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How to begin Wi-Fi 7 deployment
As Wi-Fi lifecycles move faster than ever, enterprises must consider when to deploy a new Wi-Fi standard. This article offers guidance on when to deploy Wi-Fi 7 in the enterprise.
Wi-Fi lifecycles can be complicated depending on an organization's size and nature. For that reason, there isn't a single guiding principle on when to jump into Wi-Fi 7.
Every new Wi-Fi standard promises faster speeds and higher performance. But, for any wireless standard, the lofty specifications aren't often achievable in practice. Wi-Fi 7 is no exception. The high end of the new spec boasts data rates up to 46 Gbps and 320 MHz-wide channels that enable virtual reality (VR) and high-demand video applications.
While Wi-Fi 7 should be higher-performing, the gains vary widely. Wi-Fi 7 is exciting for network professionals because of the capabilities it provides. Wi-Fi 7 features include the following:
- Operation in the 2.4, 5 and 6 GHz bands.
- Higher modulation rates to 4K quadrature amplitude modulation in the right conditions and with client devices that can support it.
- Multi-Link Operation (MLO) could let a client device and the connected access point (AP) use simultaneous connections in two or three bands. However, MLO isn't a given; the WLAN must have the right conditions, and both the client and AP need to support it.
Current Wi-Fi 7 adoption trends
Previous Wi-Fi rollouts have affected Wi-Fi 7 adoption. Organizations that have recently rolled out Wi-Fi 6E -- or are still undergoing that process -- aren't rushing to install Wi-Fi 7. However, organizations with earlier Wi-Fi standards are considering Wi-Fi 7.
Enterprises still on Wi-Fi 5 and early Wi-Fi 6 with diverse client mixes will get more future-proofing out of Wi-Fi 7 as their current gear reaches end of life. Meanwhile, any organization facing mandatory WLAN upgrades because of obsolete infrastructure should consider Wi-Fi 7 unless they're sure they won't have Wi-Fi 7 clients. Most organizations will have to support clients that go as far back as Wi-Fi 5, which works against Wi-Fi 7 performance.
APs also influence decisions for Wi-Fi 7 rollouts. With each new standard, APs not only get faster, but also more expensive -- sometimes by hundreds of dollars per AP.
Wi-Fi 7 implementation roadmap
Changing to Wi-Fi 7 effectively means justifying the use case and examining what the network is capable of behind the APs.
With throughput claims of dozens of gigabits per second, it stands to reason that AP uplinks must be at least multigigabit. Also, consider Power over Ethernet requirements, as more radios and network horsepower might require the latest standard of PoE -- known as PoE++ or Universal PoE (UPoE) -- out of connected switches.
Unshielded twisted-pair wiring between the switches and the APs is another point of consideration. If organizations need to upgrade them, it is another potential cost.
Beyond analyzing the various infrastructure devices, Wi-Fi 7 will likely require many organizations to redesign their WLANs. For controller-based WLANs, review controllers for suitability and code updates ahead of connecting them to Wi-Fi 7 APs.
For Wi-Fi, 6 GHz changes everything. Even dense legacy designs need to be reevaluated by WLAN professionals who understand the radio frequency changes that come with Wi-Fi 7. Because Wi-Fi 7 has Wi-Fi Protected Access 3 encryption requirements, network professionals must consider WLAN security as well. This is the dividing factor between client devices that can and cannot use Wi-Fi 7.
Pros and cons of Wi-Fi 7
Wi-Fi 7 has been heavily marketed as a revolutionary technology that will enable countless VR applications for networks, but it offers additional benefits. Advantages of Wi-Fi 7 include the following:
- Faster speeds. Wireless connectivity speeds at gigabit or better will further push wired Ethernet connections to the margins for general productivity.
- Reduced AP counts. Fewer APs could help offset the high cost of Wi-Fi 7 APs and UPoE switches.
- 6 GHz spectrum in the U.S. When the client devices catch up across the landscape, all three Wi-Fi bands will have less contention, leading to better wireless connectivity.
Wi-Fi 7 also comes with several caveats, including the following:
- Not ideal for fixed devices. Despite enormous speed claims, wireless isn't the best fit for fixed servers and client devices.
- Code quality considerations. It's not enough to simply buy Wi-Fi 7 APs to have a successful WLAN. The underlying code quality matters, and modern WLAN hardware systems have their fair share of client-facing bugs even when they are AI-powered.
- Network design considerations. The network design is key, as it has always been the case with Wi-Fi, regardless of which iteration of the technology.
Lee Badman is a network architect specializing in wireless and cloud technologies for a large private university. He's also an author and frequent presenter at industry events.
