Wi-Fi 7 Next-Gen Connectivity

Wi-Fi 7: The revolutionary next generation of wireless connectivity

As the Internet of Things (IoT) expands and bandwidth demands skyrocket, the networking industry stands at the precipice of a major transition. Wi-Fi 7 represents not just another incremental upgrade, but a fundamental reimagining of wireless technology designed to meet the challenges of our increasingly connected world.

In an in-depth discussion with Bryce Nordstrand, vice president of managed services at ADI | Snap One, and Nima Jamshidi, director of networking product management for ADI | Snap One, we explored every facet of this emerging standard, from its technical breakthroughs and evolution of Wi-Fi technology to real-world implementation challenges.

The unstoppable growth driving Wi-Fi 7 adoption

The genesis of Wi-Fi 7 lies in a simple, undeniable trend: the explosive proliferation of connected devices. Where homes once contained a handful of Wi-Fi gadgets, they now host dozens, and in some cases, hundreds.

"I remember myself having 20 devices in my house, and now when I go to my OvrC account, I have 120 Wi-Fi devices connected," says Nima Jamshidi, emphasizing the dramatic shift. "I'm in technology, so I do a lot of testing, but it shows how much it's growing. The applications need higher bandwidth, lower latency — and these are all the promises behind Wi-Fi 7."

This IoT device explosion isn't limited to residential environments. Commercial spaces, from offices to healthcare facilities, are experiencing similar growth. According to Nordstrand, remote workers during the COVID pandemic got used to having all of their convenient connected devices at their disposal.

"Now they expect the same in offices,” Nordstrand says. “We're seeing live TVs in support offices because people don't want to be in cold, dark environments anymore."

Wi-Fi 7 vs. Wi-Fi 6: A fundamental rewrite

According to Nordstrand, the Wi-Fi 7 specification is a total rewrite of Wi-Fi technology, a departure from previous generations of Wi-Fi development.

The rewrite, Nordstrand says, represents a major shift in the requirements of wireless networks and the IoT. Individual devices connecting to a wireless system and doing their own individual thing are now table stakes, but devices are now beginning to talk to one another to carry out automations.

This shift reflects the maturation of the Internet of Things from concept to reality. Where Wi-Fi 6 handles discrete connections well, Wi-Fi 7 is built for ecosystems where devices constantly communicate, such as security cameras alerting smart locks, thermostats adjusting based on occupancy sensors and entertainment systems syncing across multiple rooms.

Technical breakthroughs: What makes Wi-Fi 7 special

Wi-Fi 7 offers several major improvements, including higher bandwidth, lower latency and greater overall efficiency. One of the key technical advancements, Multi-Link Operation (MLO), allows multiple connections across different bands simultaneously, enabling a single access point to support more devices more effectively than older technologies like MU-MIMO.

This is more important as network demands become more complicated. As streaming and other bandwidth-heavy applications grow, the 5GHz band became more popular, pushing companies to evolve their technology from basic two-stream (2x2) designs to more advanced four-stream (4x4) systems to deliver better performance.

Security also receives significant attention in Wi-Fi 7 with the implementation of WPA3-SAE-H2E (Hash-to-Element), a more robust encryption protocol than the WPA3-SAE used in Wi-Fi 6.

According to Jamshidi, while WPA3-SAE was initially promoted as a major security advancement for Wi-Fi 6, it was quickly compromised and had to be patched. With Wi-Fi 7, a stronger security standard, WPA3-SAE with H2E enabled, has been introduced. Although WPA3-SAE is still supported for backward compatibility with older devices, any communication over the 6GHz band with Wi-Fi 7 devices must use WPA3-SAE with H2E enabled, resulting in a significantly more secure connection for newer devices.

“There’s definitely a leap forward to more secure connections,” Jamshidi says.

Beyond wireless standards, Access Networks and ADI | Snap One offer network design services and recommend best practices like using firewalls, keeping firmware updated and leveraging platforms like OvrC and ARCC for remote monitoring and firmware updates at scale.

However, Nordstrand stressed that even the best technology can't fully protect a network if end users aren't properly educated.

“If somebody on the other end with that device clicks on something they're not supposed to click on and they aren’t educated on what these things can do, we can't stop that,” Nordstrand says.

To address this, Access Networks also supports integrators by providing educational resources they can share with their clients to improve cybersecurity awareness, a practice that's still rare in residential environments despite growing threats.

Implementation challenges for integrators

While Wi-Fi 7's benefits are compelling, successful deployment requires navigating several technical and design challenges.

"Placement, placement, placement," Jamshidi emphasizes. "If you buy the most expensive wireless solution and have horrible placement, there's nothing you can do. It's the laws of physics — if APs are too far apart, you'll get disconnected walking between them."

“You’ve got to think about your AP placement,” Nordstrand agrees. “Does it need to be in-room now to get that kind of coverage?”

Wi-Fi 7 access points also demand substantially more power and robust supporting infrastructure.

"The power requirements for Wi-Fi 7 are very different from a PoE perspective," Nordstrand notes. "We have multiple switch options, with the Araknis 620 being my preferred choice because of its rear-facing ports and high-power PoE support."

Another potential pitfall that will require education is how Wi-Fi 7 devices can operate in two different power modes: low power and high power.

According to Jamshidi, access points operated at high power mode won’t be able to connect with a device that doesn’t support that. The device needs to be certified for low power and high power, and it can only operate on one at a time.

“I think there’s going to be a ton of education there,” Jamshidi predicts.

Real-world applications and future outlook

While mass adoption is still developing, several use cases demonstrate Wi-Fi 7's transformative potential. 

Luxury smart homes with dozens of IoT devices, 8K video distribution and immersive AR/VR entertainment systems will benefit enormously from Wi-Fi 7's capabilities. A truly automated home experience requires disparate systems and devices to communicate with one another.  

Imagine a home where every family member is streaming 8K video while security cameras record in 4K. When the camera detects the motion of the homeowner’s face at the door, the lighting system illuminates the foyer and the front door unlocks. These are all enhanced by Wi-Fi 7. 

Business environments are evolving rapidly post-pandemic, with hybrid work models demanding robust wireless infrastructure. According to Nordstrand, offices now need to support personal devices alongside business systems such as digital signage, video conferencing and building automation systems, and these all require reliably high-bandwidth connections.  

Jamshidi points to specialized environments such as healthcare, where Wi-Fi will be crucial. An operating room can’t tolerate lag when somebody’s life is on the line.  

“You need the highest bandwidth and lowest latency,” Jamshidi says. “Operating in those channels where it’s cleaner helps compared to Wi-Fi 6 capabilities.” 

Access Networks' Wi-Fi 7 ecosystem

As an ADI | Snap One brand, Access Networks offers a comprehensive approach to Wi-Fi 7 deployment, combining hardware, software, and services.

The company currently offers two indoor Wi-Fi 7 access points under the Access Networks brand and is planning to add more to the lineup later this year, including an outdoor option and a more affordable option.

ADI | Snap One also offers a variety of different PoE switches, including the ARAKNIS 620, which boasts rear-facing ports and 60W of power from each PoE++ Type 3 port.

Nordstrand also highlights the importance of backward compatibility, which allows integrators to cover portions of a home with Wi-Fi 7 and work alongside Wi-Fi 6 networks.

“In a 20,000-square-foot house — but the owners only live in 3,000 square feet of it — integrators could focus that Wi-Fi 7 experience in 3,000 square feet and still cover the rest of it with Wi-Fi 6.”

Design and support services

Access Networks differentiates itself through professional design services that account for Wi-Fi 7's unique requirements. In fact, the company’s network design services are likely now more important than ever, thanks to some added complexities with designing Wi-Fi 7 networks.

Without careful design, adding more access points to achieve 6GHz saturation could unintentionally create interference on the 2.4GHz band, leading to performance issues.

“There’s a high risk that somebody says to an integrator, ‘I want the best of the best and I want it everywhere,’ and they go put in twice as many access points as they used to and they create more problems than they fix,” Nordstrand adds.

This is why Access Networks emphasizes working closely with integrators to build systems that balance performance, coverage and stability.

Futureproofing with Wi-Fi 7

Wi-Fi 7 is positioning networks to meet the demands of the future by offering the speed, efficiency and capacity necessary for emerging technologies. Although many current applications can still function on earlier wireless standards, trends like augmented reality, virtual reality, AI-driven automation and increasingly connected smart environments are quickly raising expectations for network performance.

Wi-Fi 7 addresses these needs with higher bandwidth, lower latency and better device efficiency, ensuring that networks built today will be able to handle the applications and device ecosystems of tomorrow. By adopting Wi-Fi 7 now, integrators and their clients are laying the groundwork for a smoother, more reliable connected experience as technology continues to evolve.

Jamshidi draws a compelling parallel to 4K TV adoption, which saw 4K displays before a lot of 4K content was even available.

“Similarly, Wi-Fi 7 is here before most applications need it. But as requirements grow, adoption will accelerate,” Jamshidi says.

The future of wireless is here, and it's faster, smarter and more connected than ever before.