Der neue WLAN-Standard Wi-Fi 7 bringt 2024 mit einem Datendurchsatz von bis zu 46 Gigabit pro Sekunde einen Quantensprung in der Kommunikationsgeschwindigkeit. |
With data throughput of up to 46 gigabits per second, the new Wi-Fi 7 wireless standard represents a quantum leap in communication speed in 2024. |
---|---|
Mit Wi-Fi 7 alias IEEE P802.11be steht der Nachfolger des aktuellen WLAN-Standards Wi-Fi 6E in den Startlöchern für 2024. Der neue WLAN-Standard soll im kommenden Jahr verabschiedet werden und den Datendurchsatz in Funknetzen noch einmal deutlich erhöhen. Doch auch über die reine Geschwindigkeit hinaus bietet Wi-Fi 7 zahlreiche Verbesserungen, die den Standard zum Rückgrat moderner Büro- und Industrienetzwerke machen. NTT Ltd, ein führendes IT-Infrastruktur- und Dienstleistungsunternehmen, gibt einen Überblick:
„Wi-Fi 7 kann die Benutzererfahrung in smarten Büros und die Automatisierung in modernen Industrieumgebungen erheblich verbessern, weil der Standard schnellere und zuverlässigere Datenübertragungen erlaubt – selbst wenn sehr viele Geräte gleichzeitig im Funknetz aktiv sind“, erläutert Steffen Göpel, Principal Solution Architect Networking, Team Lead Germany bei NTT Ltd. „Es ist jedoch wichtig, die spezifischen Anforderungen und Ziele der Umgebung zu berücksichtigen, um sicherzustellen, dass die Einführung von Wi-Fi 7 tatsächlich sinnvoll und effektiv ist. Um Probleme zu vermeiden, sollten Unternehmen zudem warten, bis der Standard im kommenden Jahr verabschiedet wird, auch wenn erste Anbieter bereits mit Pre-Standard-Geräten vorpreschen.“ |
Wi-Fi 7, also known as IEEE P802.11be, is the successor to the current Wi-Fi 6E standard and is expected to be introduced in 2024. The new Wi-Fi standard is expected to be adopted next year and will further increase data throughput in wireless networks. But Wi-Fi 7 also offers many improvements beyond speed, making it the backbone of modern office and industrial networks. NTT Ltd, a leading IT infrastructure and services company, provides an overview:
– Increased data throughput: Wi-Fi 7 increases data throughput to up to 46 gigabits per second, thanks in part to the simultaneous use of all three frequency bands (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz and 6 GHz) using Multi-Link Operation (MLO), wider radio channels and an improved modulation scheme. These high speeds are ideal for networks where many devices are moving and transmitting data. This is the case in both modern office environments and modern industrial environments. In offices, data is transmitted not only by employees‘ computers and smartphones, but also by IoT devices such as smart boards and conferencing systems, as well as sensors that monitor temperature, air quality and energy consumption. In industry, new sensors and IoT devices are increasingly monitoring and controlling production and logistics processes. – Fewer interruptions: When many devices are active at the same time, there is a risk of interference to wireless networks as devices interfere with each other. Wi-Fi 7 is designed to prevent this through improved MU-MIMO (Multi-User Multiple Input, Multiple Output) and OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access). MU-MIMO now allows for more targeted control of individual devices through up to 16 antennas, while OFDMA divides radio channels to serve more devices in parallel. In this way, the new standard ensures that sensors and IoT devices can collect and transmit all data correctly. In addition, Wi-Fi 7 uses BSS coloring to reduce interference between neighboring cells, which is important in large infrastructures with many access points. – Lower latency: The simultaneous use of three frequency bands not only increases data throughput, but also reduces latency. This results in virtually delay-free communications, which is especially important for real-time applications. These include videoconferencing, VoIP telephony, and many remote collaboration tools, as well as many industrial applications that need to immediately adjust or stop processes when production parameters change or a person inadvertently enters the workspace of a production robot. MU-MIMO and OFDMA also contribute to Wi-Fi 7’s latency improvements by preventing interference on busy WLANs. – Lower power consumption: Wi-Fi 7 supports Target Wake Time (TWT), a feature that allows Wi-Fi clients to go to sleep between data transmissions. This means they do not need to be constantly ready to receive data, which reduces power consumption. This is particularly beneficial for battery-powered clients such as sensors and actuators, which often only transmit a reading or receive a command every few seconds or minutes, and whose batteries should last as long as possible to minimize maintenance costs. – High security: Wi-Fi 7 supports the latest Wi-Fi security standard, WPA3, which uses advanced encryption and authentication methods to better protect data. This helps prevent third parties from interfering with communications and intercepting or tampering with data. It is now unlikely that Wi-Fi 7 will rely on its successor, WPA4, as was speculated a few months ago, as it is still in the early stages of development. „Wi-Fi 7 can significantly improve the user experience in smart offices and automation in modern industrial environments by enabling faster and more reliable data transmissions – even when a large number of devices are active on the wireless network at the same time,“ said Steffen Göpel, Principal Solution Architect Networking, Team Lead Germany at NTT Ltd. „However, it is important to consider the specific requirements and objectives of the environment to ensure that the implementation of Wi-Fi 7 is truly meaningful and effective. To avoid problems, companies should also wait until the standard is adopted next year, even if the first vendors are already pushing pre-standard devices“. |

Dr. Jakob Jung ist Chefredakteur Security Storage und Channel Germany. Er ist seit mehr als 20 Jahren im IT-Journalismus tätig. Zu seinen beruflichen Stationen gehören Computer Reseller News, Heise Resale, Informationweek, Techtarget (Storage und Datacenter) sowie ChannelBiz. Darüber hinaus ist er für zahlreiche IT-Publikationen freiberuflich tätig, darunter Computerwoche, Channelpartner, IT-Business, Storage-Insider und ZDnet. Seine Themenschwerpunkte sind Channel, Storage, Security, Datacenter, ERP und CRM.
Dr. Jakob Jung is Editor-in-Chief of Security Storage and Channel Germany. He has been working in IT journalism for more than 20 years. His career includes Computer Reseller News, Heise Resale, Informationweek, Techtarget (storage and data center) and ChannelBiz. He also freelances for numerous IT publications, including Computerwoche, Channelpartner, IT-Business, Storage-Insider and ZDnet. His main topics are channel, storage, security, data center, ERP and CRM.
Kontakt – Contact via Mail: jakob.jung@security-storage-und-channel-germany.de