But instead of using these bands separately and treating them as exclusive channels, Wi-Fi 7 devices can use all bands to significantly improve the experience, in theory. Real-world applications may turn out a little different, and we’ll explore why in a moment.
Using multiple bands simultaneously could improve performance. Applications affected by high bandwidth and latency, such as media streaming or gaming, will benefit from increased capabilities, with more bandwidth to work with. Additionally, large uploads and downloads should perform better and experience increased speed. And on networks with many devices connected via the usual 2.4 GHz band, congestion should be less of a concern with the other available bands. This all sounds fantastic, and we should see significantly improved performance across the board if it works as promised. However, the technology has some drawbacks you should know about. Before upgrading to a Wi-Fi 7 router this year, you need to understand these drawbacks.
1. It’s not ready for prime time yet
Client devices are built to the Wi-Fi 7 standard, so they do exist. But with new technologies like this, it simply takes time for the market as a whole to adopt the new solutions. Additionally, Wi-Fi 7’s theoretical and advertised speed of up to 46 Gbps will not be possible for most devices. You’ll see much lower daily speeds, and even then, they’ll be capped by your Internet service provider’s limits.
Not to mention, there is a wave of bans on foreign-made routers that could interfere with future software support. Popular brand Netgear received an exemption from the FCC, and the US government overturned the ban on firmware support for routers and drones. The expiration is now set at 2028, but it’s still something to consider when considering an upgrade.
2. The best feature of Wi-Fi 7 isn’t even really supported
In the real world, Wi-Fi 7 routers are not configured for Enhanced Multi-Link Multi-Radio (EMLMR), which is true simultaneous use of all bands. Instead, most use alternating MLO, which involves quickly switching between bands with only one active at a time, choosing the best band as needed. In short, the current iteration of Wi-Fi 7 routers available on the market doesn’t leverage the latest technologies as they should, resulting in lower real-world performance for network users.
3. Wi-Fi 6E already delivers a reliable performance boost
The speed increase is more than enough for the average home network, and with most home internet plans capped at around 1Gbps, an early upgrade to Wi-Fi 7, if you already have a Wi-Fi 6E router, would be absurd. Honestly, if your router supports the basic Wi-Fi 6 standard, you might even want to wait for an upgrade. The difference between base Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E is that the latter addresses some of the biggest problems with the original standard, and it’s a big enough performance jump to warrant an upgrade. Wi-Fi 7 isn’t here yet. Of course, if you’re coming from a system older than Wi-Fi 6, you’ll definitely see speed increases, as the technology has improved significantly.
From a cost perspective, Wi-Fi 7 and Wi-Fi 6E routers are on equal footing, even more so if you can find great deals and discounts. But Wi-Fi 7 mesh routers are much more expensive, so a budget option might be the better choice, especially since you won’t see any performance increase.
4. Wi-Fi 8 is already on the way
Since the new Wi-Fi standards are backwards compatible, when they arrive, Wi-Fi 8 should work fine with all your existing equipment. The same performance issues will apply there – you’ll need Wi-Fi 8-ready clients – but by then, many Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 devices will be operating at higher speeds. Basically, the world of consumer products will have caught up by the time Wi-Fi 8 is readily available. We’re really not that far from final ratification, so it might be worth waiting for an upgrade, unless you’re still living in the Dark Ages.
