What is Wi-Fi 8?

Wi-Fi 8 is the next generation of Wi-Fi and a successor to the IEEE 802.11be (Wi-Fi 7) standard. In line with all previous Wi-Fi standards, Wi-Fi 8 will aim to improve wireless performance in general along with introducing new and innovative features to further advance Wi-Fi technology. It will likely offer faster speeds, lower latency, and better performance than previous versions of Wi-Fi. There are no official details or specifications for Wi-Fi 8 at the moment, however there is a lot speculation on what new features this standard will support. Some of the technical details for Wi-Fi 8 are expected to be finalized by 2024.

Over the course of its evolution, Wi-Fi standards have played a critical role in providing seamless wireless connectivity within indoor and office environments. Despite its success, however, these standards have proven inadequate when it comes to meeting the demanding requirements of modern industries, including Industry 4.0 and Industrial IoT.

The upcoming Wi-Fi 8 standard is poised to address these needs with a special emphasis on the unique challenges posed by industrial applications. Wi-Fi 8 is expected to offer a range of powerful new features and capabilities designed to provide high-reliability, ultra-low latency, and support for extremely high node density. Some of the major features we can expect from Wi-Fi 8 include:

• Multiple Access Point (AP) Coordination and Transmission
• Millimeter Wave (mmWave) Frequencies
• Low Latency

Multiple Access Point (AP) Coordination and Transmission

Multiple Access Point (AP) coordination and transmission in Wi-Fi refers to the management of multiple access points in a wireless network to avoid interference and ensure efficient communication between the client devices and the network. When multiple access points are deployed in a network – for instance in buildings and office complexes – they operate on the same radio frequency, which can cause interference and degrade the network performance. To mitigate this issue, access points can be configured to coordinate their transmissions and avoid overlapping channels.

Access points can use different coordination techniques to ensure that their transmissions do not interfere with each other, such as:

• Channel Allocation: Access points can be configured to use non-overlapping channels to minimize interference. This can be done manually or automatically using techniques such as Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS).
• Power Management: Access points can be configured to adjust their transmission power based on their proximity to other access points to avoid interference.
• Load Balancing: Access points can be configured to balance the network load by directing clients to connect to the least congested access point.

Millimeter Wave Links

mmWave can improve Wi-Fi 8 by providing access to a larger spectrum of frequencies, allowing for higher bandwidth and data rates. By using mmWave, Wi-Fi 8 can support data rates of up to 100 Gbps, making it ideal for high-bandwidth applications such as 4K and 8K video streaming, as well as low-latency applications such as virtual and augmented reality.

Moreover, mmWave technology can improve Wi-Fi 8's performance in environments with high node density, such as stadiums and concert halls. By utilizing beamforming and other advanced techniques, Wi-Fi 8 can provide better coverage and reduce interference between devices.

According to a Project Authorization Request (PAR) document, it is indicative that UHR technology will be capable of supporting carrier frequencies in the millimeter wave bands (between 42.5 and 71 GHz) and achieving a minimum aggregate throughput of 100 Gbps. UHR is anticipated to offer improvements in maximum latency and jitter for latency-sensitive applications, particularly in the 99 to 99.9999th percentile range when compared to Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be).

Low Latency

Low latency is important for Wi-Fi use in modern industries because many industrial applications, such as real-time control systems, remote monitoring, and robotic automation, require fast and reliable communication between devices. In these applications, even small delays in transmitting data can result in significant errors or delays in system response time, which can negatively impact production processes and potentially cause safety issues.

In addition, as more industrial applications adopt the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and other advanced technologies, the amount of data generated and transmitted over Wi-Fi networks is increasing rapidly. Low latency is crucial to ensure that this data is transmitted quickly and accurately, without delays or bottlenecks.

While Wi-Fi 7 was capable of achieving a latency of under 25 ms with the use of Restricted Target Wake Time (R-TWT) and Stream Classification Service (SCS) based Quality of Service (QoS) signalling, this falls short of the demands of industrial applications that require latencies of less than a few milliseconds. Therefore, it is anticipated that UHR will enhance and improve upon the mechanisms established by 802.11be to further minimize the maximum latency of Wi-Fi.

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