{"id":5556,"date":"2025-05-17T07:58:01","date_gmt":"2025-05-16T23:58:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cicserver.com\/avoid-challenges-when-planning-for-wi-fi-7\/"},"modified":"2025-05-17T07:58:01","modified_gmt":"2025-05-16T23:58:01","slug":"avoid-challenges-when-planning-for-wi-fi-7","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cicserver.com\/de\/avoid-challenges-when-planning-for-wi-fi-7\/","title":{"rendered":"Avoid Challenges when Planning for Wi-Fi 7"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Former U.S. Secretary of State James Baker once said, “Proper preparation prevents poor performance.”<\/span><\/p>\n

When <\/span>considering upgrades to Wi-Fi 7<\/a><\/span>, or 802.11be, enterprises need to keep Baker’s words in mind and look at more than commonly touted features to ensure a smooth deployment.<\/span><\/p>\n

Wi-Fi 7 products offer improved performance and efficiency over Wi-Fi 6, especially in high-density environments common among enterprises. Wi-Fi 7 can better manage simultaneous traffic from multiple users and sometimes reduce the number of access points (APs) needed, simplifying network management and maintenance.<\/span><\/p>\n

The IEEE standard 802.11be works with several radio frequency bands, including 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz and, most recently, 6 GHz. It can deliver theoretical link speeds of up to 40,000 Mbps, depending on the configuration and environment. Wi-Fi 7 vastly improves the quality and resolution of video streaming, thanks to 16 spatial streams and multiple input, multiple output (<\/span>MIMO<\/a><\/span>) technology. Hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) enables multiple link adaptation and error correction to improve data reliability. Wi-Fi 7 devices are also compatible with their most recent predecessor, Wi-Fi 6E.<\/span><\/p>\n

Do APs Support the 6 GHz Band?<\/h2>\n

For enterprises upgrading to Wi-Fi 7, it’s important to determine whether the AP considered supports the new 6 GHz band. Support of the 6 GHz band is implied with a Wi-Fi 6E label; however, it is<\/span> <\/span><\/span>not a requirement with Wi-Fi 7.<\/span><\/p>\n

Related:<\/span>Tips for Enterprises Evaluating Wi-Fi 7<\/a><\/p>\n

U.S.-based multinationals need be aware that some countries, such as India and China, do not allow Wi-Fi transmissions in the 6 GHz band. Enterprises in these countries can purchase Wi-Fi 7 APs that transmit and receive only in the legacy 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. However, enterprises in countries that do allow 6 GHz transmission should take advantage, according to Si\u00e2n Morgan, research director at Dell’Oro Group, a telecom market research firm.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Enterprises in countries that support part or all the 6 GHz band — for example, all countries in North America, Europe as well as Brazil, Columbia and Argentina in South America — should ensure that the AP model they are considering has a radio that can operate in 6 GHz,” Morgan said.<\/span><\/p>\n

If an AP supports 6 GHz, newer devices will connect using the 6 GHz band. This helps reduce interference in the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, improving the overall Wi-Fi experience.<\/span><\/p>\n

For a complete list of countries that support the 6 GHz band, Morgan suggested readers consult the <\/span>Wi-Fi Alliance website<\/a><\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Fast Data Speeds and Power Needs Affect Performance<\/h2>\n

With Wi-Fi 7’s higher data rates and power requirements, existing network switches might cause bottlenecks in enterprise wireless LANs, due to their lack of support for links more than 1 Gbps. This can limit overall performance. The Wi-Fi 7 APs on the market today support 2.5 Gbps links — or higher — from the switch. In addition, APs might need more power to fully use the 6 GHz band, which can exceed the Power over Ethernet capacity of existing switches. Morgan said enterprises should consider potential workarounds.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Enterprises should look carefully at the end-to-end network and consider the need to renew cabling and switch capacity,” Morgan said. “If there’s simply not the budget to upgrade Wi-Fi APs and switches at the same time, enterprises may consider purchasing Wi-Fi 7 APs that can be configured to operate at lower power, forgoing the use of 6 GHz temporarily.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Once enterprises upgrade the switching and cabling, they can reconfigure the APs to operate at full capacity.<\/span><\/p>\n

Security Suggestions<\/h2>\n

Enterprises currently using Wi-Fi 5 with WPA2 security will benefit from the enhanced security of the <\/span>WPA3 security certification<\/a><\/span>, which has been mandated since Wi-Fi 6. WPA3 uses a new authentication method and cryptographic handshake to bolster security.<\/span><\/p>\n

It’s also critical for enterprises to stay current with the latest supported versions of Wi-Fi from their vendors to ensure they have access to the latest security patches and features.<\/span><\/p>\n

Time to Explore Campus Network as a Service<\/h2>\n

A Wi-Fi 7 upgrade might be a suitable time for network teams to simplify wireless LAN (WLAN) operations. Many vendors offer AI-fueled analytics to simplify installation, network configuration and troubleshooting. Enterprises can also consider <\/span>campus network as a service<\/a><\/span> (CNaaS), Morgan said.<\/span><\/p>\n

“There is also an option for enterprises to eliminate the upfront cost and ongoing maintenance effort of their WLAN by moving to a CNaaS offering,” Morgan said.<\/span><\/p>\n

With this emerging type of service, either the equipment vendor or the managed service provider (MSP) delivers the network for a recurring fee, paid monthly, for instance. With CNaaS, the vendor or MSP also takes care of the installation, monitoring and problem resolution, Morgan added. Some of these offers include a service-level agreement, so the company can receive service credits if the network performance dips below a specified level.<\/span><\/p>\n

Very Low Power Device Support — TBD<\/h2>\n

At the end of 2024, the <\/span>FCC adopted rules<\/a><\/span> to allow Very Low Power devices to operate in the 6 GHz band. This could open a new ecosystem of devices that operate across short distances but require high connection speeds, such as AR\/VR headsets or devices enabling in-car connectivity. But adoption remains to be seen, according to Morgan.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Access to the new spectrum is interesting, but the success of Wi-Fi VLP will depend on ecosystem development — that is, the number of devices and APs that are certified and the penetration of these inside enterprises and households,” Morgan said.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n