The short answer is Wi-Fi 8 UHR (Ultra High Reliability) is being designed to deliver:

• Longer range
• Better reliability
• Improved performance
• More security

For the first time in almost 30 years, the latest standard of Wi-Fi to be released (Wi-Fi 8) will not be arriving with an increase in speed, like the standards that have come before. 

Based on the forthcoming IEEE 802.11bn standard, this next generation of Wi-Fi will instead be touting Ultra High Reliability (it’s in the name). It’s expected to start certification at the start of 2028. 

This change from speed to reliability shows a strategic shift from merely chasing throughput, to delivering dependable, consistent connectivity to environments dense with devices. 

Wi-Fi 8 UHR Designed with User Experience in Mind 

It sounds rather obvious, but the main focus with next-generation technology needs to be the end user and their experience. 

In everyday life we use applications constantly, the majority sensitive to latency. We need things to work in real-time in a responsive and reliable way. 

This ‘always-on’ approach to connectivity has crept forward in importance over an increase of 1 or 2 Gbps. 

What’s the use of speed if the reliability isn’t there to back it up? Wi-Fi 8 is all about making the best use of Wi-Fi. 

Certification for Wi-Fi 7 Has Begun

If you’re sitting there thinking, wait a minute, we’re chatting about Wi-Fi 8 but have we even got Wi-Fi 7 yet? Well, no. At the start of this year back in January, Wi-Fi 7 began its certification process. 

In theoretical terms, Wi-Fi 7 can offer:

• Peak downlink speed of 46 Gbps using 16 spatial streams
• 320 megahertz channels in 6 GHz bands
• 4096 QAM
• Support for Multi-Link Operation (MLO)

Wi-Fi 8 will then follow this up by introducing new capabilities that are not optimised for peak speed. Instead, the new Wi-Fi 8 standard will focus on overcoming alternative obstacles to good Wi-Fi, like environments with jitter, interference, and range issues. 

Where Will Wi-Fi 8 Have the Highest Impact? 

As well as speed, the new Wi-Fi 8 standard will focus on being consistent and predictable with seamless performance for scenarios with multiple devices and multiple access points.

This will make Wi-Fi 8 most impactful for things like:

• Extended reality
• Cloud-based gaming
• Industrial automation
• Real-time communications

Thus, the scope for a big impact is huge. 

The Evolution of Wi-Fi 7 to Wi-Fi 8

Moving from Wi-Fi 7 to Wi-Fi 8 will be less of an abrupt departure from one standard to another, but instead an evolution of technology. In many ways. So how will Wi-Fi 8 deliver Ultra High Reliability? 

Let’s have a look at the main upgrades in architecture we’ll see from Wi-Fi 8 UHR. 

Range

There will be longer range and higher speeds at a given range with Wi-Fi 8. 

• Signal resilience across longer distances will be brought by Enhanced Long Range (ELR) optimisations. 
• APs will be able to transmit higher speeds at any given range through unequal modulations. 
• Distributed Resource Unit (DRU) technology improves range by spreading resource units across a wider channel bandwidth enabling higher transmit powers.
  

Interference Management

There will be smarter coordination through Coordinated Spatial Reuse (Co-SR) and Coordinated Beamforming (Co-BF). 

• This allows interference to be managed through mesh nodes and APs while sharing spectrum. 
• Seamless roaming through Muilti-APs, ensuring better device handoff between APs without degradation providing a smoother user experience.
  

Improved Error Correction

Improved error correction and roaming will improve reliability. 

• Error correction at range and in noisy environments is enhanced with Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) coding. 
• Higher speeds at a given distance are possible with more Modulation Coding Scheme (MCS) options, providing more granular rate selection and more precise matching to real-time signal conditions.

Adaptive Channel Access

Adaptive channel access and smarter spectrum use will help improve throughput and reduce bandwidth waste. 

• APs can dynamically assign sub-channels to different clients based on changing situational conditions via Dynamic Sub-Channel Operation (DS). 
• Non-Primary Channel Access (NPCA) enables data transmission on side channels when the primary channel is congested. 
• DSO and NPCA respectively reduce bandwidth waste and improve effective throughput.
  

Stronger Security

Malicious actions that could potentially disrupt Wi-Fi based services and jeopardise user security like jamming or spoofing can be prevented via Wi-Fi authentication and management frames being encrypted.

Wi-Fi 8: Reliability Over Speed?

Obviously as Wi-Fi users we want speed. We want, and have come to expect, a fast connection wherever we are, whether it’s for work or leisure time. But actually – What’s the point of having that theoretical speed sitting there, if the connection isn’t reliable? How frustrating is it to have that video call freeze or the internet drop out at a crucial part of an online game? 

Reliability is key – It’s what users in real life want and need. Previous Wi-Fi generations have been all about speed so we’ve got that box ticked already, but what Wi-Fi 8 brings is what people need for the way we use our devices – Ultra High Reliability.