Tech Brief5 min read
Preparing Your Network Infrastructure for Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be)
M
Michael O'Connor
Logistics Director
Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) introduces 320MHz channels and Multi-Link Operation (MLO). It effectively replaces Ethernet for user access.
The Switch Bottleneck
A Wi-Fi 7 AP can easily saturate a 1Gbps or even 2.5Gbps uplink. Access switches must be upgraded to mGig (Multi-Gigabit) ports supporting 5Gbps or 10Gbps PoE++ (Type 4, 60W+) to power the radios.
Cabling
Cat5e is officially obsolete for Wi-Fi 7. You need Cat6A shielded cabling to support 10GBASE-T over 100m reliably without alien crosstalk.