IEEE 802.11be

IEEE 802.11be, dubbed Extremely High Throughput (EHT), is the next amendment of the IEEE 802.11 standard,[5] which will be designated Wi-Fi 7.[6][7][8] It will build upon 802.11ax, focusing on WLAN indoor and outdoor operation with stationary and pedestrian speeds in the 2.4, 5, and 6 GHz frequency bands.[9] Speeds are expected to reach a theoretical maximum of 46 Gbit/s, although actual results will be much lower.[10]

Not to be confused with IEEE 802.11b.

Wi-Fi generations
Generation IEEE
standard		 Adopted Maximum
link rate
(Mbit/s)		 Radio
frequency
(GHz)
Wi-Fi 7 802.11be (2024) 1376 to 46120 2.4/5/6
Wi-Fi 6E 802.11ax 2020 574 to 9608[1] 6[lower-alpha 1]
Wi-Fi 6 2019 2.4/5
Wi-Fi 5 802.11ac 2014 433 to 6933 5[lower-alpha 2]
Wi-Fi 4 802.11n 2008 72 to 600 2.4/5
(Wi-Fi 3)* 802.11g 2003 6 to 54 2.4
(Wi-Fi 2)* 802.11a 1999 5
(Wi-Fi 1)* 802.11b 1999 1 to 11 2.4
(Wi-Fi 0)* 802.11 1997 1 to 2 2.4
*Wi-Fi 0, 1, 2, and 3 are by retroactive inference [2][3][4]

Development of the 802.11be amendment is ongoing, with an initial draft in March 2021, and a final version expected by early 2024.[7][11][12] Despite this, numerous products were announced in 2022 based on draft standards, with retail availability in early 2023.

The global Wi-Fi 7 market is estimated at 1 billion USD in 2023, and is projected to reach 24.2 billion USD by 2030.[13]

Core features

The following are core features that have been approved as of Draft 3.0:

  • 4096-QAM (4K-QAM) enables each symbol to carry 12 bits rather than 10 bits, resulting in 20% higher theoretical transmission rates than WiFi 6's 1024-QAM.
  • Contiguous and non-contiguous 320/160+160 MHz and 240/160+80 MHz bandwidth
  • Multi-Link Operation (MLO), a feature that increases capacity by simultaneously sending and receiving data across different frequency bands and channels. (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz)[14]
  • Up to 1/100th the latency through the use of MLO
  • 16 spatial streams and Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) protocol enhancements[14]
  • Flexible Channel Utilization - Interference currently can negate an entire Wi-Fi channel. With preamble puncturing, a portion of the channel that is impacted by interference can be blocked off while continuing to use the rest of the channel.

Candidate features

The main candidate features mentioned in the 802.11be Project Authorization Request (PAR) are:[15]

  • Multi-Access Point (AP) Coordination (e.g. coordinated and joint transmission),
  • Enhanced link adaptation and retransmission protocol (e.g. Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ)),
  • If needed, adaptation to regulatory rules specific to 6 GHz spectrum,
  • Integrating Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) IEEE 802.1Q extensions for low-latency real-time traffic:[16][17][18][19]
    • IEEE 802.1AS timing and synchronisation
    • IEEE 802.11aa MAC Enhancements for Robust Audio Video Streaming (Stream Reservation Protocol over IEEE 802.11)
    • IEEE 802.11ak Enhancements for Transit Links Within Bridged Networks (802.11 links in 802.1Q networks)
    • Bounded latency: credit-based (IEEE 802.1Qav) and cyclic/time-aware traffic shaping (IEEE 802.1Qch/Qbv), asynchronous traffic scheduling (IEEE 802.1Qcr-2020)
    • IEEE 802.11ax Scheduled Operation extensions for reduced jitter/latency

Additional features

Apart from the features mentioned in the PAR, there are newly introduced features:[20]

  • Newly introduced 4096-QAM (4K-QAM),
  • Contiguous and non-contiguous 320/160+160 MHz and 240/160+80 MHz bandwidth,
  • Frame formats with improved forward-compatibility,
  • Enhanced resource allocation in OFDMA,
  • Optimized channel sounding that requires less airtime,
  • Implicit channel sounding,
  • More flexible preamble puncturing scheme,
  • Support of direct links, managed by an access point.

Rate set
Modulation and coding schemes
MCS

index[lower-roman 1]

 Modulation

type

 Coding

rate

 Data rate (Mbit/s)[lower-roman 2]
20 MHz channels 40 MHz channels 80 MHz channels 160 MHz channels 320 MHz channels
3200 ns GI[lower-roman 3] 1600 ns GI 800 ns GI 3200 ns GI 1600 ns GI 800 ns GI 3200 ns GI 1600 ns GI 800 ns GI 3200 ns GI 1600 ns GI 800 ns GI 3200 ns GI 1600 ns GI 800 ns GI
0 BPSK 1/2 7 8 9 15 16 17 31 34 36 61 68 72 123 136 144
1 QPSK 1/2 15 16 17 29 33 34 61 68 72 122 136 144 245 272 288
2 QPSK 3/4 22 24 26 44 49 52 92 102 108 184 204 216 368 408 432
3 16-QAM 1/2 29 33 34 59 65 69 123 136 144 245 272 282 490 544 577
4 16-QAM 3/4 44 49 52 88 98 103 184 204 216 368 408 432 735 817 865
5 64-QAM 2/3 59 65 69 117 130 138 245 272 288 490 544 576 980 1089 1153
6 64-QAM 3/4 66 73 77 132 146 155 276 306 324 551 613 649 1103 1225 1297
7 64-QAM 5/6 73 81 86 146 163 172 306 340 360 613 681 721 1225 1361 1441
8 256-QAM 3/4 88 98 103 176 195 207 368 408 432 735 817 865 1470 1633 1729
9 256-QAM 5/6 98 108 115 195 217 229 408 453 480 817 907 961 1633 1815 1922
10 1024-QAM 3/4 110 122 129 219 244 258 459 510 540 919 1021 1081 1838 2042 2162
11 1024-QAM 5/6 122 135 143 244 271 287 510 567 600 1021 1134 1201 2042 2269 2402
12 4096-QAM 3/4 131 146 155 263 293 310 551 613 649 1103 1225 1297 2205 2450 2594
13 4096-QAM 5/6 146 163 172 293 325 344 613 681 721 1225 1361 1441 2450 2722 2882
14 BPSK-DCM-DUP 1/2 7 8 9 15 17 18 31 34 36
15 BPSK-DCM 1/2 4 4 4 7 8 9 15 17 18 31 34 36 61 68 72

Comparison
802.11 network standards
Frequency
range,
or type		 PHY Protocol Release
date [21]		 Frequency Bandwidth Stream
data rate [22]		 Allowable
MIMO streams		 Modulation Approximate
range
Indoor Outdoor
(GHz) (MHz) (Mbit/s)
1–7⅛ GHz DSSS[23], FHSS[upper-alpha 1] 802.11-1997 June 1997 2.4 22 1, 2 — DSSS, FHSS[upper-alpha 1] 20 m (66 ft) 100 m (330 ft)
HR/DSSS [23] 802.11b September 1999 2.4 22 1, 2, 5.5, 11 — CCK, DSSS 35 m (115 ft) 140 m (460 ft)
OFDM 802.11a September 1999 5 5/10/20 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 54
(for 20 MHz bandwidth,
divide by 2 and 4 for 10 and 5 MHz)		 — OFDM 35 m (115 ft) 120 m (390 ft)
802.11j November 2004 4.9/5.0
[upper-alpha 2][24]		 ? ?
802.11y November 2008 3.7 [upper-alpha 3] ? 5,000 m (16,000 ft)[upper-alpha 3]
802.11p July 2010 5.9 200 m 1,000 m (3,300 ft)[25]
802.11bd December 2022 5.9/60 500 m 1,000 m (3,300 ft)
ERP-OFDM 802.11g June 2003 2.4 38 m (125 ft) 140 m (460 ft)
HT-OFDM [26] 802.11n
(Wi-Fi 4)		 October 2009 2.4/5 20 Up to 288.8[upper-alpha 4] 4 MIMO-OFDM
(64-QAM)		 70 m (230 ft) 250 m (820 ft)[27]
40 Up to 600[upper-alpha 4]
VHT-OFDM [26] 802.11ac
(Wi-Fi 5)		 December 2013 5 20 Up to 693[upper-alpha 4] 8 DL
MU-MIMO OFDM
(256-QAM)		 35 m (115 ft)[28] ?
40 Up to 1600[upper-alpha 4]
80 Up to 3467[upper-alpha 4]
160 Up to 6933[upper-alpha 4]
HE-OFDMA 802.11ax
(Wi-Fi 6,
Wi-Fi 6E)		 May 2021 2.4/5/6 20 Up to 1147[upper-alpha 5] 8 UL/DL
MU-MIMO OFDMA
(1024-QAM)		 30 m (98 ft) 120 m (390 ft) [upper-alpha 6]
40 Up to 2294[upper-alpha 5]
80 Up to 4804[upper-alpha 5]
80+80 Up to 9608[upper-alpha 5]
EHT-OFDMA 802.11be
(Wi-Fi 7)		 May 2024
(est.)		 2.4/5/6 80 Up to 11.5 Gbit/s[upper-alpha 5] 16 UL/DL
MU-MIMO OFDMA
(4096-QAM)		 30 m (98 ft) 120 m (390 ft) [upper-alpha 6]
160
(80+80)		 Up to 23 Gbit/s[upper-alpha 5]
240
(160+80)		 Up to 35 Gbit/s[upper-alpha 5]
320
(160+160)		 Up to 46.1 Gbit/s[upper-alpha 5]
WUR [upper-alpha 7] 802.11ba October 2021 2.4/5 4/20 0.0625, 0.25
(62.5 kbit/s, 250 kbit/s)		 — OOK (multi-carrier OOK) ? ?
mmWave
(WiGig)		 DMG [29] 802.11ad December 2012 60 2160
(2.16 GHz)		 Up to 8085[30]
(8 Gbit/s)		 — OFDM[upper-alpha 1], single carrier, low-power single carrier[upper-alpha 1] 3.3 m (11 ft)[31] ?
802.11aj April 2018 60 [upper-alpha 8] 1080[32] Up to 3754
(3.75 Gbit/s)		 — single carrier, low-power single carrier[upper-alpha 1] ? ?
CMMG 802.11aj April 2018 45 [upper-alpha 8] 540/
1080		 Up to 15015[33]
(15 Gbit/s)		 4[34] OFDM, single carrier ? ?
EDMG [35] 802.11ay July 2021 60 Up to 8640
(8.64 GHz)		 Up to 303336[36]
(303 Gbit/s)		 8 OFDM, single carrier 10 m (33 ft) 100 m (328 ft)
Sub 1 GHz (IoT) TVHT [37] 802.11af February 2014 0.054
-0.79		 6, 7, 8 Up to 568.9[38] 4 MIMO-OFDM ? ?
S1G [37] 802.11ah May 2017 0.7/0.8
/0.9		 1–16 Up to 8.67[39]
(@2 MHz)		 4 ? ?
Light
(Li-Fi)		 LC
(VLC/OWC)		 802.11bb December 2023
(est.)		 800–1000 nm 20 Up to 9.6 Gbit/s — O-OFDM ? ?
IR[upper-alpha 1]
(IrDA)		 802.11-1997 June 1997 850–900 nm ? 1, 2 — PPM[upper-alpha 1] ? ?
802.11 Standard rollups
  802.11-2007 (802.11ma) March 2007 2.4, 5 Up to 54 DSSS, OFDM
802.11-2012 (802.11mb) March 2012 2.4, 5 Up to 150[upper-alpha 4] DSSS, OFDM
802.11-2016 (802.11mc) December 2016 2.4, 5, 60 Up to 866.7 or 6757[upper-alpha 4] DSSS, OFDM
802.11-2020 (802.11md) December 2020 2.4, 5, 60 Up to 866.7 or 6757[upper-alpha 4] DSSS, OFDM
802.11me September 2024
(est.)		 2.4, 5, 6, 60 Up to 9608 or 303336 DSSS, OFDM
  1. This is obsolete, and support for this might be subject to removal in a future revision of the standard
  2. For Japanese regulation.
  3. IEEE 802.11y-2008 extended operation of 802.11a to the licensed 3.7 GHz band. Increased power limits allow a range up to 5,000 m. As of 2009, it is only being licensed in the United States by the FCC.
  4. Based on short guard interval; standard guard interval is ~10% slower. Rates vary widely based on distance, obstructions, and interference.
  5. For single-user cases only, based on default guard interval which is 0.8 micro seconds. Since multi-user via OFDMA has become available for 802.11ax, these may decrease. Also, these theoretical values depend on the link distance, whether the link is line-of-sight or not, interferences and the multi-path components in the environment.
  6. The default guard interval is 0.8 micro seconds. However, 802.11ax extended the maximum available guard interval to 3.2 micro seconds, in order to support Outdoor communications, where the maximum possible propagation delay is larger compared to Indoor environments.
  7. Wake-up Radio (WUR) Operation.
  8. For Chinese regulation.

802.11be Task Group

The 802.11be Task Group is led by representatives of Qualcomm, Intel, and Broadcom. Representatives of Huawei, Maxlinear, NXP, and Apple also have senior positions.[40]

Commercial availability

Qualcomm announced its FastConnect 7800 series on 28 Feb 2022 using 14nm chips.[41][42] As of March 2023, the company claims 175 devices will be using their Wi-Fi 7 chips, including smartphones, routers, and access points.[43]

Broadcom followed on 12 April 2022 with a series of 5 chips covering home, commercial, and enterprise uses.[44] The company unveiled its second generation Wi-Fi 7 chips on 20 June 2023 featuring tri-band MLO support and lower costs.[45]

The TP-Link Archer BE900 wireless router was available to consumers in April 2023.[46] The company's Deco BE95 mesh networking system was also available that month.

The ARRIS SURFboard G54 is a DOCSIS 3.1 cable gateway featuring Wi-Fi 7. It became available in October 2023.

Client devices

The OnePlus 11 smartphone was released in February 2023. It uses Qualcomm's Snapdragon Gen 2 chip with Wi-Fi 7 enabled. The OnePlus Open also features Wi-Fi 7 support.[47]

The ASUS ROG Phone 7 is a gaming smartphone announced in April 2023. It also uses Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip with Wi-Fi 7 enabled.

The Lenovo Legion Slim 7 Gen8 laptop supports Wi-Fi 7 using the MediaTek Filogic 380 Wi-Fi 7 card.[48]

The Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro both feature Wi-Fi 7 support.[49]

Intel launched the BE202 and BE200 wireless adapters for desktop and laptop motherboards in September 2023.[50]

Software

Android 13 and higher provide support for Wi-Fi 7.[51]

The Linux 6.2 kernel provides support for Wi-Fi 7 devices.[52] The 6.4 kernel added Wi-Fi 7 mesh support.[53] Linux 6.5 included significant driver support by Intel engineers, particularly support for MLO.[54]

Notes
  1. MCS 9 is not applicable to all combinations of channel width and spatial stream count.
  2. Per spatial stream.
  3. GI stands for guard interval.
  1. Wi-Fi 6E is the industry name that identifies Wi-Fi devices that operate in 6 GHz. Wi-Fi 6E offers the features and capabilities of Wi-Fi 6 extended into the 6 GHz band.
  2. 802.11ac only specifies operation in the 5 GHz band. Operation in the 2.4 GHz band is specified by 802.11n.

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