Wi-Fi 6E

We’re Moving Office – When Should We Plan the Wi-Fi?

Are you moving offices? In this article we’ll take you through when and how to plan your new office Wi-Fi.

Discover when to start planning your Wi-Fi, why it should happen before the fit-out, and how a professional Wi-Fi survey can prevent coverage and capacity problems.

Wi-Fi considerations need to be made if your business is:

Moving into a new office.
Refurbishing an existing office.
Taking on an additional floor or expanding the premises.
Planning an office fit-out.
Working with an IT provider, MSP, cabling company, architect or fit-out contractor on a move.

You might be asking yourself:

When should we sort out the Wi-Fi for our new office?
How many Wi-Fi access points will we need?
Where should the access points go?
When should the network cabling be installed?
Can our IT company just install the Wi-Fi?
Should Wi-Fi be planned before the office fit-out?
How do we make sure the new office has good Wi-Fi from day one?

And if so – you’re in the right place!

Don’t wait until you’ve moved into the office to discover whether the Wi-Fi works or not

The best time to consider the Wi-Fi is while the office is still being designed.

Our Wi-Fi engineers here at Geekabit can use the floor plans to create a predictive Wi-Fi design, determine appropriate Access Point locations and help inform the cabling plan.

Once the office is built and the network installed, the design can then be validated on site.

This is considerably better than installing Access Points based on guesswork and trying to fix coverage problems afterwards.

When should you start planning Wi-Fi for a new office?

Ideally, Wi-Fi planning should begin before the fit-out and before the final network cabling locations have been agreed.

Wi-Fi Access Points generally need Ethernet cabling. The locations of these cables determine where AP’s can be installed easily. However, if the cabling contractor installs outlets before anyone has actually designed the wireless network, the AP locations may be decided by cabling rather than the RF requirements. Moving AP’s afterwards can mean additional cabling is needed, causing considerable disruption and cost.

Planning your wireless network early in the office move (or refurb) means that the Wi-Fi design influences the cabling rather than having to try and work around it.

Geekabit can often begin Wi-Fi planning from architectural floor plans before the office is even physically complete.

Design the Wi-Fi first. Cable for the design second.

Why can’t we just decide where the access points go from the floor plan?

Looking at a floor plan and placing an AP every X metres is not proper Wi-Fi design. It’s not about uniform spacing – There are a lot of other factors to consider when placing AP’s and designing a Wi-Fi network.

Factors that can affect the design of a Wi-Fi network include:

Office size and shape.
Internal walls.
Construction materials.
Concrete, brick and structural elements.
Glass partitions and meeting rooms.
Metalwork.
Kitchens and utility areas.
Lifts and stairwells.
Furniture and storage.
Number of employees.
Number of wireless devices.
Expected visitor numbers.
Meeting-room density.
Voice/ video applications.
5 GHz and 6 GHz requirements.
Roaming requirements.
Nearby wireless networks and interference.

Two offices with the same floor area can therefore require very different Wi-Fi designs.

How can you design Wi-Fi before the office has even been built?

Predictive Wi-Fi design allows Wi-Fi engineers to plan your new wireless network before the office or refurb has been completed. Geekabit Wi-Fi experts can import the proposed office floor plans into professional Wi-Fi design software. This means that walls and other building materials can be modelled, and Access Points can be positioned virtually, proposing the best placements and testing different models evaluating their effectiveness.

Heatmaps mean that signal strength and coverage can be visualised. The expected RF coverage can be modelled, and 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz and 6 GHz can be considered separately where appropriate.

The design highlights areas that are likely to need additional coverage, as well as considering AP transmit power and channel planning to form part of the design.

This process is not just drawing AP’s into a floor plan baked on spacing and measuring distances. Geekabit’s professional Wi-Fi planning and survey software and equipment mean that we are modelling how the wireless network is expected to behave and pre-empt any coverage problems.

The software we use is Hamina which is used for designing, analyzing, and troubleshooting Wi-Fi, Private 4G/5G, and IoT networks.

How many Wi-Fi access points will our new office need?

Unfortunately, there is no reliable answer we can give you that is based purely on the size of the office. Effective Wi-Fi depends on coverage and capacity, which are two different things.

When it comes to coverage, we want to know if devices can receive a sufficiently strong Wi-Fi signal throughout the required area.

Capacity, on the other hand, ascertains whether the network can cope with the number of devices and the amount and type of traffic that is expected.

An office might have excellent signal everywhere, but still have poor Wi-Fi because too many users are competing for airtime.

For example, a quiet corridor has very different requirements from a 20-person meeting room.

A 100-person office where everyone uses Teams throughout the day has different requirements from a warehouse with a handful of handheld devices.

A reception area may occasionally have a large number of visitors.

Meeting rooms can create temporary high-density areas.

The Wi-Fi design should therefore consider much more than just square metres of office space – It needs to consider users and applications.

Why should Wi-Fi be planned before the network cabling?

If you are an Office Manager or Project Manager in the midst of an office refurb or move to new premises, then the following scenario might be familiar.

The fit-out contractor decides where the data points will go > Cabling gets installed > IT company arrives > APs get installed wherever cables happen to be available > Business moves in > Wi-Fi problems start to appear > Additional APs and cables are required.

If this is the situation you’re already in then we’re sorry you didn’t have the opportunity to nip the problems in the bud. If you’re about to begin an office refurb or move then you’re just in time to get things done in the right order.

Obtain floor plans > Understand user/ device/ application requirements > Design the wireless network > Determine appropriate AP locations > Provide AP locations to the cabling/ fit-out team > Install cabling in the correct positions > Install/ configure APs > Validate the completed network.

Doing things in this order instead can make things much easier and cheaper than retrofitting fixes.

What information does Geekabit need to design our new office Wi-Fi?

In order to effectively design your new office Wi-Fi network, our Wi-Fi experts here at Geekabit would typically need:

Floor plans, preferably PDF or CAD if available.
Proposed office layout.
Wall/building information if known.
Number of employees.
Expected number of devices.
Meeting-room locations and capacities.
Areas with unusually high user density.
Applications that matter to the business.
Whether Wi-Fi calling/voice is important.
Existing or proposed network hardware.
Any particular coverage requirements.
Plans for future expansion.

Our clients do not need any knowledge of understanding of RF engineering to give our Wi-Fi professionals the information they need. Geekabit can guide you through the information required.

Should we design for Wi-Fi 6, Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7?

Great question. The main takeaway from this should be don’t choose an AP (or other piece of hardware) just because it has the highest Wi-Fi number.

The appropriate hardware depends on the requirements, client devices, budget and expected lifetime.

Many modern offices increasingly need to consider 6 GHz.

A well designed network using appropriate hardware is generally preferable to buying the most expensive APs and installing poorly.

Geekabit operates vendor-independent, meaning we can design around suitable equipment rather than forcing every one of our clients into the same solution.

Good Wi-Fi starts with good RF design, not the logo or Wi-Fi number printed on the Access Point.

What happens once the office is built?

Predictive Wi-Fi design isn’t necessarily the end of the process.

Predictive design is based on the plans and information available before construction.Real buildings don’t always exactly match the drawings. Materials may also differ and other smaller details can change, for example furniture gets added and meeting rooms move.

There could also be other wireless networks present. This means that the final AP installation may differ slightly from the design.

Therefore, for projects like this, Geekabit can perform an on-site Wi-Fi survey following the refurb or move, using Hamina Nomad software to validate the network after installation. The purpose of this is to confirm that the installed network is performing as intended.

A post-installation Wi-Fi survey can check the following things:

Actual signal coverage.
Secondary coverage.
Signal-to-noise ratio.
Channel utilisation.
Interference.
Roaming behaviour.
AP placement.
Real-world performance.
Areas where the installed environment differs from the predictive design.

We’re moving into an office that already has Wi-Fi – do we still need a survey?

Potentially, yes. A Wi-Fi survey when you’ve just moved into an office with an existing network can still be really useful. Don’t assume that an existing network will be suitable for your requirements simply because there are APs already fitted.

There could be inherent differences between the requirements of the previous network and yours. For example, there could be some stark differences:

Different number of employees.
Different applications.
Different device mix.
Different desk layout.
Different meeting-room usage.
AP hardware may be old.
AP positioning may be poor.
The previous installation may never have been professionally designed.

This is where an existing-site survey can be more appropriate than simply creating a new predictive design.

We don’t recommend automatically ripping everything out. Our Geekabit Wi-Fi engineers can assess what is already there before recommending replacement equipment.

Who should be responsible for the Wi-Fi during an office move?

There are many different parties that are usually involved in the Wi-Fi network during an office move or refurbishment. These are usually:

Internal IT.
MSP.
Cabling contractor.
Fit-out company.
Architect.
Internet provider.
Wi-Fi specialist.

All of these people have an important role to play in ensuring that the new network is functioning optimally. For the actual wireless design, it’s recommended to call in a specialist RF engineer or Wi-Fi professional.

A cabling company can install the cables perfectly, but somebody still needs to determine where those cables should terminate for the access points.

An MSP can manage switches, firewalls, Microsoft 365 and endpoints extremely well without necessarily having specialist Wi-Fi survey equipment or RF expertise.

Our professional Wi-Fi engineers here at Geekabit can work alongside the client’s existing IT company, MSP, cabling contractor or fit-out company to get the best results for your network.

A simple Wi-Fi plan for your office move

Wi-Fi should be an integral part of the office move plan, not something added during the final week.

Here is a plan to work with when planning your Wi-Fi network during an office refurbishment or office move.

Early planning / lease agreed

Obtain floor plans.
Discuss expected users and requirements.
Consider internet connectivity.
Begin predictive Wi-Fi design.

Before cabling

Agree AP locations.
Specify required network outlets.
Coordinate with a cabling contractor/fit-out company.

During fit-out

Cabling installed.
Network infrastructure installed.
Any design changes reviewed.

Before occupation

APs installed and configured.
Network tested.
SSIDs/security configured.

After installation / before or shortly after staff move in

Validate coverage and performance.
Correct any issues.
Establish a baseline for the completed network.

Planning a new office in London or across the UK?

Geekabit specialises in business Wi-Fi and wireless networking.

We offer a range of services to clients including:

Predictive Wi-Fi design.
Wi-Fi site surveys.
Wi-Fi heatmaps.
On-site RF surveys.
Validation surveys.
Troubleshooting.
Access Point design and deployment.
Network infrastructure advice.

Our expert Wi-Fi engineers are Wi-Fi specialists, not just a generic IT support company.

If you’re planning an office move, refurbishment or new fit-out, speak to Geekabit before the network cabling locations are finalised. We can work from your floor plans to help design the wireless network and give your cabling or fit-out team clear AP locations to work from.

With thanks to Hamina for the imagery.

FAQs

When should Wi-Fi be planned for a new office?

Ideally, Wi-Fi should be planned before the office fit-out and before network cabling locations are finalised. A predictive Wi-Fi design can determine suitable access point locations, allowing Ethernet cabling to be installed in the right places before ceilings and finishes are completed.

Can Wi-Fi be designed before an office is built?

Yes. A predictive Wi-Fi design uses office floor plans, building materials, expected user numbers and proposed access point hardware to model wireless coverage before installation. This allows potential coverage and capacity issues to be identified before the office is completed.

How many Wi-Fi access points does an office need?

There is no reliable number based on floor area alone. The number and location of access points depend on the building layout, construction materials, number of users and devices, applications, required frequencies and expected capacity. A professional Wi-Fi design can determine the appropriate number and placement.

Do I need a Wi-Fi site survey for a new office?

For many business environments, a professional Wi-Fi survey or predictive design is advisable. It reduces the risk of poor coverage, interference, capacity problems and incorrectly positioned access points. A predictive design can be completed before the fit-out, with an on-site validation survey performed once the network is installed.

What is a predictive Wi-Fi survey?

A predictive Wi-Fi survey uses specialist software and floor plans to model how wireless signals are expected to propagate through a building. Walls, building materials, access point characteristics and other factors can be included to estimate coverage and help determine suitable AP locations before installation.

Should access points be installed before or after the office fit-out?

The access points themselves will normally be installed during or towards the end of the fit-out, but their locations should ideally be designed much earlier. This allows the required Ethernet cabling to be installed in the correct positions while the fit-out is taking place.

Can our cabling contractor decide where the Wi-Fi access points should go?

A cabling contractor can install the required Ethernet infrastructure, but access point locations are ideally determined from a wireless design rather than cable convenience alone. Geekabit can provide AP locations for the cabling contractor to work from and collaborate with them during the project.

Can Geekabit work with our existing IT company or MSP?

Yes. Geekabit specialises in Wi-Fi and wireless networking and can work alongside an existing MSP, internal IT department, cabling contractor or office fit-out company. The existing IT provider can continue managing the wider network while Geekabit provides specialist wireless design, surveying and troubleshooting expertise.

Do we need a Wi-Fi survey if the new office already has access points?

Existing access points do not necessarily mean the Wi-Fi is suitable for a new occupier. Different businesses have different numbers of users, devices, applications and coverage requirements. An on-site survey can assess the existing installation and determine whether it can be reused, modified or should be replaced.

Can you test the Wi-Fi after we move in?

Yes. A post-installation validation survey can measure the completed wireless network and compare real-world coverage and performance with the intended design. This can identify coverage gaps, interference, roaming problems or installation differences that need correcting.

by admin6th October 2026

Business Network Business Wi-Fi Ethernet Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 6 Wi-Fi 6E Wi-Fi 7 Wi-Fi Advice Wi-Fi Help Wi-Fi Site Survey Wi-Fi Standards Wireless Network Wireless Technology

Wi-Fi 7 for Business: Is It Worth Upgrading Yet?

Wi-Fi 7 hardware and equipment is now becoming more prevalent, and increasingly available for business Wi-Fi networks.

Marketing for Wi-Fi 7 tends to focus heavily on headline multi-gigabit speeds. But when you’re making a decision on your business Wi-Fi, you need to be thinking about your specific requirements, not just specification numbers.

Will Wi-Fi 7 solve a real problem for your organisation? Maybe, yes. For other businesses, optimising existing Wi-Fi 6/6E infrastructure could provide better return on investment.

What Is Wi-Fi 7?

Wi-Fi 7, also known as IEEE 802.11be, is the successor to Wi-Fi 6/ 6E and is the latest standard in Wi-Fi.

It has been specifically designed for:

Higher throughput
Lower latency
Greater efficiency
Improved performance in demanding wireless environments

Despite maximum advertised speeds being widely reported, it’s important to remember that these represent theoretical capabilities and are not what every device will experience.

What’s Different About Wi-Fi 7?

The latest Wi-Fi standard has a number of improvements to offer wireless networking, in the right environments.

320 MHz channels

Up to twice Wi-Fi 6E’s maximum channel width.
Potentially significantly higher throughput.
Requires appropriate spectrum and compatible clients.
Wide channels aren’t automatically the best choice in every business environment.

Multi-Link Operation (MLO)

Important development for Wi-Fi 7.
Compatible devices can make use of multiple wireless links/ bands.
Potential improvements to throughput, latency and resilience.
Benefits depend upon client/ AP support and implementation.

4K QAM

More data can potentially be encoded within transmissions. (Higher throughput speeds up heavy tasks)
Highest gains require very good RF conditions.
A limitation of this would be that it requires a short range for peak speed. 4K QAM requires a very clean, high-signal environment (high Signal-to-Noise Ratio) meaning that devices generally need to be close to the router to achieve the maximum 12-bit rate..

6 GHz

Wi-Fi 7 can make use of 6 GHz alongside traditional Wi-Fi bands where regulations/ equipment permit.
A cleaner spectrum can be extremely useful.
Higher frequencies also behave differently through walls/ structures.
UK spectrum availability should be considered when designing

How Much Faster Is Wi-Fi 7?

It’s likely to be faster, but it’s not possible to promise a single set speed. The theoretical specifications of a Wi-Fi 7 compatible AP doesn’t automatically mean that you’ll get that actual throughput on your device.

Real-world Wi-Fi speed depends on multiple factors, including:

Client capability
Number of spatial streams
Channel width
Distance
Interference
Spectrum availability
Wired uplink
Internet connection

A Wi-Fi 7 AP connected to a constrained Ethernet network cannot magically provide multi-gigabit end-to-end performance.

Do My Devices Need to Support Wi-Fi 7?

To be able to obtain Wi-Fi 7-specific capabilities, your devices do indeed need to support Wi-Fi 7, yes.

Buying and deploying a new AP will not, unfortunately, turn existing Wi-Fi 5/ 6 devices into Wi-Fi 7 devices.

It often takes a little bit of time to upgrade business client estates – It can be a slow process.

All the equipment that uses the internet needs to be considered – Think laptops, phones, scanners, IoT, printers and specialist equipment.

When you’re looking at upgrading and calculating the value, make sure you assess the expected device refresh needed for that cycle.

Does Wi-Fi 7 Need Faster Ethernet?

If you want your wireless devices to reach their maximum potential speeds, then yes, Wi-Fi 7 needs faster Ethernet ports (such as 2.5Gbps or 10Gbps).

Wi-Fi 7 can theoretically hit multi-gigabit wireless speeds (exceeding 5Gbps to 10Gbps in real-world scenarios), meaning that Ethernet ports can act as a bottleneck. A traditional 1Gbps (Gigabit) Ethernet port can only handle about 940–950 Mbps.

What will happen in real-world terms? If you plug a high-end Wi-Fi 7 router or Access Point into a standard 1Gbps modem or switch, your Wi-Fi speeds will be capped at 1Gbps, wasting the router’s extra power.

Upgrading Ethernet would potentially involve:

2.5 GbE/multi-gigabit switching
Appropriate structured cabling
Higher PoE requirements
Switch replacement
Router/ firewall capacity
Faster WAN where internet speed is the objective

It’s important, therefore, that Wi-Fi 7 isn’t necessarily considered in isolation of Ethernet.

Will Wi-Fi 7 Improve Coverage?

Wi-Fi 7 does not physically extend the raw range of a single wireless signal, but it can improve overall coverage reliability and efficiency through advanced technologies. Wi-Fi 7 should not be purchased simply on the assumption that it will travel further.

Coverage is heavily governed by:

Frequency
Power
Antennas
Building construction
AP location
Client capabilities

Wi-Fi 7 uses the 6 GHz frequency band (along with 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz). Higher frequencies can offer incredible speeds but have shorter physical range and struggle to penetrate solid walls compared to lower frequencies.

It’s possible that better Wi-Fi design could improve a coverage problem more effectively than upgrading the standard!

Which Businesses Could Benefit from Wi-Fi 7 Now?

There are a number of types of business that could benefit from upgrading to Wi-Fi 7 capabilities. These include:

High-density offices
Creative/ media businesses transferring large local files
Environments with demanding low-latency applications
Organisations already upgrading switching or cabling
A new-build or major refurbishment
Businesses with substantial numbers of new Wi-Fi 7 clients
Networks being designed for a long replacement lifecycle
Specialist and high-performance environments

Who Probably Doesn’t Need to Rush to Replace the Network with Wi-Fi 7?

Not all businesses will benefit from running out and replacing their hardware with Wi-Fi 7 capable devices. Businesses that can afford to wait a little while longer before upgrading to Wi-Fi 7 include:

Small offices primarily using cloud applications/ email
Businesses where WAN connection is the principal bottleneck
Predominantly Wi-Fi 5/ 6 client estate
Networks suffering basic design problems
Sites with poor AP placement
Sites with cabling or switching faults
Businesses who are expecting Wi-Fi 7 alone to fix dead spots

Wi-Fi 6 vs Wi-Fi 6E vs Wi-Fi 7 for Business

Standard	Key Characteristics
Wi-Fi 6	Mature standard with huge client compatibility; excellent for many businesses.
Wi-Fi 6E	Adds 6 GHz capability; serves as a useful stepping stone in compatible environments.
Wi-Fi 7	Offers the newest capabilities and highest performance potential with increasing client availability, though it may require supporting infrastructure investment.

Remember – The important bit is getting the right technology for your specific business requirements, not automatically upgrading to the newest technology!

Should I Upgrade My Business to Wi-Fi 7?

Before upgrading your business network to Wi-Fi 7, ask yourself these questions:

What problem are we trying to solve?
Are our client devices Wi-Fi 7 compatible?
Can our wired network support Wi-Fi 7?
Is our existing Wi-Fi properly designed?

If your existing network is unreliable, then upgrading it to Wi-Fi 7 isn’t going to magically fix the problem unfortunately. It’s important to diagnose the cause first.

The best time to upgrade your network is when it provides measurable business benefit rather than just specification-sheet benefit.

How Geekabit Can Help

Our expert Wi-Fi engineers here at Geekabit can help work with your business to identify the best solution for your Wi-Fi network.

We can provide:

Wi-Fi surveys and informed design
Existing infrastructure assessment
Identifying client/ device requirements
Switching and cabling assessment
Wi-Fi 6/ 6E/ 7 recommendations based on your business needs
Specification-led approach independent to your business
Design for your business requirements rather than simply replacing APs

Get in touch with our friendly team today to see how we can help.

FAQs

Is Wi-Fi 7 available for businesses now?

Yes.
Business/enterprise Wi-Fi 7 APs and client devices are increasingly available.
Suitability depends on the rest of the infrastructure.

Is Wi-Fi 7 faster than Wi-Fi 6?

Potentially substantially faster.
Actual improvement depends on compatible clients and RF/network conditions.

Does Wi-Fi 7 have better range than Wi-Fi 6?

Don’t assume so.
Newer standard doesn’t automatically mean greater physical coverage.
AP placement and RF design remain critical.

Do I need 2.5Gb Ethernet for Wi-Fi 7?

Not necessarily for the AP simply to function.
Multi-gigabit networking may be required to exploit higher throughput.
Depends on actual use case.

Should I replace all my Wi-Fi 6 access points with Wi-Fi 7?

Usually not without assessing requirements first.
Well-designed Wi-Fi 6 remains highly capable.

Will older devices connect to a Wi-Fi 7 network?

Generally Wi-Fi standards maintain backwards compatibility.
Older clients won’t gain Wi-Fi 7-specific capabilities simply by connecting to a Wi-Fi 7 AP.

by admin6th September 2026

Cisco Wi-Fi 6E Wi-Fi 7

Could 2026 Be Wi-Fi 7’s Breakout Year? Cisco Thinks So

Matt MacPherson, CTO at Cisco, says 2026 could reveal a Wi-Fi 7 turning point.

Wi-Fi 7 has long been in the pipeline, but with notably low adoption rates (especially in the United States) it might not seem that way. But now, according to Cisco, the stars have finally aligned for Wi-Fi 7 with the perfect timing of 3 main things seeing a marked turning point. .

Cisco CTO Matt MacPherson believes 2026 will be the turning point for Wi-Fi 7 due to the alignment of:

Market conditions
Deployment readiness
Customer Demand

Let’s take a look at each of these in turn to see what their convergence could mean for more widespread adoption of Wi-Fi 7.

How Are Market Conditions and Device Readiness Affecting Wi-Fi 7 Uptake?

Devices are ready now. Top of the range phones from the likes of Apple and Samsung were compatible with Wi-Fi 7 last year (2025). In 2026 we’ll start to see this more across the board, to include other devices like laptops. Devices bought now are more likely to have Wi-Fi 7 compatibility.

Can We Skip Wi-Fi 6E and Go Straight to Wi-Fi 7?

Wi-Fi 7 brings an essential refresh. Wi-Fi 6E unfortunately caused a degree of confusion, with many customers still using Wi-Fi 5 and wondering what the benefit was to upgrade to Wi-Fi 6E or just wait for Wi-Fi 7. Cisco is starting to see a long overdue refresh already, now that enough Access Points (APs) are finally available. Customers are more than ready to go to the next technology. Any confusion about whether to upgrade to Wi-Fi 6E is mopped up with the introduction of a new full generation – Wi-Fi 7.

Will Wi-Fi 7 Bring More Benefits to End Users?

The Wi-Fi 7 standard is set to be the most reliable generation yet. It’s jam-packed with features to provide a reliable connection, such as:

Multi-Link Operation (MLO) – This allows devices to dynamically choose the best path by using multiple bands simultaneously
Enhanced OFDMA and MU-MIMO – These provide more efficient resource allocation to handle more devices and data.

These features, sets of applications and services couldn’t be done before, resulting in a standard which expands the market for Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi 7 will grow its set of use cases, and should be able to handle the increased demand that will come with it. Cisco believes that everything is aligned for a big boom in the Wi-Fi market this year.

Here’s 3 Reasons Why Cisco Thinks 2026 Will be Wi-Fi 7’s Breakout Year

In conclusion, as 2026 unfolds Cisco sees 3 main things leading to the breakthrough that Wi-Fi 7 needs.

Availability of Wi-Fi 7 devices removing the barrier to wider adoption of the standard
An increase in scale with a fresh demand is leading to a Wi-Fi standard refresh and deployment readiness
Redefining what Wi-Fi can support realistically with new architectural features will mean Wi-Fi 7 devices can meet customer demand and expectations

by admin26th January 2026

Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 6 Wi-Fi 6E Wi-Fi 7 Wireless Network Wireless Technology

Wi-Fi 7 Is The Future of Wireless Technology – Here’s Why

We see upgrades all the time in the tech world – They’re almost constant! As soon as one upgrade launches, the next is already on the horizon. But Wi-Fi 7 isn’t just going to be the latest in Wi-Fi standards while we wait for the next one – Wi-Fi 7 is a massive leap from Wi-Fi 6 and brings with it huge upgrades for our digital world.

Wi-Fi 7 is a monumental evolution from Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E, giving us:

Faster speeds
Lower latency
Significant capacity increases

What we need from wireless technology is ever increasing, and whilst Wi-Fi 7 is very similar to its Wi_Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E predecessors, it will be able to meet the growing data requirements of both home and business users through key significant improvements.

Are you looking to upgrade your hardware to Wi-Fi 7? It’s a very real consideration now that Wi-Fi 7 routers are on the market. So what do you need to know about Wi-Fi 7 to help make up your mind?

What’s Different About The Wi-Fi 7 Standard?

Speed

Perhaps the overriding feature of the new Wi-Fi 7 standard is the speed – Wi-Fi 7 is considerably faster performance wise when compared to Wi-Fi 6.

Faster internet connections are continually offered by ISP’s for both home use and businesses. How does your local network support the increased download speed? Wi-Fi 7, ensuring there is enough capacity.

How are these speed improvements made possible? Wi-Fi 7 has 2 major upgrades that help with speed:

Doubling the channel width from 160Hz to 320Hz
More data density, which increases the amount of data that can be encoded onto a radio signal

Bigger Channel Width

Within each Wi-Fi band are small bands in which they operate – 20/ 40/ 80/ 160MHz. These are used to connect to individual devices.

With Wi-Fi 7, the bandwidth is doubled to 320MHz. This means that the Wi-Fi speeds to individual devices are doubled, whilst also adding more bandwidth so more devices can be supported.

Increased Data Density

So far we’ve seen how Wi-Fi 7 increases both speed and bandwidth. In addition to this, Wi-Fi 7 can also increase the amount of data that can be encoded onto a radio signal.

This is where a standard called QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation) comes in. The amount of data that can be encoded onto a radio signal is measured by QAM. The QAM limit for Wi-Fi 6 was 1024, whereas Wi-Fi 7 offers 4096 (also known as 4K or 4K QAM).

Throughput is increased by boosting its peak rates. For each symbol transmitted, 12 bits can now be carried instead of 10 bits – a 20% higher theoretical transmission rate.

The 2.4x improvement in Wi-Fi speeds between Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 7 comes from the greater channel bandwidth (320MHz) and increased data density (4K QAM).

Multi-Link Operation (MLO)

The 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi bands are supported by the Wi-Fi 6 standard and previous generations. Wi-Fi 6E then brought a major additional feature by supporting the 6GHz band which offered a new way to connect that avoided the congestion of 2.4GHz and 5GHz. This provided a real boost for urban areas where there can be many Wi-Fi networks in range.

Up until now, a client could only connect using one of these bands on Wi-Fi technology. Wi-Fi changes this – Wi-Fi 7 routers can connect to a client device across 2 different bands.

In simple terms, it’s like having two routes on a map to get you to your destination, and the traffic flow can be moved between the two. This flexibility means that traffic can either be split across both routes, or moved from one route to the other if there is congestion.

Mesh systems take this a step further and benefit even more from MLO. It gets the best performance by allowing a router and a satellite the capability to transmit simultaneously across two different bands.

This particular feature will allow a mobile device to not drop a connection by switching from one band to another. For example, imagine you are working from home and hop on a Zoom call. This feature will allow your device to move from 6GHz to 5GHz to 2.4GHz whilst you walk from the middle of your house out to the garden without the call buffering or dropping out. Sounds good, right?

Flexible Channel Utilisation

Let’s talk about interference. One of the main limitations when it comes to i-Fi is how big an impact interference can have on a whole channel. This is where ‘puncturing’ comes in. Puncturing is when an affected portion of the channel can be blocked whilst the rest of the channel can still be used for data transfer. In this way, Wi-Fi can be made more resistant to interference, ensuring critical flow and lower latency.

If we go back to our map analogy – Imagine one of the routes has a pothole making it unusable. Puncturing with Wi-Fi 7 would mean that the pothole could be blocked and the traffic could go round it, keeping use of the route.

What Elements of Wi-Fi 7 Have Stayed The Same As Previous Wi-Fi Standards?

As we’ve just covered, there are some brilliant new specifications with Wi-Fi 7 that make this Wi-Fi standard pretty special.

However, we shouldn’t overlook the features and infrastructure that the previous Wi-Fi standard already offers and how Wi-Fi 7 builds on these.

We mentioned above how Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 both offer the same 3 bands, including the super fast 6GHz band. They both also feature huge bandwidth.

Let’s also remember that these new and enhanced features are only as good as the device we’re accessing them on. Tech providers are still currently catching up with Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 – We need these new devices to fully be able to unlock the full potential of both of these standards.

Many mobile devices are still using Wi-Fi 6 or earlier standards. The most up to date devices from Apple now support Wi-Fi 6E, as well as many of the latest Windows laptops and Android phones.

The future of the digital world is Wi-Fi 7, so we would expect a swift adoption of this new standard across wireless devices, especially laptops and phones with announcements of new devices supporting Wi-Fi 7 already appearing.

Wi-Fi 7 for Business Use

Now might be the time to consider making an investment in a new mesh system or Wi-Fi 7 supported router to help future-proof your wireless network and ensure you’ll have the most robust wireless performance for your business.

Whether you’re a small or large business, these environments can massively benefit from the new features that Wi-Fi 7 has to offer. Future proofing the connectivity of your business is critical.

As we’ve laid out above, you can improve performance and productivity through added capacity and bandwidth from Wi-Fi 7, supporting a greater number of wireless devices across your business.

If you’re responsible for the network of your business, then you’ll already know that there are many considerations to make:

Reliability
Security
Ease of deployment

It’s only natural as an IT manager, to be cautious of introducing any type of risk to a working environment. Therefore, the final certification of the Wi-Fi 7 standard earlier this year is important to guarantee a consistent feature set in all devices.

There are many areas of a business that will likely benefit from the enhanced performance that Wi-Fi 7 has to offer, like:

IP cameras
Access points
IoT devices
Business routers
Workers devices

Could Wi-Fi 7 improve efficiency across your entire business? Will you be investing in new Wi-Fi 7 supported devices for your business? Let us know what you think.

by admin9th September 2024

4G Wi-Fi 5G Wi-Fi Broadband Ethernet Ethernet Cables Mobile Broadband Mobile COnnectivity Remote Working Technology Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 6 Wi-Fi 6E Wi-Fi 7 Wi-Fi 8 Wi-Fi Standards Wireless Network WLAN Working From Home

Why Wi-Fi Almost Didn’t Connect At All

It’s hard to imagine a time or place when you couldn’t quickly check your emails or have a scroll through Instagram. Isn’t it the most frustrating thing when you hit a Wi-Fi deadspot? No connection, nothing, no matter how many times you reload the page. We are so accustomed to working remotely (I’m actually looking out at the solent whilst typing this!) and taking the internet with you wherever you go, it’s very difficult to contemplate a life without Wi-Fi and mobile connectivity.

Did you know that Wi-Fi very nearly didn’t happen in the first place? Wi-Fi almost hit its very own deadspot – And wouldn’t that have changed our lives as we know it! So how did Wi-Fi come about?

When was Wi-Fi officially launched?

On the 25th September 1999, coming up to 25 years ago, Wi-Fi was officially launched. If you think about the fuss that’s made over a new product launch from Apple, then you might have expected the launch of Wi-Fi itself to be a rather flashy affair.

In reality, it was a bit Big Bang Theory-esque – A convention centre in Atlanta housing 8 technophiles ready to open their jackets to reveal polo shirts emblazoned with the made-up word Wi-Fi. And all in front of a crowd of just 60 people.

Some of the biggest tech companies, and some smaller ones too, backed the launch enthusiastically. Even the likes of Apple, Dell and Nokia could never have imagined that they were backing such a huge global phenomenon with incredible economic, social and cultural impact across the world.

It was the summer of ‘99

Think back to the summer of 1999, if you can. The working world was mostly using wired networks via Ethernet cable. LAN’s (Local Area Networks) connected desktop computers at a rate of 10 Mbps.

Meanwhile, those trying to send emails from home did so to the sound of a modem trying to connect to another modem via repurposed telephone infrastructure. Dial-up internet and 56 Kbps dial up modems clanked and clanged their way online. Arguments were had over who needed to use the computer and who needed to use the telephone.

There were products for WLAN’s (Wireless Local Area Networks) but these were predominantly just for businesses. The IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) official wireless standard specification for these wireless products was 802.11. Not only were these products expensive, they were also 5 times slower than their wired equivalent.

Despite there being a specified wireless standard, this unfortunately didn’t mean that one standards compliant wireless product would be compatible with another. This was largely due to the fact that there were different ways of interpreting the specification.

These weaknesses meant that some companies looked elsewhere and chose to support other rival technology alliances – Each with their own aim of becoming the actual standard.

Wi-Fi’s rival – HomeRF

One of these rival specifications was developed by a consortium of other technology giants – Compaq, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Intel and Microsoft. Their WLAN ‘HomeRF’ was aimed at consumers (rather than businesses) and was backed by over 80 other companies. In comparison to the other standard, the HomeRF products were not only cheaper but could also communicate with each other.

With a name like HomeRF (short for Home Radio Frequency) it arguably had a catchier name than IEEE 802.11. They didn’t just have their eyes on the consumer market – They also had big plans for expansion and higher speeds for the business market.

Despite all of this, the second generation of the IEEE standard, 802.11b was heading steadily for its final approval at the end of September. By the end of the year, there were products due to ship from company 3Com (later acquired by HP along with Compaq). Their products were based on the newer, faster standard and set for release before 1999 ended.

At the time, networking firm 3Com formed WECA (Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance) bringing together 5 strong advocates for IEEE. Their aim was to make sure that any products using the pending second generation standard would all be compatible with each other.

Originally tipped to be named ‘FlankSpeed’, connectivity as we know it today was trademarked as Wi-Fi. There began the establishment of the rules by which wireless products could be deemed ‘Wi-Fi Certified.’

What if Wi-Fi had not won out against HomeRF?

Wi-Fi won the wireless standard race, but what if HomeRF had in fact taken the lead? There are ways that all might not have worked out as it has.

If the second generation standard 802.11b had been delayed, then HomeRF may have been able to sneak ahead. It was only due to a compromise between WLAN industry pioneers (and foes) Lucent Technologies and Harris Semiconductor that meant there was no delay.

What if FlankSpeed was only available at work?

So what if WECA had decided only to focus on business connectivity? That was a discussed possibility. ‘Go anywhere’ connectivity almost wasn’t on the table. And what if ‘FlankSpeed’ had been chosen over ‘Wi-Fi’?

A big chunk of today’s workforce rely on being able to bring work home with them. And not just home – What about coffee shops, airports, on the daily commute sitting on the train, the beach even? Nowadays we tend to take work with us wherever we go.

Had we been using FlankSpeed at the office and HomeRF at home, this would have made things very difficult for anyone working from home. And you can forget about coffee-shop-working and catching up on emails waiting for a plane – It’s possible neither of these public access options would exist. Zones that were not home or the office would have been a no-go (or NoHO (Not Home, Not Office) for working online. Spaces that were neither office nor home would have been a connectivity no man’s land.

And if you’re wondering about FlankSpeed and Smartphones – That would have been a no as well. The mobile world of online connectivity disappears into the mist, out of grasp. Can you imagine? No, we can’t either.

Would it have been beneficial to have more than just one wireless standard?

The benefits of having a singular focus on just the one standard meant that there was more scope for innovation and cost reduction.

Even if FlankSpeed or HomeRF had gone forth alongside Wi-Fi, it couldn’t have ever become as cheap to run or prevalent and globally penetrating as Wi-Fi.

Having a universal standard means that retail stores, public spaces and anywhere where we would now expect to be able to connect, could roll it out uninhibited. Had this not been the case, the ability to stream video whilst sipping a coffee or connect to emails whilst sitting on the train may not be available.

Thinking on a global level, those living in emerging market countries like Nigeria, rely on free Wi-Fi hotspots to be able to connect to the rest of the world. Remote islands like the Bahamas also rely on Wi-Fi to get support following adverse weather conditions like hurricanes. In this way, Wi-Fi provides critical connections all over the world.

HomeRF folded in 2003 – So how did Wi-Fi succeed so quickly?

As with all well-laid plans, it’s all in the preparation and timing. With the announcement of the name Wi-Fi and the promise of certified interoperability from WECA, companies investing in this new wireless standard had the assurance that their products would all work together.

In 2000, 86% of Wi-Fi devices were used for business. Wireless connection in businesses was big business in itself, with chipmakers and PC companies quickly hopping off the fence to support and join Wi-Fi. This led tech giants Microsoft and Intel to jump ship from HomeRF to Wi-Fi. Wireless for business soared in popularity ahead of in the home, which gave Wi-Fi chip volume a boost. This in turn led to closing the cost gap between that and HomeRF, leading it to fold in 2003.

Since then, over the past 2 decades the Wi-Fi Alliance and IEEE have worked together to represent, guide and oversee Wi-Fi and its subsequent standards.

The IEEE committee continues to roll-out new standards, and the WI-Fi Alliance makes sure that certified products can communicate with each other.

So the next time you hit a Wi-Fi deadspot, or find that the Wi-Fi is down in your favourite coffee shop – Stop and breathe. Count your blessings that you can take your work with you wherever you go (mostly) and that you can largely connect via Wi-Fi wherever you need it.

by admin4th March 2024

5G AFC AI AR / VR Connectivity Fibre Broadband Gaming / Video IoT Devices Matter ML NaaS OpenRoaming Technology TIP OpenWi-Fi Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 6E Wi-Fi 7

The Wireless Broadband Alliance’s CEO Makes 10 Wi-Fi Predictions for 2024

The WBA (Wireless Broadband Alliance) has recently released their latest Annual Industry Report (you can read it here). WBA CEO Tiago Rodrigues has subsequently revealed 10 predictions about how wireless technology will be used by communities and businesses across the globe in 2024 and beyond – From improved connectivity to new consumer experiences.

What will 2024 have in store for the world of Wi-Fi? Here are the 10 Wi-Fi predictions made by WBA CEO for next year and beyond

Prevalence of Gbps, fibre broadband and Wi-Fi 6E/7 to increase

Moving forwards, speeds of 10 Gbps will become more prevalent. The deployment of fibre broadband will continue in most developed and developing markets. This will in turn create a need for home networks to make upgrades in order to utilise this increased bandwidth with their devices. The knock on effect of this will lead to a rapid adoption of Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7. The new ability to access additional spectrum in the 6GHz band will also drive the adoption of Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 as countries open the band.
Wi-Fi 7, gaming and video

With Wi-Fi 7 comes increased capabilities for advanced gaming, video content and immersive experiences. It’s forecasted that video game revenue globally could increased by 50% over the next 5 years. Network equipment will be as vital to gaming as the gaming rig itself. Wi-Fi 7 will be the driving force for the speeds needed as well as near-to-zero latency.New immersive experiences will see game developers breaking barriers. We’ve already started to see Wi-Fi 7 devices with Qualcomm chipsets this year and this will continue into 2024.
OpenRoaming, 5G and IoT networks

The growth of OpenRoaming is set to continue into next yet, extending further in order to integrate with private 5G and IoT networks. By 2026 it will have reached a critical point of exponential growth with the enabling of tens of millions of hotspots. PassPoint OpenRoaming deployments continue to rise, with more brands and identity providers recognising the value, enabling seamless connectivity across different networks.
Co-existence of 5G and Wi-Fi 6E / Wi-Fi 7

The integration of 5G services and Wi-Fi will progress, with the expectation that network engineers will deploy both Wi-Fi and cellular in the coming years. For example, using Wi-Fi 6E/7 for indoor, on-campus, fixed network situations and 5G in outdoor, off-campus, mobile environments. The Wi-Fi community is working to coexist with 5G, especially in identity management, authentication and policy management cases.
Network as a Service

NaaS is currently seen in managed Wi-Fi services in multi-apartment units and will continue to spread beyond these early adopters. Traditional enterprises will acquire NaaS for networks in cloud-first, software-defined, application-centric environments. Why is NaaS attracting customers? Because not only does it accelerate the deployment of devices but it also simplifies it. It also improves security with continuous security updates that prevent and reduce outages and breaches.
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

The role of AI and ML cannot be overemphasised. Adaptive AI is predicted to rapidly increase on networks. Not only will it enable Automated Frequency Coordination, it will also be able to predict network resourcing needs. We will also see AI help enterprises and Internet Service Providers accelerate troubleshooting and streamline monitoring as well as proactively anticipating outages, equipment failures, and performance degradation.
Outdoor Automated Frequency Coordination and Rural Connectivity

In countries that have opened large parts of the 6GHz spectrum to Wi-Fi, rural connectivity will find success with outdoor AFC. The rapid growth of 6GHz low-power indoor (LP) devices with an average transmit power of 24 dBm is expected for indoor applications such as residential mesh, indoor public venues, and high-density enterprise networks. The adoption of 6GHz very low-power indoor (VPI) devices with 14 dBm maximum transmit power is also expected for short-range indoor applications such as AR/VR/XR, streaming, and gaming. Users of these devices do not require Automated Frequency Coordination (AFC).
Unified connectivity with IoT tech and Matter

Smart home users will transform their experience with new IoT technology, helping to unify connectivity across multiple devices within the home. Matter will also provide a reliable, secure connection across multiple device manufacturers. The adoption of Matter certified products is expected to grow exponentially in the next 3 years, largely due to the brands involved in manufacturing the devices, like Apple, Amazon, Google and Samsung to name but a few. This adoption of Matter enabled devices in the Smart home will further validate Wi-Fi’s role as being central to the smart connected home.
TIP Open Wi-Fi to rapidly increase

Community-developed, disaggregated Wi-Fi software system TIP Open Wi-Fi will rapidly grow through further pilot projects and trials in developing countries and price-sensitive markets. This is due to its cost-effectiveness and the benefits offered by an open disaggregated model. The more well-established WLAN vendors will also continue to try and be more cost-effective in these markets by investing in ML and AI as well as offering integrated Wi-Fi and 5G to enterprises.
Prevalence of augmented and virtual reality will increase in homes and workplaces

Our day to day lives at home and work will start to see a larger share of augmented and virtual reality. This in turn will mean that indoor broadband networks will be required to adapt and improve in user interfaces and network capabilities, particularly when catering for larger groups of users. By 2025, it’s expected that the metaverse’s economy will generate $800 million (and $2.5 trillion by 2030). Thus, big brands are investing in this technology as the universe of the future.

What does Tiago Rodrigues have to say?

“There has never been a more exciting time for Wi-Fi with technologies such as OpenRoaming more widely available than ever and addressing the challenges in areas including Guest Wi-Fi provision, IoT deployments and private cellular networks. The HaLow program is creating huge interest in low-power extended range Wi-Fi and we are looking forward to working with the Wi-Fi ecosystem to develop industry trials for Wi-Fi 7 during 2024.”

CEO of the Wireless Broadband Alliance

by admin21st December 2023

Enterprise Wi-Fi Enterprise WLAN IDC Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 6 Wi-Fi 6E Wireless Network WLAN

Strong Growth of Enterprise WLAN Market in 2023 Q1

The International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Wireless LAN Tracker has reported that between the first quarter of 2022 and Q1 of 2023, the Enterprise Wi-Fi market has grown by 43%.

What’s Behind the Growth of the Enterprise WLAN Market?

The driving force behind the Enterprise WLAN market growth is in part down to the easing of component shortages.

There has also been a significant demand for the upgrades and expansions that come with Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E.

You can find further details on this in IDC’s latest market report.

Wi-Fi Market Back With a Vengeance

Previously, the right business to be in might have been as a service provider or consumer Wi-Fi. But we’ve come a long way since 2020, and from just last year even. The IDC reports that the consumer Wi-Fi segment has decreased by 8.8% for the quarter year-on-year.

The enterprise Wi-Fi market however is back and booming and showing itself to continue to grow year-on-year.

The IDC’s recent report showed that the Enterprise Wi-Fi market grew by 43% in Q1 for 2023 (year on year). This sector is worth a huge 2.8 billion dollars.

Is the Growth of Enterprise WLAN Market Down to Wi-Fi 6?

Of the Enterprise WLAN sector revenue, Wi-Fi 6 made up 78.6%.

In addition to that, the adoption of Wi-Fi 6E is up by 14% from that last quarter of 2022. This continued growth has taken a 10.4% share of the AP market in Q1 of 2023.

Cisco Expands Market Dominance

At the end of the first quarter of 2023, Cisco continued to take their Enterprise Wi-Fi market share with 47.1%. Their revenue has risen 62.7% year on year – Their Enterprise Wi-Fi revenue for this quarter was 1.3 billion US dollars.

Also doing well in the Enterprise Wi-Fi market is HPE_Aruba (Aruba Networks). They have grown by 39.5% year on year for Q1 of 2023. The IDC reports they have a market share of 16%.

You can check out how other vendors are doing by heading to the IDC website here.

by admin19th June 2023

IoT Devices Location Based Services Matter Smart Home Technology Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 6E Wi-Fi HaLow Wi-Fi Standards Wireless Network

2023 and Beyond: Wi-Fi Alliance Says All Roads Lead to Wi-Fi

According to the Wi-Fi Alliance, 2023 is set to be a transformational year for Wi-Fi. The industry is expected to see new use cases, innovation and plenty of opportunities for growth. Needless to say, our Wi-Fi experts here at Geekabit are excited about what’s to come!

Despite socio-economic disruption on a global scale, the progress of Wi-Fi has raced ahead in recent years. In fact, is there a wireless technology that has advanced faster than Wi-Fi has recently? We’d go as far as to say probably not.

To further get to grips with the Wi-Fi trends and see the opportunities all mapped out, head to the Wi-Fi Alliance’s recently released blog.

The great thing about Wi-Fi is that its wireless arsenal keeps growing, which in turn leads to more opportunities for innovation and growth.

Wi-Fi and Matter

One of these recently added wireless standards is Matter. Wi-Fi is an intrinsic part of the new Matter standard for IoT. We’ve blogged before about Matter and its role in Smart Home standards. We can see that 2023 will be the beginning of an interoperable smart home era. You can read more about Matter from the Wi-Fi Alliance’s stance here.

Wi-Fi and Matter go hand in hand perfectly. Matter offers the interoperability, and the Wi-Fi delivers standardised and secure IP-native connectivity for IoT devices across the board.

Most use cases will be supported, and whilst it will begin with smart home IoT, future years will see it expanding into industry and enterprise spaces.

Wi-Fi HaLow

Last year we also saw a bit of a breakthrough with Wi-Fi HaLow. This is still little known so if you’re wondering what is Wi-Fi HaLow – It operates in the 900MHz band, offering twice the range, a more robust connection and greater power efficiency than the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands. It’s known as IEEE 802.11ah and you’re likely to see more of it in 2023.

It’s actually been defined as a Wi-Fi standard and certificated by the Wi-Fi Alliance since 2026, but after financing on a large scale in 2022, the first Wi-Fi HaLow device was launched at the beginning of this year. The device was a security camera purported to have obstacle-penetrating signal and battery life able to last years.

We’re really excited to see what’s more to come from Wi-Fi HaLow – Keep your eyes peeled!

Wi-Fi and the Expansion of the 6GHz Band

Another leap forward in the world of Wi-Fi in 2022 and set to continue this year was the acceleration and global adoption of the 6GHz band. According to the Wi-Fi Alliance, this new band is available in 60 countries with more than 1200 Wi-Fi 6E devices launched in commercial markets.

For industries that require Wi-Fi for stadiums, arenas, campus networks and healthcare, the market for Wi-Fi 6E is set to expand. Due to their need for high-density connectivity applications and support, we’d expect to see Wi-Fi 6E become a big part of these networks.

However, despite there being 1200 Wi-Fi 6E devices (according to Intel) not all of these commercially available devices are Wi-Fi Certified. This is an integral part of Wi-Fi as an eco-system so we’d expect to see more products on the market with Wi-Fi certification.

Wi-Fi and Location Based Services

Location Based Services are also worth a quick mention when talking about Wi-Fi innovations and things to keep an eye on during 2023.

As with most things Wi-Fi, a lot of effort goes into constantly developing and improving the devices and standards available on the market.

These improvements and innovations in 802.11 standards-based tech will mean that Wi-Fi based location services will be driven down to as small as 10cm accuracy in the future.

Watch this space!

by admin5th March 2023

Ethernet Cables Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 6 Wi-Fi 6E Wi-Fi 7 Wireless Network

What If Wi-Fi Had Never Happened?

Isn’t it the most frustrating thing when you hit a Wi-Fi deadspot? No connection, nothing, no matter how many times you re-load the page. In this age of working from home and taking the internet with you wherever you go, it’s hard to imagine a time or place when you couldn’t quickly check your emails or have a scroll through Instagram.

But did you know that Wi-Fi very nearly didn’t happen in the first place? Wi-Fi almost hit its very own deadspot – And wouldn’t that have changed our lives as we know it! Let’s get to the root of Wi-Fi and see how wireless internet came about.

When was Wi-Fi officially launched?

Just over 23 years ago, on the 25th September 1999, Wi-Fi was officially launched. If you think about the fuss that’s made over a new product launch from Apple, then you might have expected the launch of Wi-Fi itself to be a rather flashy affair.

It was the summer of ‘99

Think back to the summer of 1999, if you can. The working world was mostly using wired networks via Ethernet cable. LAN’s (Local Area Networks) connected desktop computers at a rate of 10 Mbps.

Meanwhile, those trying to send emails from home did so to the sound of a modem trying to connect to another modem via repurposed telephone infrastructure. Dial up internet and 56 Kbps dial up modems clanked and clanged their way online. Arguments were had over who needed to use the computer and who needed to use the telephone.

These weaknesses meant that some companies looked elsewhere and chose to support other rival technology alliances – Each with their own aim of becoming the actual standard.

Wi-Fi’s rival – HomeRF

With a name like HomeRF (short for Home Radio Frequency) it arguably had a catchier name that IEEE 802.11. They didn’t just have their eyes on the consumer market – They also had big plans for expansion and higher speeds for the business market.

What if Wi-Fi had not won out against HomeRF?

Wi-Fi won the wireless standard race, but what if HomeRF had in fact taken the lead? There are ways that all might not have worked out as it has.

What if FlankSpeed was only available at work?

A big chunk of today’s workforce rely on being able to bring work home with them. And not just home – What about coffee shops, airports, on the daily commute sitting on the train? Nowadays we tend to take work with us wherever we go.

Had we been using FlankSpeed at the office and HomeRF at home, this would have made things very difficult for anyone working from home. And you can forget about coffee-shop-working and catching up on emails waiting for a plane – It’s possible neither of these public access options would exist. Zones that were not home and the office would have been a no-go (or NoHO) for working online.

And if you’re wondering about FlankSpeed and Smartphones – That would have been a no as well. The mobile world of online connectivity disappears into the mist, out of grasp.

Would it have been beneficial to have more than just one wireless standard?

The benefits of having a singular focus on just the one standard meant that there was more scope for innovation and cost reduction.

Even if FlankSpeed or HomeRF had gone forth alongside Wi-Fi, it couldn’t have ever become as cheap to run or prevalent and globally penetrating as Wi-Fi.

HomeRF folded in 2003 – So how did Wi-Fi succeed so quickly?

Since then, over the past 2 decades the Wi-Fi Alliance and IEEE have worked together to represent, guide and oversee Wi-Fi and its subsequent standards.

The IEEE committee continues to roll-out new standards, and the WI-Fi Alliance makes sure that certified products can communicate with each other.

by admin21st November 2022

Ethernet Cables Google Google Nest Wi-Fi Pro Home Network Home WI-Fi Matter Mesh Router Smart Home Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 6 Wi-Fi 6E Wi-Fi 7 Wi-Fi Advice Wireless Network Working From Home

Is the Google Nest Wi-Fi Pro Any Good?

Now that the deliveries have started to drop, the reviews are beginning to come in for the Google Nest Wi-Fi Pro – And so far they’re rather mixed opinions. So is it any good or not?

Dubbed as the router for working-from-home and a valid step up from its predecessor – Is the Google Nest Wi-Fi Pro the right mesh router for you?

If you read our recent blog on this, you’ll already know that this latest Wi-Fi device from Google brings together Wi-Fi 6E, Thread and Matter functionality. (Wondering what Matter is when it comes to Wi-Fi? Read this). The Nest Wi-Fi Pro enables you to control your smart home devices through this mesh router.

Wasn’t Google Nest already a mesh network? Yes. Back in 2016, Google launched it’s first mesh Wi-Fi system, followed by Nest Wi-Fi in 2019. This device topped many lists looking at the best mesh routers – Will the Google Nest Wi-Fi Pro follow in its footsteps?

They don’t come cheap – This latest addition to Google’s collection of Wi-Fi devices is more expensive than those before it. Which would make sense if it’s offering upgraded functionality. But is it worth the upgrade and the price? Let’s take a look.

Google Nest Wi-Fi Pro – The Pros

We’ll start with all the most positive things that make this new Wi-Fi device worthy of consideration for your home network.

Why Does Wi-Fi 6E Compatibility Make a Difference for the Google Nest Wi-Fi Pro?

Perhaps the biggest upgrade from previous products is adding in Wi-Fi 6E functionality for the Google Nest Wi-Fi Pro. What does this actually mean? Let’s get technical for a second. The previous Nest device was compatible only with Wi-Fi 5, aka 802.11ac. This means that the router could only use the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands. With added Wi-Fi 6E functionality, the Nest Wi-Fi Pro can use the 6GHz band, giving you access to faster, more reliable internet.

With the ability to access all 3 radio bands at the same time, the Nest Wi-Fi Pro can provide a combined maximum speed of 5.4 Gbps.

Unsurprisingly the addition of Wi-Fi 6E compatibility means the Nest Wi-Fi Pro will offer faster speeds for other Google products to make the most of – Think the Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro and the imminent Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro.

It’s safe to say that Google are taking this new Wi-Fi standard and running with it, bringing the consumer a faster, more reliable internet connection.

Google Nest Wi-Fi Pro Offers Sizeable Coverage With Scope to Branch Out

Even the largest of homes can secure a strong Wi-Fi signal with Google Nest Wi-Fi and Nest Wi-Fi Pro. With just the one unit you can gain coverage across 120 metres squared, and with the option to have a total of 5 units that’s 600 metres squared of coverage. This is what helps set Google’s Nest Wi-Fi mesh products apart from the rest. (Google doesn’t recommend exceeding 5 units so as to avoid any Wi-Fi interference).

So whether you are living in a cosy flat or expansive mansion, the Google Nest Wi-Fi Pro has got you covered. What’s more, if you move into a larger property, it’s easy to add in another unit to scale up the coverage in your new home.

How Many Connected Devices Can Google Nest Wi-Fi Pro Support?

The number of connected devices supported on the Google Nest WI-Fi Pro has increased to 300 (up from 200 on the previous Nest product).

Why on earth would you need to support 300 devices on your network? Well that really depends on how large your home is and how many people live there. It’s not just about personal devices like laptops, tablets and smartphones. With the prevalence of the smart home, which this particular product is great for, comes the increase in smart home devices. Think smart light bulbs, smart speakers and any other connected devices you want to control remotely.

The Google Nest Wi-Fi Pro has the capacity to handle these with ease, whereas a more traditional router might meet its limit rather quickly if you’re building a smart home. Furthermore, this device has the ability to prioritise connected devices so you get the connection where you need it most. With MU-MIMO technology, the Nest Wi-Fi Pro units can also communicate with multiple devices at the same time.

Google Nest Wi-Fi Pro and Parental Controls

If you have children that use the internet, you’ll know only too well how important it is to have parental control over the Wi-Fi.

The Google Nest Wi-Fi Pro has parental control software built in for free. This means you can:

Put your children on a Wi-Fi schedule e.g. no internet at meal times or after 8pm
Use Google SafeSearch technology to block content that is deemed unsafe
Edit control settings via the Family W-Fi menu in the app

The fact that this is built in at no extra charge helps set the Google Nest Wi-Fi Pro apart from its competitors. For example, Orbi mesh routers from Netgear charge a subscription fee in order to set internet time limits and restrictions.

It’s worth noting that this feature is also available on Google’s previous Nest Wi-Fi product as well.

Matter and Thread Compatibility on the Google Nest Wi-Fi Pro

Google is really looking ahead with their latest product by including Matter support with this device. Technically it won’t be available from launch, but as we start to see an increase in more Matter-enabled devices creeping into our smart homes, it will make adding new products easier in the future.

Like Matter, Thread is another network function being spoken about more and more. So it makes sense that the Google Nest Wi-Fi Pro also has a Thread border router built in. We could go into much more detail about Thread but we’ll save that for another time. For now, Thread offers a lower power mesh to your home network, so the ability to connect Thread smart devices in the future will be appealing to many.

Google Nest Wi-Fi Pro: Pros on Price

If you are looking for a simple, stand-alone Wi-Fi 6E router, then a single Nest Wi-Fi Pro unit is probably the cheapest option at a cost of £190. Other competitive alternatives are almost double this price.

Even if you are looking at getting the pack of three units at £380, then it seems worth the money as you’re getting three units for roughly double the cost of one. That seems like pretty decent value to us.

Google Nest Wi-Fi Pro – The Cons

So we’ve gone through the reasons why you might want to rush out and upgrade to this latest Wi-Fi product. But what could cause you to pause that thought? Let’s see.

What’s the Design Like on the Google Nest Wi-FI Pro?

The aim of many modern Wi-Fi products is to make them less ugly. The less you are wanting to hide them away in a cupboard, the better these routers will actually work! But as with all things design wise, this can be hugely subjective. What appeals to the eye of one consumer might cause another one to immediately look away.

For a mesh network to be effective, the units need to be spread about the home if you want to get the best Wi-Fi coverage. The previous Nest Wi-FI units have a soft, matte finish which some would argue makes it easier to blend in with other decor and not stand out too much.

The Google Nest Wi-Fi Pro however, has a glossy finish that very much says ‘look at me’ – These are not meant to be hidden away! If you like the look of them and don’t mind making them a feature in your rooms then it’s all good. If you were hoping to let them lurk in a corner out of sight, that might be harder to do with these new units.

It’s also worth noting that these Google Nest Wi-Fi Pro units don’t come with any mounting hardware, so if you were hoping to mount them to the wall or ceiling that might be rather difficult. On the plus side, they do have a rubber base so they’re unlikely to move around wherever you do place them.

Does the Google Nest Wi-Fi Pro have Ethernet Ports?

We’ve just talked about the aesthetics of the Nest Wi-Fi Pro, and the lack of Ethernet ports fits into this. The design is minimalistic, hence why there are only two ethernet ports on these units. Of course, you could just add in a switch if you need more, but if you are picking the Nest Wi-Fi Pro based on it’s looks, then adding in a switch and hard wire might detract from the image you are looking for.

This might not be a problem for many homes – Not many products need to be wired to the router and this device will be much faster than what has come before. However, if you have a security camera for example, you might find that it needs to be hardwired to the router via a hub.

The ports only support gigabit speeds which is a bit of a shame. 2.5GbE is becoming more common in order to offer the best possible speeds between wired and wireless.

If you really need a router with plenty of Ethernet ports, then the Nest Wi-Fi Pro possibly isn’t the one for you – But worry not, there are other mesh routers available.

What about Wi-Fi 7?

We know, we know, we’re only just getting to grips with the latest wireless standard Wi-Fi 6E. But Wi-Fi 7 is hot on its heels (as with all new technological developments – There is always something waiting in the wings).

Wi-Fi 7 is set to arrive at the start of next year, offering consumers even faster internet speeds up to a possible maximum data rate of 5.8 Gbps. That’s more than double what Wi-Fi 6E has to offer! Amazingly, Wi-Fi 7 is set to feel like you’re using an Ethernet connection in terms of speed. That’s pretty impressive.

So whilst the Google Nest Wi-Fi Pro future proofs your network in terms of Matter and Thread, it won’t be compatible with Wi-Fi 7. The next Google development will likely take a few more years, so if you’ve already got a new router or your current Google Nest Wi-Fi is working well for your home then it might be worth waiting for the next Nest Wi-Fi Pro after this one.

The Google Nest Wi-Fi Pro isn’t Backward Compatible

We all feel a bit more secure in making an upgrade if we know that the new device is backward compatible. We know that our other, older devices are safe and will still be able to function. This was true of the previous upgrade from Google Wi-Fi to Google Nest Wi-Fi. Unfortunately, the latest upgrade to Google Nest Wi-Fi Pro will not be backward compatible, which means that your current/previous units (routers or points for example) won’t be compatible with this new one so you won’t be able to combine the two.

Whilst this may feel quite frustrating, if you’re considering buying a new mesh router anyway then this could be an ideal opportunity to replace what you’ve got to a completely new network that will offer you faster and more reliable internet as well as future proofing it for imminent Wi-Fi standard updates like Matter and Thread.

Alternatively, the fact that you can’t link older products with the new might prompt you to buy a new mesh system altogether – Perhaps an Amazon offering to fit with your Alexa!

Google Nest Wi-Fi Pro – The Verdict?

As we’ve discussed above, there are many pros and cons to consider when thinking about purchasing the latest Google Wi-Fi device. The final verdict really comes down to you and what your network demands are.

Will this mesh network device work for you and your home?

by admin7th November 2022