The development of Wi-Fi standards

On 20 June, we celebrate World Wi-Fi Day, a technology which got its start back in 1997. Since its introduction, wireless technology has undergone rapid development. The first version of the Wi-Fi standard IEEE 802.11 in 1997 offered maximum transmission speeds of 2 Mbps. The current version IEEE 802.11be theoretically offers up to 46,000 Mbps. And while the technical name of the standard may have stayed the same, in recent years, simpler nomenclature has been established. Here is an overview of the most important Wi-Fi standards and technological advancements:

• Wi-Fi 4 (IEEE 802.11n): Support for 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz frequency bands for transmission speeds of up to 600 Mbps.
• Wi-Fi 5 (IEEE 802.11ac): Increase in the possible transmission speed, for example due to optimised modulation, larger channel widths and more simultaneous connections thanks to MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) technology. Wi-Fi 5 enables transmission speeds of up to 6,933 Mbps.
• Wi-Fi 6 (IEEE 802.11ax): Transmission speeds of up to 9,600 Mbps and added stability. This is achieved in part due to OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access)—this technology makes it possible for multiple devices to send and receive data packets at the same time. WPA3 (Wi-Fi Protected Access 3) is also becoming the new standard encryption protocol.
• Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be): Transmission speeds of up to 46,000 Mbps. Some of the most important features include the use of the 6-GHz frequency band, even larger channel widths and additional optimisations to the aforementioned OFDMA and MIMO technologies.

And further improvement has not stopped. Wi-Fi 8 (802.11bn) is already being developed and aims to increase the response time, reliability and stability of Wi-Fi networks.

The terms WLAN and Wi-Fi are often used synonymously. Strictly speaking, this is not correct. The term WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) represents the actual wireless LAN. "Wi-Fi" in turn stands for the corresponding certification by the Wi-Fi Alliance and is an abbreviation for "Wireless Fidelity".

What is mesh Wi-Fi?

Anyone who deals with state-of-the-art Wi-Fi hardware will eventually stumble upon the term mesh Wi-Fi. This is an innovative technology that enables multiple Wi-Fi access points to work together intelligently, creating a tightly meshed, comprehensive and stable home network. To achieve this, the mesh Wi-Fi automatically organises the optimal assignment between Wi-Fi access points and receiving devices (Access Point Steering), for example. This especially benefits users in households with large living spaces and many Wi-Fi clients.

Wi-Fi security: WPA2 and WPA3

One important aspect of wireless connections is security, which has also continuously improved over the years. Nowadays, WPA2 and WPA3 are the most common encryption methods for Wi-Fi networks. The abbreviation stands for Wi-Fi Protected Access. WPA2 was introduced as the successor to the older WPA protocol in 2004 and offers secure authentication of clients in the network in addition to robust AES encryption.

WPA3 builds on the strengths of its predecessor, particularly improving protection in public networks and making targeted attacks on weak passwords more difficult. WPA3 is also better optimized for IoT clients and integrates them into their own network easily and securely using the Easy Connect function.

Wi-Fi and AI

Artificial intelligence will also play a more important role in the future of Wi-Fi. In mobile phone networks, systems are already being used which enable the self-organization of the network. These SONs (self-organizing networks) use machine learning to manage and optimise networks autonomously. For example, this enables automated configuration processes, optimised channel selection and adjustments to transmission settings in real time. What are known as self-healing networks also recognize failures or problems on their own and remedy them without manual intervention. These kinds of AI-supported analyses and solutions increase the stability, performance and scalability of these networks. However, these are currently only used in large networks.

The future of Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi technology has developed rapidly—and there are further innovations expected in future. Based on the information so far concerning Wi-Fi 8, no gigantic leaps in transmission speeds should be expected for the time being. Instead, the focus is on expanding stability and reliability. And this makes sense, since the transmission speeds that are already theoretically possible today are sufficient for most applications. However, the steady increase in Wi-Fi clients is leading to transmission problems more frequently. Future generations of the standard will have to face this technical challenge first. Wi-Fi technology may also contribute to a more sustainable future through improved energy efficiency.

In light of the constant increase in wireless devices, end users should not forget the natural limits of Wi-Fi technology when setting up their home networks. Wireless connections have fundamental weaknesses that even technological advancements cannot fix. For example, these include weakening at greater distances and through ceilings, walls or even water pipes. Especially in large living spaces spanning multiple storeys, theoretically possible transmission speeds are greatly reduced in practice. For efficient and high-performance networking, Powerline technology is the right choice. It uses the available power lines for data transmission, thus closing the gaps in spots where thick walls, long distances or structural obstacles weaken the wireless signal. In combination with Wi-Fi access points, this creates a future-proofed home network which is quick, stable and comprehensive. A Wi-Fi repeater is recommended for small to medium-sized areas.