Wi-Fi 7 is a new wireless standard promising faster connections, but marketing may mislead you about its capabilities. What’s behind this term and why does it matter?
In reality, Wi-Fi 7 is not just a label, but rather the IEEE 802.11be set of protocols established by the Wi-Fi Alliance. It builds upon previous standards like Wi-Fi 6 and 6E with improvements such as wider channels (320MHz), enhanced OFDMA, and higher throughput (20% more). However, these upgrades pale in comparison to Multi-Link Operation (MLO), which allows devices to connect to multiple bands simultaneously.
Theoretically, your phone could use all three available bands of a Wi-Fi 7 router to minimize latency and interference while maximizing bandwidth. But many routers rely on alternating MLO rather than simultaneous operation. Even among Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 7 devices that have gone through the certification process, no modern router supports true simultaneous MLO.
Popular brands like Netgear and ASUS sidestep the official Wi-Fi 7 standard by using “WiFi 7” marketing without explicitly mentioning compliance with the IEEE 802.11be standard on product pages. This can lead to customers being misled about their router’s capabilities and paying for features they may not receive.
So, should you buy a Wi-Fi 7 router? It depends on your needs. If you rely heavily on Wi-Fi or want to fix your home network situation, tri-band Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7 routers with the 6 GHz band might be worth considering. However, if you’re looking for a straightforward upgrade, it may not be necessary.
For now, look beyond marketing claims and read product pages carefully to understand what features your router actually supports.
Source: https://www.howtogeek.com/your-wi-fi-7-router-might-not-actually-be-wi-fi-7