Wi-Fi 7
Wi-Fi 7 is the 802.11be wireless networking standard that succeeds Wi-Fi 6 and adds multi-band links and wider channels.
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Wi-Fi 7 is the name for the 802.11be wireless networking standard, certified from 2024. It works in the 2.4GHz, 5GHz and 6GHz bands and is the successor to Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E. It is built to carry more data per second and to handle crowded networks with less delay.
How it works
Wi-Fi 7 brings three main changes:
- Multi-Link Operation: a device can use more than one band at the same time, which can cut delays and make the connection steadier.
- Wider channels: channels up to 320MHz wide can carry more data, though only in the 6GHz band.
- 4096-QAM: each radio signal carries more data than the 1024-QAM used in Wi-Fi 6.
What the numbers mean
The top theoretical speed is about 46Gbps. A figure like this is a ceiling in ideal laboratory conditions. Real speeds depend on distance, walls, the number of devices and the antennas in the router and device, and they fall far below that figure.
What it does not promise
Wi-Fi 7 does not raise the speed of the internet plan itself. Its best features need both the router and the device to support it, and the 6GHz band reaches less far through walls than lower bands. Older devices connect to a Wi-Fi 7 router using older modes.