wi-Fi 7 Advantages vs. Wi-Fi 6E
Like Wi-Fi 7, 6E also supports the 6GHz wireless band, so you might expect the performance to be similar. However, thanks to features like 4K QAM (quadrature amplitude modulation) and MLO, Wi-Fi 7 delivers significant performance improvements over 6E. It doubles the max channel bandwidth, maximum spatial streams, and maximum bandwidth per stream offered by Wi-Fi 6E, and the theoretical maximum data rate increases from 9.6Gbps to a whopping 46Gbps.
| Wi-Fi 6E | Wi-Fi 7 | |
| Max Channel Bandwidth | 160Hz | 320Hz |
| Maximum Spatial Streams | 8 | 16 |
| Maximum Bandwidth per Stream | 1200Mbps | 2400Mbps |
| Theoretical Maximum Data Rate | 9.6Gbps | 46Gbps |
| Advanced Modulation | 1024 QAM | 4K QAM |
Integrating Wi-Fi 7 Technology
Adopting new networking technology can be expensive and disruptive, making it necessary to perform a risk-benefit analysis to determine if the new features and performance improvements are worth the hassle. Luckily, Wi-Fi 7 is backward-compatible, so older clients running on previous standards can still connect to the wireless network using a Wi-Fi 7 AP. In fact, those clients, even the ones running on Wi-Fi 5, will likely still see some performance improvements. With a Wi-Fi 7 AP, such as the RUCKUS R770, organizations can easily and gradually upgrade their wireless networks with minimal headaches.
Upgrade to Wi-Fi 7 with WAV
Wi-Fi 7 technology uses features like MLO (Multi-Link Operation) and 4K QAM (quadrature amplitude modulation) to deliver faster speeds, lower latency, and greater capacity than Wi-Fi 6E. Thanks to its backward compatibility, Wi-Fi 7 is also easy to integrate with older wireless networks, making upgrades relatively risk-free. The biggest risk involved in upgrading to Wi-Fi 7 is simply that it’s so new - the hardware is more expensive than it’ll be later on, and any issues aren’t well-documented yet. However, the significant performance improvements and ease of integration may be worth some uncertainty. You can reduce that uncertainty by working with a vendor who supports their Wi-Fi 7 solutions with superior customer service, such as WAV.
As a trusted RUCKUS Networks distributor, WAV can connect you with the best Wi-Fi 7 technology, such as the RUCKUS R770 Wi-Fi 7 Indoor Access Point. When you join our RUCKUS Networks Partner Program, you gain access to priority stock and world-class customer support to streamline your upgrade.
Ready to upgrade to Wi-Fi 7 technology? WAV can help! Talk to one of our wireless networking experts to learn more.
With so many benefits to becoming a RUCKUS Networks Partner through the WAV Partner Program, the choice is easy. As a wired and wireless equipment distributor specializing in connecting your customers, we are proud to be a trusted RUCKUS Networks distributor with the largest and most consistent stocking position in the market for our WISP, ISP, and integration partners.
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