WiFi 7 Backgrounder and CES 2025 Announcements
Backgrounder:
Wi-Fi 7, also known as the IEEE 802.11be standard, is the latest generation of Wi-Fi technology, offering significantly faster speeds, increased network capacity, and lower latency compared to previous versions like Wi-Fi 6, by utilizing features like wider 320MHz channels, Multi-Link Operation (MLO), and 4K-QAM modulation across all frequency bands (2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz). Wi-Fi 7 is designed to use huge swaths of unlicensed spectrum in the 6 GHz band, first made available in Wi-Fi 6E standard, to deliver a maximum data rate of up to 46 Gbps.
The Wi-Fi Alliance began certifying Wi-Fi 7 devices in 2024, but as of December 2024 the IEEE standard 802.11be is yet to be ratified
6 GHz Wi-Fi’s role in delivering connectivity is changing, and perhaps, growing. A recent report from OpenSignal, found that smartphone users spend 77% to 88% of their screen-on time connected to Wi-Fi. Further, the latest generations of Wi-Fi (largely due to the support of 320 MHz channels and critical features like Multi-Link Operation) are increasingly more reliable and deterministic, making them viable options for advanced applications like extended reality in both the home and the enterprise.
New features:
- 320MHz channels: Double the bandwidth compared to Wi-Fi 6E
- Multi-Link Operation (MLO): Allows devices to connect using multiple channels across different bands simultaneously
- K-QAM modulation: Enables more data to be transmitted per signal
1. TP-Link unveiled the Deco BE68 Whole Home Mesh Wi-Fi 7 solution, which is claims delivers speeds of up to 14 Gbps, covering 8,100 sq. ft. and supporting up to 200 connected devices. “Featuring 10G, 2.5G, and 1G ports, it ensures fast, reliable wired connections. With Deco Mesh technology, the system delivers seamless coverage and uninterrupted performance for streaming, gaming, and more,” stated the company.
TP-Link also announced an outdoor mesh system to address the increasing demand for outdoor Wi-Fi connectivity. The Deco BE65-Outdoor and Deco BE25-Outdoor nodes are equipment with weather, water and dust proof enclosures. When combined with the Deco indoor models, a cohesive and reliable indoor-outdoor mesh network that allows a user to move seamlessly between the two environments can be achieved.
2. Intel Core Ultra Series 2) are all equipped with Wi-Fi 7 capabilities integrated into the silicon, Intel has made Wi-Fi its standard choice. On its website, the company explained that a “typical” Wi-Fi 7 laptop is a potential maximum data rate of almost 5.8 Gbps. “This is 2.4X faster than the 2.4 Gbps possible with Wi-Fi 6/6E and could easily enable high quality 8K video streaming or reduce a massive 15 GB file download to roughly 25 seconds vs. the one minute it would take with the best legacy Wi-Fi technology,” Intel added.
3. ASUS New Wi-Fi 7 Router Lineup
ASUS unveiled a range of new networking products at CES 2025, including the ASUS RT-BE58 Go travel router and ASUS 5G-Go mobile router – both recipients of the CES 2025 Innovation Award – alongside the ROG Rapture GT-BE19000AI gaming router and the ZenWiFi Outdoor series for home Wi-Fi setups.
- The RT-BE58 Go – is a dual-band, Wi-Fi 7-capable mobile router supports three use cases: 4G/5G mobile tethering, public Wi-Fi hotspot (WISP), and conventional home router. It also supports VPN from up to 30 service providers and subscription-free Trend Micro security for online protection, while AiMesh compatibility allows for the router to be paired with other ASUS routers to provide wider signal coverage.
- The ROG Rapture GT-BE19000AI is the iteration of the GT-BE19000 router released last year, this time with an NPU onboard coupled with CPU and MCU. This tri-core combination enables features like ROG AI Game Booster and Adaptive QoS 2.0 to reduce network latency by up to 34% for supported games, plus 46% power savings through its AI Power Saving mode that saves power based on usage patterns. Additional features include advanced ad and tracker blocking, network insights, and RF scanning.
References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wi-Fi_7
https://www.mathworks.com/help/wlan/ug/overview-of-wifi-7-or-ieee-802-11-be.html