Bench Talk

Is The Switch from Wi-Fi 6 To Wi-Fi 7 Worth It?

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Wi-Fi^® has been a ubiquitous networking service for enterprises and homes alike. Enterprises switching their networking to a new Wi-Fi standard often face complex considerations that may lengthen the integration process. In contrast, residential adoption cycles for new Wi-Fi standards tend to happen somewhat quicker as home internet providers and consumer Wi-Fi router manufacturers seek to maintain a competitive edge.

Integrating a new Wi-Fi standard into consumer and enterprise devices is no easy feat, and there is usually a lag between the release and certification of a new Wi-Fi standard and when popular products begin sporting its features.

These integration hurdles have been present for all previous Wi-Fi generations, though Wi-Fi 6E made a leap that opened the first new Wi-Fi spectrum in over 10 years. Many enterprises sought out equipment to combat congestion in the 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequency bands. Although Wi-Fi 7 does not boast any newer spectrum, it substantially increases throughput over Wi-Fi 6/6E due to expanded channel bandwidth configurations (320MHz) and new 4K quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM). Beyond speed, which many may find adequate in Wi-Fi 6/6E, is the substantial boost in Internet of Things (IoT) features that only Wi-Fi 7 offers, such as target wake time, time-sensitive networking, and multi-link operation.

In this blog, we highlight Wi-Fi 7’s significant performance improvements for IoT applications, examine the design considerations in adopting Wi-Fi 7, and explore a solution that provides designers with a convenient upgrade path.

Wi-Fi 7 Performance and Efficiency Improvements

The latest Wi-Fi standard to date, 802.11be, is designed to be backward compatible with previous Wi-Fi versions while offering a substantial speed increase and additional features that justify the switch for many. One such feature enabled by Wi-Fi 7 is tri-band support for simultaneous use of 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz Wi-Fi bands. Beyond much higher potential throughput, this Multi-Link Operation (MLO) feature creates a platform for a host of IoT systems with various frequency channel and throughput requirements. For instance, very high throughput, low-latency, or time-critical systems could operate at the 5GHz or 6GHz bands to avoid congestion and ensure the performance requirements of the linked systems, whereas the 2.4GHz channel could simultaneously service lower throughput and IoT services that are not time critical. Moreover, having MLO and various frequency bands allows legacy IoT systems to continue to be used seamlessly along with the latest and highest-performance technology.

This tri-band capability, the new 320MHz wide channel bandwidths, and 4K-QAM supported by Wi-Fi 7 allow for a total maximum throughput of 46Gbit/s. 4096-QAM facilitates each symbol carrying 12 bits over Wi-Fi 6’s 1024-QAM, which is only capable of 10 bits per symbol. The 320MHz maximum channel bandwidth can be contiguous or noncontiguous for Wi-Fi 7, such as two 160MHz channels or various sub-combinations. Additionally, Wi-Fi supports up to 16 spatial streams with additional multi-input multi-output (MIMO) protocol enhancements.

Wi-Fi 7 also allows for more flexible channel utilization, even in heavily congested frequency bands. With previous Wi-Fi generations, concurrent use of a Wi-Fi channel or interference on that channel would render an entire Wi-Fi channel unusable. Wi-Fi 7, by contrast, enables preamble puncturing and the use of the unaffected portion of the channel for enhanced reliability and better spectrum utilization.

Other Wi-Fi 7 enhancements include time-sensitive networking features that enable enhanced determinism in wireless networking. Furthermore, the target wake time and other low-power and battery-powered features better facilitate Wi-Fi use with IoT devices that are not required to run continuously and only at scheduled times.

Challenges and Considerations for Wi-Fi 7 Adoption

The upgrade to Wi-Fi 7 hardware comes with substantial potential benefits, but with every engineering decision, a host of considerations and requirements must be met. At present, legacy Wi-Fi standard technology is going to be more widely available as it has been released and in circulation for several years. There are well-established supply chains and various hardware options and modules with earlier Wi-Fi generations. These factors mean that there is a slight cost advantage to using hardware built for previous Wi-Fi generations.

However, many network infrastructure providers intend to move forward with Wi-Fi 7—with dual-band deployments as a cost-effective measure. And, most solutions will still need BAW filters to reduce interference and maintain optimum performance.

In addition, Wi-Fi 7 features also require engineers to design these enhanced capabilities into their hardware. Like any wireless protocol feature, these advancements take substantial time and resources to implement and may require licensing or developing new intellectual property (IP). Any new feature also increases complexity and the need for certification for new hardware and modules. Fortunately, Wi-Fi 7’s next-generation features can more than make up for the initial investment with the expansive enhancements not available with earlier Wi-Fi generations. Of course, there is a potential competitive advantage to developing Wi-Fi 7 systems ahead of the curve.

Simplify Design and Speed Up Time to Market

One way to tackle the challenge of bringing a new Wi-Fi 7 product to market is to leverage modules instead of designing the RF circuits from scratch. An example of this is Qorvo’s Wi-Fi^® 7 Front-End Modules, which feature a built-in power amplifier; single-pole, double-throw (SPDT) switches; and bypassable low-noise amplifier.^[1] These modules are extremely power efficient and compact and include support for the full extent of Wi-Fi 7 standard capability, 16 × 16 MIMO, tri-band operation, MLO, 4K-QAM, restricted target wake time, 320MHz channel bandwidths, and preamble/bandwidth puncturing.

By utilizing non-linear FEMs, new Wi-Fi 7 designs will reflect a reduction in required thermal mitigation; allow for a more compact, industrial design; enable smaller, “greener” power supplies; and comply with the power reduction initiatives in much of the world.

Conclusion

Wi-Fi 7 offers a wide array of performance improvements that specifically benefit IoT applications over previous Wi-Fi generations. Where there is often a significant focus placed on the highest theoretical throughput for each generation, the additional features can be even more beneficial for many IoT applications. To be able to offer these features in a product, however, requires a significant undertaking of design resources and certification. Fortunately, integrated modules, such as Qorvo’s Wi-Fi 7 Front-End Modules, provide a convenient path for upgrading designs to the latest that Wi-Fi has to offer.

Author

Principal of Information Exchange Services: Jean-Jacques DeLisle
Jean-Jacques (JJ) DeLisle attended the Rochester Institute of Technology, where he graduated with a BS and MS degree in Electrical Engineering. While studying, JJ pursued RF/microwave research, wrote for the university magazine, and was a member of the first improvisational comedy troupe @ RIT. Before completing his degree, JJ contracted as an IC layout and automated test design engineer for Synaptics Inc. After 6 years of original research—developing and characterizing intra-coaxial antennas and wireless sensor technology—JJ left RIT with several submitted technical papers and a US patent.

Further pursuing his career, JJ moved with his wife, Aalyia, to New York City. Here, he took on work as the Technical Engineering Editor for Microwaves & RF magazine. At the magazine, JJ learned how to merge his skills and passion for RF engineering and technical writing.

In the next phase of JJ’s career, he moved on to start his company, RFEMX, seeing a significant need in the industry for technically competent writers and objective industry experts. Progressing with that aim, JJ expanded his company's scope and vision and started Information Exchange Services (IXS).

[1] https://resources.mouser.com/manufacturer-ebooks/qorvo-next-gen-connectivity-for-smart-living