There is no official approval of the specifications yet WiFi 7 but major manufacturers are getting organized to start bringing the technology to market. Intel, for example, has already presented its first WiFi 7 controllers and adapters, which will hit the market in various forms as early as this year. Other manufacturers have moved in the same direction by unveiling the first ones chip WiFi 7.
We have already explained what WiFi 7 is and why, this time, it promises to be a really interesting “update”: first of all, it combines the three bands WiFi 6 and WiFi 6E allowing the combination of 2,4, 5 e 6 GHz under a single “umbrella”. Secondly, WiFi 7 promises a bandwidth up to 40 Gbps, positioning itself as a technology that aims to present itself as a real alternative to the Ethernet cable.
It goes without saying that if WiFi 6 and WiFi 6e are now starting to be taken into consideration by end users, the certification complete with specifications WiFi 7 won’t arrive before 2024. Devices compatible with WiFi 7 will therefore not be available for purchase before the end of next year and it will then take some time for them to really start to spread.
The first WiFi 7 chips on the market
Speaking about the compatibility between Windows 10 and WiFi 7, we predicted that the new standard wireless may not be the prerogative of Windows 11 and Windows 12. Even outside the program Windows Hardware Compatibility Program (WHCP) managed by Microsoft, they will most likely be available driver WiFi 7 per Windows 10.
Intel currently indicates the aforementioned ones Wi-Fi 7 M.2-2230 adapters BE200 and BE202. Both support 2×2 flows both in transmission and reception, they can work on the three WiFi bands with the BE200 which can reach a full speed in the data transfer phase of 5 Gbps, a value which is still significantly lower than the “potential” that the new standard can express.
The Santa Clara company describes the two chips BE200 e BE202 as “pre-certified” WiFi 7: interfaces supported PCIe e USB and can be used for both desktop and laptop motherboards. It is already known that BE200 will be used by the next motherboard Gigabyte Aorus Z790 Master X.
Other chips compatible with the WiFi 7 specification that anticipate standard approval are the Qualcomm QCNCM865 and the MediaTek MT7927 RZ738.
In another article we saw what WiFi bands, frequencies, channels and streams are: with WiFi 7 the channel width maximum goes to 320 MHz with the possibility of using 4096-QAM modulation (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation).
Channel width and modulation in WiFi 7
A channel width of 320 MHz means that the network can transmit more data in a given amount of time than was previously possible. However, the actual usefulness depends on various factors. There frequency regulationFurthermore, it plays an essential role: in the case of WiFi 6e, for example, in the United States it is possible to use as many as three 320 MHz blocks in the spectrum; in Europe only one can be committed.
4096-QAM modulation is one modulation technique usable in the most advanced WiFi networks to transmit data via radio signals. It allows you to transport a large amount of data over a wireless channel, but is more complex and sensitive to errors compared to less advanced forms of modulation.
The number “4096” refers to the possible symbols or states that can be represented by the modulation. In other words, there are 4096 possible combinations of breadth e phase used to encode data. In WiFi 6 and WiFi 7, 4096-QAM allows you to transmit data at very high speeds but is obviously more sensitive noise and at interference.
In short, this type of modulation remains suitable for situations in which the environmental conditions are more favorable: if the signal is weak or subject to interference, it may be necessary to switch to less complex modulations to maintain a reliable connection.
Intel initially planned to bring WiFi 7 and the WiGig approach only to virtual and augmented reality devices. Now we are looking towards global adoption, even if it will take a matter of years.
Opening image credit: iStock.com/NicoElNino