The advantages of upgrading to Wi-Fi 7

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Wi-Fi standards are continuously evolving to offer higher speeds, reduced latency, and enhanced reliability to meet the network needs of AI workloads,  IoT devices, and distributed workplaces. If you need to support these and other emerging use cases, then Wi-Fi 7 could be for you. Consider these benefits of deploying Wi-Fi 7 access points: 

• Run more bandwidth-intensive applications without disruption: Improve productivity and efficiency by supporting high-definition video conferencing and streaming, AI workloads, cloud computing, and faster transfer of large files. 

• Ensure critical applications have the dependable connectivity they need: Confidently run immersive experiences, collaboration tools, and electronic health records, ensuring precise and real-time data exchange. 

• Connect more people and enable greater mobility: Handle more simultaneous connections effectively, delivering an exceptional user experience across open office plans, conference rooms, and large public venues. 

• Support emerging technologies for innovative business operations: Deliver new digital experiences by taking on more IoT devices, sensors, and smart office equipment, without compromising the performance of other critical applications. 

How Wi-Fi 7 makes it possible 

Wi-Fi 7, or IEEE 802.11be, delivers high-capacity wireless connectivity with faster speeds, lower latency, and higher reliability, outperforming previous Wi-Fi generations. Like Wi-Fi 6E, Wi-Fi 7 uses the 6 GHz band to greatly increase Wi-Fi capacity by providing access to up to 1200 MHz of additional spectrum. Wi-Fi 7 introduces important capabilities that include ultra-wide 320 MHz channels for more data at faster speeds, Multi-Link Operation (MLO) for greater reliability, and 4K QAM for higher peak data rates.  Learn more about Wi-Fi 7 here.  

Wi-Fi 7 devices are here 

The transition to Wi-Fi 7 compatible devices is currently underway. According to the Wi-Fi Alliance, nearly 260 million Wi-Fi 7 devices² were shipped in 2024. This includes smartphones and laptops from major brands such as Apple, Samsung, and Google. As Wi-Fi 7 devices become pervasive, having a Wi-Fi network that supports the performance and capacity improvements in this latest standard makes sense.  So, when you’re upgrading, consider the longevity of futureproofing with Wi-Fi 7 access points versus deploying an older technology. 

Considerations for choosing Wi-Fi 7 access points 

Wi-Fi 7 promises exceptional performance and efficiency, but to truly harness these capabilities, businesses must adopt access points that go beyond the new standard and pair them with a network management solution that offers real-time monitoring, predictive analytics, and automated optimization to deliver superior user experiences.  So, when planning the upgrade or refresh of your wireless infrastructure, consider the future of your business and how your network might help support those goals.  What do you expect requirements for Wi-Fi capacity, performance, security, and user and IoT connectivity to be?  Questions to ask when evaluating Wi-Fi 7 access points include: 

• Will the Wi-Fi 7 access points take advantage of AI and machine learning to automate optimization and provide actionable recommendations to remediate issues? 

• Do the Wi-Fi 7 access points include built-in security? Is there support for unified policy enforcement across wired and wireless networks or support for Policy Enforcement Firewall (PEF) capabilities? 

• Are the Wi-Fi 7 access points energy efficient?  Do they support secure IoT connectivity?  

• Do the Wi-Fi access points enable automated floor plan mapping and standards-based location for indoor services such as wayfinding and asset tracking? 

• Can the Wi-Fi access points be managed in a flexible manner: on-premises, in the cloud, or as a service?  

• Are the Wi-Fi access points Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ to meet industry-agreed standards for interoperability, security, and a range of application specific protocols? 

Wi-Fi 7 access points that deliver more 

Award-winning HPE Aruba Networking Wi-Fi 7 access points offer optimized coverage and performance to support even the most demanding Wi-Fi use cases. A customizable tri-band radio configuration1 helps ensure coverage of legacy devices and takes advantage of the 6 GHz band. Patented ultra tri-band (UTB) filtering enables full use of the high end of 5 GHz with the lower end of 6 GHz without interference or limiting channels. Powerful IoT support includes dual IoT radios (BLE and Zigbee) and two USB connectors. Dual wired ports, one with MACsec support1, provide secure, high-speed, and redundant wired connectivity. Precision locationing with sub-one meter accuracy supports a wide range of applications and access points can be automatically mapped on floorplans.  Limited lifetime warranty provides investment protection. 

Additional features of the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ series include: 

• Flagship HPE Aruba Networking 750 Series Campus Access Points include three 4x4 MIMO radios, dual 10 Gbps multigigabit ports, and deliver up to 28.8 Gbps combined peak data rate. 

• Mid-range HPE Aruba Networking 730 Series Campus Access Points include three 2x2 MIMO radios, dual 5 Gbps multigigabit ports, and deliver up to 14.4 Gbps combined data rate. 

AI-powered Wi-Fi 7 optimization 

Deployed together, HPE Aruba Networking Wi-Fi 7 access points and HPE Aruba Networking Central create a Wi-Fi network optimized for the most demanding and mission critical environments. AI-powered analytics detect network and Wi-Fi patterns and anomalies in real-time, ensuring the peak network efficiency vital for bandwidth-intensive applications and the best user and IoT experiences. AI-powered capabilities optimize Wi-Fi 7 and security configurations by detecting and resolving real-time connectivity and service issues, performing root-cause analysis, and providing remediation based on knowledge from billions of endpoints. And the AI engine proactively diagnoses and resolves Wi-Fi issues, such as improving performance and optimizing bandwidth with 6 GHz radio and device compatibility problems.