Wallys|Brief introduction of Wifi 7

Wi-Fi 7 explained

WiFi 7 is the upcoming WiFi standard, also known as IEEE 802.11be Extremely High Throughput (EHT). It works across all three bands (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz) to fully utilize spectrum resources. While WiFi 6 was built in response to the growing number of devices in the world, WiFi 7's goal is to deliver astounding speeds for every device with greater efficiency. If you're struggling with constant buffering, lag, or congestion, a WiFi 7 router may be your best solution.

WiFi 7 introduces 320 MHz ultra-wide bandwidth, 4096-QAM, Multi-RU, and Multi-Link Operation to provide speeds 4.8× faster than WiFi 6 and 13× faster than WiFi 5. Unlock more scenarios than ever before.

Wi-Fi 7 delivers features based on the new 802.11be standard and extends the capabilities of Wi-Fi 6E. Although Wi-Fi 7 is not yet finalized, capabilities include:

1. 320 MHz bandwidth channels
2. Multi-link operation (MLO) for channel aggregation across different bands and failover
3. 4096 QAM (4k QAM) for higher peak data rates
4. Spectrum puncturing to better accommodate interference in wide channels

As part of the certification process, the Wi-Fi Alliance will determine which features are required and which are optional.

What is the regulatory status of Wi-Fi 7?

Wi-Fi 7 is tied to the IEEE standard 802.11be, which is still under review. Wi-Fi Alliance is in the process of defining the criteria for Wi-Fi 7 certification, which is anticipated late 2023 or early 2024.

	Wi-Fi 6E	Wi-Fi 7
Corresponding IEEE standard	802.11ax	802.11be
Use of 6GHz band	Yes	Yes
Key features	Up to 1200 MHz additional unlicensed spectrum* Up to seven 160MHz channels* Up to 1024 QAM data rates WPA3 required	All the features of Wi-Fi 6E plus: Maximum 320MHz channels Multi-link operation (MLO) for aggregating channels Spectrum puncturing to minimize channel interference
Target audience	Enterprise and consumer	TBD
What you should know	Not all countries have adopted 6GHz Europe has opened 500MHz vs 1200 in most other countries Standard Power, which is required for outdoor use, is pending approvals	Not all countries have adopted 6GHz Europe has opened 500MHz vs 1200 in most other countries Standard Power, which is required for outdoor use, is pending approvals Use of 4096 QAM data rates require a high signal-to-noise (SNR) and require very close proximity to an AP (several feet) AP coverage models simply do not allow for enough available channels to support 320MHz

Below is the wifi7 chipset of Qualcomm.

be (Wi-Fi 7)

Chip

Interface

PHY modes

MIMO config (max.rate)

First seen (FCC)

Notes

Adapters

ESystems