Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E are the two most current iterations of the Wi-Fi standard. Most users are currently on either Wi-Fi 5 or Wi-Fi 6 with organizations who need more functionality implementing Wi-Fi 6E. Wi-Fi 7, like its forerunners, promises quicker connections, lower latency, and the ability to manage seamlessly more connections than ever.
Wider Channels. The first notable upgrade from Wi-Fi 6E will be the breaking of the three bands (2.4-GHz, 5-GHz, and 6-GHz) into discreet channels. The 2.4-GHz band comprises 11 channels of 20-MHz width. The 5-GHz band has 45 channels which can combine to create 40-MHz or 80-MHz width. The 6-GHz band supports 60 channels with a width of 160MHz.
Wi-Fi 7 will support channels up to 320MHz wide. The wider the channel, the more data it can transmit at the same time. As a simple analogy, consider how much traffic a single-lane road can carry compared to a three- or six-lane freeway.
Higher QAM. Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) is a method to transmit and receive data in radio-frequency waves. The higher it is, the more information you can pack in. Wi-Fi 5 supported 256-QAM and Wi-Fi 6 quadrupled that to 1024-QAM. When Wi-Fi 7 comes out, it will support 4K-QAM.
Multi-Link Operations (MLO). Perhaps the most exciting advance in Wi-Fi 7 is Multi-Link Operation. All previous Wi-Fi versions established a connection between two devices on a single band. MLO can join multiple frequencies from different bands together. A Wi-Fi 7 router may simultaneously establish a connection with a Wi-Fi 7 device across two or more channels in several bands. MLO might offer wider channels that can transport more data. Returning to the highway example, you might send traffic on both the 2-lane highway and the superhighway at the same time.
Although it will probably be more than a year before the first Wi-Fi 7 routers and devices are released, the new standard is starting to take shape.
Qualcomm has unveiled its Wi-Fi 7 chipset and the Networking Pro Series platform, which can deliver up to 33 Gbps of quad-band connectivity over 16 streams. Partners are already working on integrating its technologies into devices. Broadcom and MediaTek have also announced Wi-Fi 7 technologies.