The future of wifi is already taking shape. While wifi 7 has only just been adopted, engineers are already working on its successor: wifi 8. Faster, more stable, more efficient, it looks full of promise. But what is really behind this new standard? We invite you to dive behind the scenes of this technology of tomorrow.
What is wifi 8?
Wi-Fi 8 refers to the next generation of standards for wireless networks. Also known by the technical name 802.11bn, this successor to Wi-Fi is being developed by engineers at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
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As with previous standards, high speeds should remain a major feature of Wi-Fi 8. However, the main focus will be on improving the reliability and stability of connections. Indeed, if Wi-Fi 7 was primarily aimed at achieving dizzying data transfer speeds, Wi-Fi 8 aims to optimize the simultaneous management of a large number of connected devices.
This development is essential in a context where homes are increasingly equipped with connected objects. To meet this growing demand, the next wifi 8 standard will have to be able to manage denser and more varied network traffic, while guaranteeing a stable and fluid connection for each device. This is why wifi 8 is also designated by the acronym UHR, for Ultra High Reliability.
© Les Numériques / Midjourney
Speeds, latency, reliability: what to expect?
Wi-Fi 7 offers theoretical speeds of up to 46 Gb/s, which is already more than enough for most current uses, even bandwidth-intensive activities such as 4K video streaming or cloud gaming.
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Although speed is not the top priority of wifi 8, it could reach even more impressive theoretical speeds of 100 Gb/s. This increase in speeds could be explained by technical improvements, such as the use of a more efficient quadrature amplitude modulation (8192-QAM against 4096-QAM for wifi 7), allowing to optimize the use of bandwidth.
When it comes to latency, Wi-Fi 8 pushes the boundaries even further. It is designed to significantly reduce latency, in particular thanks to a specific mode that promises a 25% reduction from the 95th percentile, according to wifi NOW. This means that not only will the average latency be improved, but more importantly, latency spikes and variation (jitter), which are often the cause of a degraded user experience, will be better managed. This increased stability opens up new possibilities for applications that require high responsiveness, such as cloud gamingaugmented and virtual reality, but also more specialized fields such as robotics and remote driving.
Finally, Wi-Fi 8 could improve the reliability of wireless connections through more refined interference management. By optimizing the configuration of access points, in particular by adjusting their transmission power and assigning non-overlapping channels, Wi-Fi 8 would significantly reduce signal disturbances. Network load balancing could also be considered to distribute network traffic more evenly and avoid saturation of certain access points.
© Les Numériques / Midjourney
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Will there be a new frequency band?
A priori No. The Wi-Fi 8 standard should stick with the already established frequency bands (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz and 6 GHz) and focus on optimizing them. Indeed, the 6 GHz frequency band, introduced with Wi-Fi 6E, already offers much wider channels (320 MHz) and less congested than the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. There is therefore considerable potential for performance improvements by optimizing the use of this band.
In addition, the ultra-high frequency band (around 60 GHz) on which the IEEE is working, although promising in terms of throughput, is not yet ready for mass adoption in Wi-Fi networks. The technical challenges related to the propagation of waves at these frequencies, as well as issues of regulation and cost, are slowing down their development. However, it is likely that these frequencies will be explored in the future for very specific applications requiring extremely high throughputs and very low latencies.
© Les Numériques / Midjourney
When will wifi 8 be available?
The commercialization of equipment compatible with Wi-Fi 8 is not expected before 2028. Although the standard is currently being developed, its implementation and widespread adoption take time. According to estimates from the IEEE and experts such as Dr. Srikanth Subramanian, this date seems to be the most realistic to see the first consumer products integrating this new technology.
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