Wi-Fi 8 could fix the biggest problems with home Wi-Fi
What's the story
The next generation of Wi-Fi, dubbed Wi-Fi 8, is in the works and it promises to be a major upgrade for home networks. The new standard will focus on reliability rather than internet speed, making it different from previous generations. The IEEE has dubbed this version "Ultra High Reliability." While it may not sound as exciting as other upgrades, its impact could be more significant in real-world scenarios.
Change in approach
Focus on reliability over speed
Unlike its predecessors, Wi-Fi 8 won't be about speed.
The new standard will have roughly the same maximum data rate as Wi-Fi 7, with similar spatial streams and modulation.
However, the IEEE is focusing on improving reliability and effective throughput by reducing interference and handling non-ideal conditions better.
The goal is to improve connectivity for all devices connected to a network, especially those that don't require much bandwidth, like smart home products.
Enhanced capabilities
Significant improvements in throughput and latency
Wi-Fi 8 aims to improve throughput by 25% at various signal-to-interference-and-noise ratio (SINR) levels, reduce latency by the same margin for high-latency scenarios, and cut down MAC protocol data unit loss (MPDU) by a quarter.
The new standard also introduces Distributed-tone resource units (DRUs), which let devices spread their transmissions over a wider bandwidth range.
This results in higher transmit power without breaching regulations on how much power can be transmitted in a given piece of bandwidth.
Advanced features
New features to enhance performance
Wi-Fi 8 also brings interference mitigation pilots to combat unexpected interferences, especially in unlicensed bands.
It uses unequal modulations for more efficient use of each spatial stream by adjusting the modulation individually based on SINR.
New Modulation and Coding Schemes (MCS) have also been added to further improve throughput.
Latency reductions are achieved with features like P-EDCA, which speeds up channel access for prioritized devices while mitigating effects on non-prioritized ones.
Improved transitions
Seamless roaming for uninterrupted connectivity
Wi-Fi 8 also promises seamless roaming, ensuring next to no downtime when moving between access points.
It should improve connectivity when using multiple access points simultaneously, leveraging various coordination features for a more reliable connection and higher throughput in these scenarios.
The standard is expected to be finalized by May 2028, with early Wi-Fi 8 support devices starting to appear that year.