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US Data Consumption Via Wi-Fi Reaches Almost 90%

A recent report released by OpenSignal has revealed that the proportion of data traffic across Wi-Fi is almost at 90% overall for users in the US, and over 80% in almost all cases away from the home, confirming suspicions that Wi-Fi is carrying most smartphone traffic. 

You probably won’t be surprised to hear that here at Geekabit we’ve always thought that Wi-Fi is the most important technology when it comes to technology, as well as being the most successful. 

This fresh data from OpenSignal confirms what we’ve always thought, as Wi-Fi starts to take an even bigger share of smartphone traffic than originally expected. 

Across all US mobile providers, the share of data for Wi-Fi is pretty much uniform. 

With thanks to OpenSignal for the above graphic. 

What We Already Knew

Historically, the Wi-Fi data share among users was approximately 80%, as indicated recently by Spectrum Mobile (Charter). Whether this was a conservative estimate or that the proportion is growing remains to be seen.

Once 4G hit the scene, it was suspected that Wi-Fi carried about 60-70% of US data traffic, but here in the UK during that period of time the figure was above 80%. 

Wi-Fi Used More Than Mobile Connectivity, Even Outside the Home

Interestingly, perhaps the most surprising element of the report is that Wi-Fi connectivity outside the home is at more than 80% compared to mobile. 

The outlier seems to be T-Mobile, perhaps revealing that their coverage is considerably better than their competition.  

With thanks to OpenSignal for the above graphic. 

In Conclusion: Wi-Fi Used More Than Mobile? 

For everyone in the tech and telecoms industry, including regulators, this report gives us much to be interested and excited about. 

When looking at the data, it’s clear that Wi-Fi is continuing to grow its share of data traffic – Even when people are away from home. 

5G meanwhile seems to be falling rather short of expectations. Early on when 5G was just emerging, many were shouting about how it was going to give Wi-Fi a run for its money. The mobile industry might have thought this was the way it was going but the data seems to be saying otherwise. 

The fact that data consumption over Wi-Fi is only 10% less when people are outside of the home is pretty remarkable. It seems that wherever a smartphone user tends to be – home or out and about – the preference is to use Wi-Fi over 5G. 

What Will the Regulators Make of Wi-Fi Significantly Outdoing Mobile Connectivity?

Let’s remember that mobile operators spend billions of dollars for 5G spectrum licences, yet they’re losing out on their share of traffic to Wi-Fi, which doesn’t need a licence at all.

Obviously, we’re not saying that mobile connectivity isn’t necessary – Of course it still is. In order to have coverage wherever we go, we still need mobile connectivity. But are the large amounts of licensed spectrum still required? That’s the question. 

For those in the Wi-Fi industry – Like us here at Geekabit! – It’s very exciting and affirming to see how well Wi-Fi is doing out there. We love the work we do and it’s great to see how Wi-Fi is so needed out there in the world. 

We’re expecting Wi-Fi tech to go from strength to strength over the coming years as we welcome in Wi-Fi 7 and other future technologies. 

by admin
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Which is Best for Indoor Connectivity – 5G or Wi-Fi 7? 

Are you trying to enhance and improve your connectivity indoors? If so, you might be weighing up whether it’s best to go for Wi-Fi 7 or 5G. Both of these technologies offer their own unique strengths. Perhaps you’re leaning towards the increased bandwidth and efficiency that comes with Wi-Fi 7 connectivity. Or maybe you’re more interested in the low latency and reliability that 5G can offer you. Which is the one for you? 

We live in a world where we are extremely reliant on a continuous, reliable and secure connection – Whether that’s using a device for work or relaxing at the end of a long day. We need online video conference calls that don’t drop out and Netflix binges that don’t buffer. 

So how do we meet this demand? The tech world increasingly offers us solutions that evolve alongside our digital needs. We’ve gone from 4G/LTE to 5G when it comes to mobile connectivity, and from Wi-Fi 5 to 6 to 6E and now the emerging Wi-Fi 7 in the wireless networking world. 

Everyone wants to know which is best! Which tech development will offer the better improvements on previous issues and limitations – 5G or Wi-Fi 7? Unfortunately, it’s not a straightforward answer. 

Focus on Outdoor Mobile Coverage

Both the tech industry and government have predominantly focused their improvement efforts on outdoor mobile coverage. 

Whilst undoubtedly worthwhile schemes like the Shared Rural Network have helped to improve outdoor 4G mobile coverage in hard to reach areas, they still have a way to go when it comes to poor indoor mobile coverage. 

Interestingly, this is despite knowing that the average person spends 90% of their time indoors, with 80% of all mobile data traffic being generated or terminated indoors. 

Meeting the Growing Demand for Indoor Coverage with Emerging Wireless Technology

Back in 2020, both Wi-Fi 6 and 5G entered the commercial wireless market. The connectivity requirements of most domestic indoor environments can be met by Wi-Fi 6. However, in terms of reliability and quality of service with increasing service demands, 5G steps up to the plate and outperforms Wi-Fi 6. 

But now that Wi-Fi 7 is arriving on the scene, the tech world needs to have another look at the growing demands for indoor coverage for both public and private places, and what the role of Wi-Fi and 5G is within that space.  

Performance Capabilities of Wi-Fi 7 and 5G

As you can see in the graph above, there is a significant jump in theoretical bandwidth for Wi-Fi 7, from 9.6 Gbps (Wi-Fi 6) rising to speeds of 46 Gbps. The speed of 5G sits at 10 Gbps. 

When it comes to latency, 5G can offer a latency as little as 1 ms (with a range of between 1 and 10). Wi-Fi 6 sees latency of approximately 20 ms, with Wi-Fi 7 showing an improvement here with a latency of under 5 ms, rivalling that of 5G. 

However, we must remember that the speed and latency rates shown here are theoretical only and unlikely to be experienced by users. 

When it comes to range, Wi-Fi 7 and 5G have faster speeds due to sacrificing smaller cell coverage range. Wi-Fi 7 can reach 50-100 metres on the 2.4 GHz band, whereas 5G can reach between 500 metres and a few square kilometres depending on the frequency band and transmission power. 

Is 5G Most Likely to be Adopted by the Manufacturing and Logistics Sectors? 

5G has particularly appealed to the manufacturing and logistics sectors, but many industries are showing interest. 

Integrating smart technologies indoors has become a big part of many private businesses, leading to them choosing to deploy 5G networks with access to licensed and unlicensed spectrum. 

5G offers much when it comes to speed, capability and low latency, lending itself well to real-time applications for example, tracking lone-workers in industrial and potentially hazardous environments, and tracking last-mile logistics in the manufacturing sector. 

Businesses, homes and venues can also make use of mobile broadband with 5G for the likes of high-quality streaming, VR/AR and other broadcasting services being used indoors. 

What Stands Out About Wi-Fi 7?

In what ways can Wi-Fi 7 help to improve indoor connectivity? The following features are expected to help indoor activities for domestic, industrial and public sector use within the UK economy and wider society in a significant way, offering a valuable addition to indoor connectivity infrastructures. 

  • It operates across 3 frequency bands, 4K QAM and increased channel width (320 MHz)
  • More reliable wireless connection
  • Greater transmission rates
  • Increased efficiency
  • Can handle large amounts of devices and large volumes of traffic
  • Will maintain high speeds with low latency

Let’s remember that whilst almost all devices can run on Wi-Fi 7, to be able to fully harness the available efficiencies with speed and latency consumers will need to be using devices made in 2024.

For this reason, it’s tricky to measure the overall impact and benefit of Wi-Fi 7, however it’s likely to become much clearer over the next few as we see the prevalence of Wi-Fi 7 capable devices increase.

As the adoption of Wi-Fi 7 technology is most prevalent in the industrial sector, we’re most likely to see the biggest impact of Wi-Fi 7 in that arena. 

Could 5G Be Deployed Alongside Wi-Fi 7? 

A deployment of 5G alongside Wi-Fi 7 is likely. 

We’re expecting to see this combination in public and private spaces that switch between indoors and outdoors where reliability and low latency are important considerations for both spaces. 

From public 5G networks in shopping centres to private 5G networks in manufacturing factories, we already see how mobile connectivity plays a big role and we would expect that to continue alongside Wi-Fi 7. 

What are the Challenges for the Deployment of 5G and Wi-Fi 7? 

To meet sustainability targets and reduce energy consumption, there has been an increase in the use of foil-backed insulation and energy-efficient glass within building construction. As well as the concrete, metal and brick already in use within buildings, these additional sustainability-meeting measure can significantly impact signal strength, especially when it comes to 5G networks. 

Ways to tackle this issue include:

  • Small cell deployment
  • Signal boosters
  • Antennas designed for 5G

In order to enable the best use of the spectrum, the hybrid sharing model of the 6GHz band between licensed mobile and Wi-Fi was designed. This ensures:

  • Greater capacity
  • Faster speeds
  • Innovative services

Ofcom has supported and pushed this hybrid use method for 5G and Wi-Fi 7, but there does need to be more understanding of the practicalities, costs and complexities. 

Hybrid solutions could however solve the issue of signal-reducing building materials, for example, LiFi, which concerts 5G signal to Wi-Fi. 

There also needs to be policy and guidance from the UK government in terms of improving indoor connectivity. Last year in 2023, we saw stakeholders across the telecommunications sector get help for improving mobile connectivity with the Wireless Infrastructure Strategy setting out a clear plan. 

We now need a similar strategy to address indoor connectivity specifically so that the industry can be challenged to improve indoor coverage and have targets similar to those of outdoor coverage targets. 

Wi-Fi 7 vs 5G – Or Should They Go Hand in Hand?

Wi-Fi 7 and 5G will play a vital role in addressing the issue of poor indoor connectivity.

Here at Geekabit, we’re experts in all things wireless and deploying the best network for a specific property and use. We see how important it is to recognise that 5G and Wi-Fi 7 don’t need to be competitors pitched against each other, but as complementary technologies that could transform indoor connectivity for businesses both large and small. 

We’re excited to see how both these technologies continue to develop. As the number of use cases develop, it will help us and others in the wireless networking industry to build bespoke solutions for those facing indoor connectivity issues. 

We fully believe in maximising the potential benefits of both these technologies by joining them together rather than having to choose just one. 

If you’re eager to see what connectivity improvements we can deliver for your business, get in touch with our Wi-Fi experts here at Geekabit today. 

by admin
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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 admin
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WiFi 8: What is it, What’s the Spec and When Will it Be Released?

As a society we’re always keen to get our hands on the latest technology – But no sooner as it’s in our hands, thoughts are already turning to what’s next. 

You might have barely got to grips with Wi-Fi 6, but with 233 million Wi-Fi 7 devices estimated to enter the market this year, is it any wonder we’re already looking ahead to Wi-Fi 8?

What is Wi-Fi 8?

Simply put, it’s the next generation of Wi-Fi and will be successor to the Wi-Fi 7 (IEEE 802.11be) standard. 

As with previous Wi-Fi standard successions, the aim of Wi-Fi 8 will be to improve wireless performance as well as introduce new and innovative features to advance Wi-Fi technology further. 

Generally this means that in comparison to previous standards, the new one will offer:

  • Faster speeds
  • Lower latency
  • Better performance 

What’s the spec for Wi-Fi 8?

We don’t actually know the specifications of Wi-Fi 8 yet as the details haven’t been officially released. 

But would it even be a technological advancement if there wasn’t speculation on the specifications? 

We are expecting the technical details for Wi-Fi 8 to be finalised and released imminently.

What can we expect from Wi-Fi 8?

Over the years we’ve seen a steady evolution of Wi-Fi standards, with each one playing its own vital role in providing our indoor and outdoor environments with seamless wireless connectivity. 

As the Internet of Things has also evolved over time, each standard has of course had its inadequacies, with a constant push for better. 

So what will the upcoming Wi-Fi 8 standard offer to help with the current connectivity challenges we’ve been facing? 

Wi-Fi 8 is expected to offer us a range of powerful new features and capabilities, designed to provide high-reliability, ultra low latency and support for extremely high node density.

A few of the major features we’re expecting from Wi-Fi 8 are:

  • Multiple Access Point Coordination and Transmission
  • Millimeter Wave (mmWave) Frequencies
  • Low Latency

So let’s take a little look at each of these major Wi-Fi 8 features and what they mean. 

What is Multiple Access Point (AP) Coordination and Transmission for Wi-Fi 8?

When a network has multiple access points deployed, e.g. in buildings and office complexes, they operate on the same radio frequency. This can cause interference and the degradation of network performance. To help alleviate this, the transmissions of the access points can be configured to avoid overlapping channels and coordinated accordingly.

Multiple Access Point (AP) coordination and transmission in Wi-Fi refers to the management of multiple access points in a wireless network to avoid interference and ensure efficient communication between the client devices and the network. 

We can ensure that transmissions do not interfere with each other by using coordination techniques for Access Points. This could look like: 

  • Channel Allocation: Interference can be minimised by configuring Access points to use non-overlapping channels. This can be done manually or automatically using techniques such as Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS).
  • Power Management: Interference can be avoided by configuring Access points to adjust their transmission power based on their proximity to other access points.
  • Load Balancing: Network loads can be balanced through configuring Access points by directing clients to connect to the least congested access point.

How can Millimetre Wave Links improve Wi-Fi 8?

Improvements in Wi-Fi 8 can be made using mmWave by providing access to a larger spectrum of frequencies. This in turn allows for higher bandwidth and data rates. 

By using mmWave, Wi-Fi 8 can support data rates of up to 100 Gbps. What would this be useful for? This feature would be perfect for things like 4K and 8K video streaming as well as virtual and augmented reality. Other high-bandwidth and low-latency applications like these would also benefit. 

Performance improvements will also be seen in environments with high node density with mmWave technology. Places like stadiums and concert halls will benefit from better coverage with Wi-Fi 8 as well as the reduction of interference between devices.  

Information on a Project Authorisation Request document suggests that Ultra High Reliability technology will be a key part of Wi-Fi 8. It looks like it will be capable of support carrier frequencies in the mmWave bands between 42.5 and 71 GHz and achieving an aggregate throughput of 100 Gbps. 

In comparison to Wi-Fi 7, it’s expected that UHR will offer improvements in maximum latency and jitter for latency-sensitive applications, especially those in the 99 to 99.9999th percentile range. 

Wi-Fi 8 and Low Latency

Why is low latency so important? In this day and age, our modern industries rely on Wi-Fi in many industrial applications, e.g. real-time control systems, remote monitoring, robotic automation. Without fast and reliable communication between devices, the performance of these applications would degrade and cause big problems. 

Even the smallest of delays in data transmission can cause significant errors or delays further down the system, affecting response time as well as negatively impacting production processes and potentially even causing safety issues. 

The amount of data generated and transmitted over Wi-Fi networks is increasing rapidly as more industrial applications adopt the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and other advanced technologies. 

In order for this data to be transmitted accurately and quickly, it’s crucial that there is low latency to reduce delays and bottlenecks. 

Previously, a latency of under 25 ms was achieved with Wi-Fi 7, using Restricted Target Wake Time (R-TWT), Stream Classification Service (SCS) and Quality of Service (QoS) signalling. However, this standard falls short of the current demands of industrial applications which need latencies of less than a few milliseconds. 

Thankfully, the Wi-Fi world is expecting UHR to enhance and improve things in this area by minimising the maximum latency of Wi-Fi. 

When will we be using Wi-Fi 8?

It’s estimated and expected that Wi-Fi 8 could become a market reality in 2027/2028. 

Watch this space! 

by admin
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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 admin
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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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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. 
  6. 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.
  7. 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).
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. 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

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What is Beamforming and Will it Make Wireless Better?

The tech world is always evolving and looking on to the next thing – To be better, quicker, stronger. Wireless and Wi-Fi technology is no different – We want to be able to access the best possible connection – Strong, reliable and fast. 

So how does beamforming help with this? 

What is Beamforming? 

Beamforming makes Wi-Fi and 5G connections more precise by utilising the science of electromagnetic interference. 

The original concept of beamforming has actually been around since the 1940’s. In current communication standards, this tech is playing a pivotal role in improving Wi-Fi and 5G among others. 

When beamforming is used alongside MU-MIMO (Multi User Multiple Input, Multiple Output) tech, it can help users to boost their data speeds by accessing more precise connections. 

How Does Beamforming Work?

Using Beamforming means that the resulting connection is faster and more reliable. It works by focusing a wireless signal to a specific receiving device. In this instance, the signal is more focused rather than being spread in all directions like, for example, a broadcast antenna. 

Unless they are blocked by a physical object, electromagnetic waves from a single antenna will radiate in all directions. To specifically target a beam of electromagnetic energy in order to focus the signal in a certain direction, you can use multiple antennas close together to broadcast the same signal at slightly different times. 

These overlapping waves will cause interference which can be good (cause the signal to be stronger) or bad (cause th signal to become weak or undetectable). 

When done constructively and correctly, the electromagnetic waves can be focused to a specific direction – Beamforming. 

We’re going to spare you the mathematics behind the process of beamforming – It’s extremely complex. If you’re a big maths geek you can look it up online and try and wrap your head around it. 

We mentioned earlier that the actual technqiue of beamforming isn’t a new concept and has been around for over 80 years. Wi-Fi and 5G aren’t the only technologies that can benefit from beamforming – Any type of energy that travels in waves can use the concept, including sound. 

Beamforming was originally developed to help in World War II by improving sonar and is still an important part of audio engineering today. 

But let’s get back to our niche – Wi-Fi and 5G tech is where our interest in beamforming lies. 

How does beamforming help Wi-Fi 6?

Wi-Fi 6 is the latest generation of Wi-Fi (also known as 802.1ax but thankfully now with improved naming via the Wi-Fi Alliance!). It succeeds the 802.11ac Wi-Fi standard (now more aptly named Wi-Fi 5). 

In terms of Wi-Fi standards, beamforming has actually been around since Wi-Fi 4 but seen improvements in both Wi-Fi 5 and Wi-Fi 6. Beamforming uses MIMO technology to be able to send out multiple, overlapping signals. 

Since 2016, the use of beamforming with Wi-Fi 5 meant that different receivers can work with different routers, hence making the beamforming techniques used in Wi-Fi equipment are vendor-neutral. 

Beamforming can also be used alongside MU-MIMO technology, allowing multiple users to communicate simultaneously with multiple antennas on the router. Beamforming used in this way ensures that each of the connected clients are efficiently targeted by the router. Data rates and range for signals to specific clients are also improved with Wi-Fi 6 through the increased number of antennas (from 4 to 8). 

What about Wi-Fi 7? 

In the world of tech we’re always looking ahead to the next thing – So what about beamforming and WI-Fi 7? Unsurprisingly, beamforming will also be a core part of Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be).  

Coordinated beamforming will use the capability of modern multi-antenna access points to spatially multiplex their stations, as well as making adjacent neighbouring non-associated stations void.

This technique can actually be used without beamforming via a joint multi-access point sounding scheme. However, a coordinated beamforming process can take advantage of a simpler sequential sounding procedure which will be a part of Wi-Fi 7. 

As each station transmits and receives data to and from a single access point, coordinated beamforming does not require joint data processing. This helps diminish backhaul needs. 

Whilst this limits complexity, it also delivers substantial throughput and latency enhancements.

Other improvements that we’ll see with Wi-Fi 7 and coordinated beamforming will hopefully include access to gigabit speeds and low-latency communications for more busineses and consumers in various applications. 

How does beamforming help 5G? 

With the prevalance of 5G increasing with the roll out of networks for smartphones and other WANs, we’ll be seeing beamforming as a core part of the new technology. 

5G frequencies are unfortunately more prone to being disrupted by objects causing interference, like walls or other similar barriers for example. This is because 5G operates on the millimetre wavelength (mmWave) frequency. 

Beamforming helps with this by creating a more reliable connection. It does by allowing the transmitter to focus the transmission in a specific direction, as explained above. This means the signal is directed towards, for example, a mobile device, vehicle or other IoT device. 

Working with MIMO, beamforming can improve throughput and efficiency by directing beams from a 5G base station in both horizonal and vertical directions  via large numbers of antennas. 

What are the pros of beamforming?

Wi-Fi and 5G tech can really benefit from beamforming. 

  • Information can be transferred quicker and with fewer errors because the signal is of a higher quality due to being focused in a specific direction
  • Users trying to connect to other signals can benefit from less interference because beamforming can reduce and even stop broadcasting in other directions

Are there any cons when it comes to beamforming? 

Whilst beamforming can have benefits for wireless technology, some limitations can lie in the actual process of doing it. 

  • Beamforming requires big computing resources. In some situations, the beamforming calculations would require time and power resources that could make the resulting benefits less worth it
  • Improving affordability means that beamforming techniques are being built into wireless equipment on the consumer market as well as enterprise-grade wireless hardware
  • For the best performance, the transmitter and receiver need to be quite close together. The further away the receiver is from the transmitter, the more the benefits diminish

It’s pretty clear to see that beamforming is a big part of the wireless world, especially in terms of Wi-Fi 6 (and 7) as well as 5G.

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What Can We Expect from Wi-Fi 8? 

Towards the end of November, there was an IEEE 802.11 conference in Thailand taking a look at what will eventually come to pass as what we will know as Wi-Fi 8. 

As with all things tech, things move at a quick pace as standards and technology advance. These meetings and conferences are important to discuss these advancements and how they affect and consolidate the next standard. 

They are a great opportunity for members of the IEEE to not only raise questions but be a part of technical proposals, as well as see what is coming up next in the world of Wi-Fi. 

New developments have the potential to affect things like certification and products, so it’s really useful to get insider knowledge. 

So what happened at this latest meeting and what will it mean for Wi-Fi 8?

You might be thinking, wait – Do we even have Wi-Fi 7 yet? The Wi-Fi 7 certification program is expected to be rolled out in 2023. But as always, there is always the next standard waiting in the wings! Things are advancing all the time and the next tech development is always on the horizon. 

Currently, we’re waiting for the 802.11be standards to be finalised. The latest IEEE meeting had a look at this with a view to getting some of the more intricate details all ironed out ready. 

The specifications for Wi-Fi 8 will likely be determined by the UHR (ultra high reliability) study group that studies various proposals. 

Will mainstream Wi-Fi use the 60 GHz spectrum in the future?

There will have been various technical presentations as a part of the IEEE meeting, with different contributors vying for different approaches to the next standard of Wi-Fi. 

An interesting potential consideration for Wi-Fi 8 was the use of the 60 GHz spectrum within mainstream Wi-Fi. WiGig, based within IEEE 802.11ad/ay, isn’t a popular choice within mainstream Wi-Fi when it comes to products. 

There are contributors that want to change this for the next gen standards, particularly in terms of integrating AR/XR/VR and the like on the 60 GHz band. 

Not everyone was pro this idea, with other contributors raising the fact that the 60 GHz band had been lacking in success. Instead, they want the UHR to study another area of the spectrum – sub-7 GHz – And look for Wi-Fi improvements there. 

Of course, these meetings are the prime place for these discussions, with a view to identifying the best course of action for the next generation of Wi-Fi standard, and where the most enhancements can be found.

The outcome of these discussions within the IEEE 802.11be meetings and the UHR studies will ultimately shape what we will come to know as Wi-Fi 8. Nothing has been finalised yet, but watch this space! 

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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. 

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 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. 

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? 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. 

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. 

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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? 

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