Everyone wants better internet and Wi-Fi 7 is on its way. We all use the internet for work, news, entertainment, and controlling smart home devices, so a faster and more reliable connection will make everything easier. You might have heard about Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E in recent years. Now, get ready for Wi-Fi 7. Let’s find out what it is, how much faster it is, and why it will be worth upgrading your devices when it arrives.
Wi-Fi 7 is the next wireless networking protocol, also known as IEEE 802.11be. This new technology promises speeds of up to 46 gigabits per second (Gbps). That’s almost five times faster than the best Wi-Fi available right now. Imagine downloading a two-hour 4K movie, which takes up 45GB of storage, in under eight seconds!
For comparison, Wi-Fi 6 has a theoretical maximum speed of 9.6Gbps, but it’s rarely achieved due to hardware and software limitations. Wi-Fi 6E has the same top speed as Wi-Fi 6 but provides more fast channels, which is essential when multiple devices are connected. This is especially important in homes with many users and devices sharing the internet connection.
Wi-Fi 7 is expected to improve bandwidth across channels, ensuring that smart home devices get the data they need while keeping all your devices—computers, phones, tablets, gaming consoles, and VR headsets—running smoothly. With the growing number of smart devices in homes, having a better Wi-Fi connection becomes crucial.
This flexibility means you can use the same smart home devices on the slower but long-range 2.4GHz signal. You can enjoy quicker Wi-Fi speeds on a 5GHz network for your inexpensive and long-lasting Chromebook. Meanwhile, your new Android phone can upload photos and videos at high speed with fast and wide 6GHz channels.
While the IEEE 802.11be specification for Wi-Fi 7 hasn’t been finalized, it’s expected to be available by the end of the first quarter of 2024, according to the Wi-Fi Alliance. This means that a Wi-Fi 7 router purchased now could receive a firmware update to comply with any last-minute changes.
With only a few months left, most details have been settled, and Wi-Fi 7 hardware based on current specifications should remain compatible with the final version. However, it might take months, possibly over a year, before Wi-Fi 7 is supported by most computers, phones, and tablets. Wi-Fi 7 comes with significant advantages, and its adoption is expected to be quicker than Wi-Fi 6E.
