Wi-Fi 7 OEM Overview
Most of our customers have Wi-Fi 5 networks deployed, and for many of them, they're good enough. We've seen lots of return to work mandates, we've seen employee numbers in the workplace increasing, and with that, the use of video over Wi Fi apps, whether it be Zoom, Teams or Webex, these applications are now showing the flaws in networks that are not good enough.
Bad designs used to be able to go largely unnoticed, but people returning to work and using video collaboration tools, which were not widely used pre-pandemic, are crushing wireless networks that several years ago would have been passable. Wi-Fi 6 brings enhancements to the 2. 4 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies and offers triple the bandwidth over Wi-Fi 5, but that comes at the requirement of WPA3 security in the 6 GHz spectrum.
Wi-Fi 6E is an extension to Wi-Fi 6, and it brings a brand new spectrum for wireless networks. The 6 GHz frequency is new to Wi-Fi and offers additional bandwidth and a new spectrum. Client devices need to be able to support the new communications frequency. WPA3 security is required, not optional. Changing the security on a wireless network to a brand new method like WPA3 will require your customers to develop a transition plan to migrate to a new SSID with the enhanced security measures of WPA3. Wi-Fi 7 promises to bring at least 20 percent more efficiency over Wi-Fi 6 and five times the capacity of Wi-Fi 6 with multi-link operations MLO.
MLO is the ability of an access point and a client device to communicate simultaneously over different frequency bands and channels. This is advanced Wi-Fi communications, and as such, we can expect some complications in the early stages of Wi-Fi implementation.
Each iteration of Wi-Fi has brought with it more potential. Faster speeds, more efficient use of the wireless spectrum and better use of the battery in client devices. Each iteration of Wi-Fi also brings caveats along with it. Sometimes, software bugs, software drivers for network adapters that don't work as expected, and limited client devices at the beginning of the adoption curve.
Wi-Fi 7 is no different in this regard. There are a few client devices. Limited operating system support, and outside of Wi-Fi 7, there is a major vendor merger between HPE Aruba and Juniper Mist that will continue to evolve over the next 18 to 24 months. If we look at Wi-Fi 6E prior to February of 2024, we were all concerned about how the frequency coordination would be handled overall.
There's a deeper level of conversation that could be had about frequency coordination. But suffice it to say that as Wi-Fi 6E evolved, things that look like problems have turned out not to be the problems we thought they might be. We do know that Wi-Fi 6E is a brand-new spectrum that is available to wireless networks.
Wi-Fi networking started out with 2. 4 GHz and 5 GHz spectrums, sort of like how radio stations used to be AM or FM. With Wi-Fi 6E, we now have the 6 GHz spectrum we can use for wireless communications. Wi-Fi 6E is a brand new wireless spectrum in the same way that Cirrus XM launched in 2002 as a brand new satellite radio and a brand new spectrum.
So, just as I told you that Wi-Fi 7 had some adoption issues, why are folks waiting for it? Well, there are some real tangible benefits, but they won't be usable until you have sufficient endpoints to use the version enhancements. As you can see in the data on the slide above, there are a lot of really good technical reasons to implement Wi-Fi 7.
Some of our customers are finding they have to wait to upgrade to Wi-Fi 7 until they address their switch's power budgets. The new Wi-Fi 7 access points require a lot of power to have all of the advanced features available for client devices. Edge switches need to be able to power these features, so that is the first place customers have to look.
Do they need to upgrade their switching? Upgrade the copper cabling? These are real questions that need to be answered before deciding whether or not to upgrade from whatever Wi-Fi level you're at to Wi-Fi 6, 6E or 7. Let's dig a little bit deeper into the Wi-Fi 7 access point offerings for the vendors that we encounter most often in the enterprise space.
These vendors are sorted alphabetically.
Arista has the C460 and the C460E. These access points are tri-radio, 4x4, which means they can support 12 spatial streams. They have integrated high-accuracy distance measurements and enabled BLE, a BLE feature that allows you to measure the distance to other BLE devices accurately. There's one USB port. There are built-in capabilities for GPS reporting level one and level five. And there are two physical copper ports capable of 10 gigabits. Regarding the power the access points require, they need at least class three. AF power to stage, there are some restrictions on the radios. If you have class 4, class 5, or class 6 POE, then you can use all of the features and functions of the Arista access point. The maximum power consumption of these access points is 41.8 watts. There's a note about this solution that does require a Cognitive Cloud software subscription, so be advised about that.
For the Cisco and the Cisco Meraki product lines, I have selected the access point models that can be either managed in the Meraki dashboard or managed with the Cisco Management Platform Catalyst Center. We have the CW9176I and the CW9176D. These are tri-radio 4x4 access points capable of up to 12 spatial streams. They support ultra-wideband. There are Bluetooth radios and an 802. 15. 4 radios. One USB port. They can report GNSS and GPS locations, level 1 and level 5. There is one physical 10-gigabit port. These access points require Class 3 AF to be staged. There are radio restrictions in Class 4 and Class 5. Class 6 POE enables full functionality of all of the access point's features. For the 9176I and D, the maximum power consumption is 39 watts. For the CW9178I, it is a quad radio four-by-four capable of up to 16 spatial streams. Again, it has two Bluetooth and 2 8 0 2 point 15.4 radios, and one USB port. It's capable of reporting its GPS location, level one and level five. It has two 10 gigabit physical ports. Again, it has the same power requirements. Class three, you can start to stage AP four and five. There are restrictions on what is possible. Operationally speaking with the radios, class 6 BT power is required for unrestricted use of all of the access points features. For the 9178i, the maximum power consumption for this access point is 41.8 watts.
Extreme has an access point called the AP5020. It is a tri radio 4x4, 12 spatial stream access point. It has 2 Bluetooth and 2 802. 15. 4 radios, 1 USB port, 1 physical 10-gigabit port, and 1 physical 5-gigabit capable port. For the PoE requirements, in order to turn this AP on, and get it online, nothing happens if you have Class 3 power. Nothing happens if you have Class 4 power. There are restrictions on what's possible with Class 5 PoE. This access point requires Class 6 BT power to access all its features and functions. It also requires Extreme Cloud IQ, as a note. The AP5020's maximum power consumption is 35 watts, with 5 watts dedicated to the USB port.
The Fortinet hardware is the FAP-441K and the FAP-443K. These are quad radio four-by-four access points capable of 12 spatial streams. These access points have one BLE and ZigBee. radio, one USB port, they can report GPS locations level one, and they have two physical 10-gigabit connections. With regard to the PoE that's required, it is required to have class 5 BT power in order to get all of the features and functions of the 441K and the 443K. The maximum power consumption for the FAP-441K and the FAP-443K is 41.7 watts. The Fortinet FAP-241K and the 243K, are quad radios, 2x2 access points with one BLE, one ZigBee port, one USB Port, one 10 Gig copper port, and one 1G copper port. The FAP-241K and the FAP-243K also require class 5 or higher power to get full operationality out of all of the features possible with these access points. For the FAP-241K and the FAP-243K, the maximum power consumption of these access points is 26.1 watts.
For the HPE Aruba product line, we have the AP734 and the AP735. These are tri-radio 2x2 access points capable of 6 spatial streams. Each access point has two Bluetooth radios and two 802. 15. 4 radios, two physical USB ports, and the ability to report GPS locations of level 1 and level 5. Two physical connections can support 5 gigabits of throughput. Regarding the PoE required for the AP734 and the AP735, Class 3 power is required to stage the access point. Radio functions with Class 4 and Class 5 power are restricted. To fully use the access point's features, Class 6 BT power is required. For the AP734, the maximum power consumption is 40 watts.
The AP754 and the AP755, are tri-radio 4x4 access points capable of up to 12 spatial streams. Each has 2 Bluetooth and 2 802. 15. 4 radios, 2 physical USB ports, and the ability to report GNSS or GPS locations of level 1 and level 5, and the access point has 2 10 gigabit connections. The PoE that's required for AP 754 and AP 755 is Class 3 to create a staging environment. Class 4 and Class 5 have some restrictions on the features available. Class 6 BT power is required for unrestricted use of the access point. The AP 754 and AP 755's maximum power consumption is 51 watts if you're using single PoE. If you have dual PoE enabled, the maximum power consumption of the access points is 53.9 watts. One notable consideration for these access points is that AOS 10 with Aruba Central is required.
For HPE Juniper Mist, we're looking at the AP47. It is a tri radio, 4x4, 12 spatial stream access point. It has support for ultra-wideband, as well as two Bluetooth and two 802. 15.4 radios, one USB port. Capabilities are reporting GNSS/GPS locations, level one and level five, dual 10-gigabit ports, and dual PoE is also capable. The PoE requirements of the AP47 are class three to stage it, class four, and five. PoE has some restrictions with regard to support for features on the access point and class six BT power is required for unrestricted use of all of the features of the AP47. The maximum power consumption for the AP47 is 51 watts. And the notable consideration about the HPE Juniper Mist AP47 is that it must be Juniper Mist Cloud Licensed.
Ubiquiti Unify has the E7 campus access point, which is a tri-radio 2x2. It has one 10 gigabit port and one 1 gigabit port. However, it requires class 5 BT power for unrestricted use of all of its features. The E7 campus power consumption is a maximum of 44 watts. The E7 access point is a tri-radio 2x2 access point that has one 10-gigabit port and one 1-gigabit port. It requires class 5 BT power for unrestricted use of all of the E7's features.
In this Wi-Fi 7 comparison chart, we are looking at the different OEM vendors that we just went through one by one. This chart is populated with the number of radios and spatial streams, the number of wired links, the GNSS GPS support, the number of product identifiers, and the maximum power consumption for the different access points that we just looked at so that you can compare this data in a different way than one vendor per slide.
To break the OEM vendor's offerings down to small, medium and large concepts, each of the vendors you see here in the columns has an access point offering suitable for small, medium or large environments. The access points that you see in this chart were chosen based on the OEM's documentation recommending an access point for a given deployment type, whether it be a small office, a home office, a medium office environment or a large enterprise deployment.
Intel currently has the following Wi-Fi 7 chipsets. The BE 201 was launched in the second quarter of 2024. This chipset is FIPS compliant. The system interface type is an M. 2 CNVI 037 and it is supported under Intel vPro technology. The earlier Intel Wi-Fi 7 chip sets launched in the third quarter of 2023 are the BE 200 and the BE 2 0 2.
These chips are not supported under Intel vPro technology. The board form factor for these chips is the M 2 22 30 and the M 2 12 16. The interface type is an M two P-C-I-E-U-S-B it. They are supported under Windows 11, Windows 10, and Linux. and they do support multi user MIMO and OFDMA. Wi Fi is always about the client devices.
This is the current list of mobile devices that support Wi-Fi 7.
If you want to learn more about the different OEM vendors' offerings and how they compare to your company's business goals, perhaps you should attend our Wi-Fi Weighted OEM Analysis Workshop.
Each of these workshops is customized based on your input and an in-depth analysis of the top-tier OEMs. The goal of this workshop is to simplify an advanced technology center proof of concept. We use scoring metrics about automation, open roaming, synthetic client support, WPA3 enhanced open support, extended band support for 6E and redundant POE support, and we weigh all of these pros and cons based upon what you tell us is important to your company.
If you'd like to learn more, dig into our platform, read about the workshop, and read about our briefings. We also offer briefings and workshops on Location Services. Again, all of these workshops and briefings are customized based on your input. Let us help you break through to the art of the possible. We can do a live demo of our advanced technology center lab environment.
Location services have epic implications for healthcare and education. They cover everything from indoor blue dot wayfinding to Staff safety and duress, indoor environment quality, insights into occupancy of conference rooms, board rooms, and patient rooms and even asset tracking.
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