Let's be honest: Most of us have no idea what our wireless network standard is or why it's important to operations. But with the next iteration of Wi-Fi on the horizon and increased pressure on performance and security, maybe it's time to talk about it. This month, we are exploring what Wi-Fi is, 2025 trends in Wi-Fi, and guidance for determining if your organization's Wi-Fi needs an upgrade.
Understanding Wi-Fi Components and Options
Let's start with a simple definition: WiFi is a wireless networking technology that uses radio waves to provide wireless high-speed access. A common Wi-Fi network includes wireless devices, routers, and access points.
Most of us are more than familiar with wireless devices used in business settings, such as laptops. A wireless router sits between the internet and your wireless network, while an access point amplifies the signal available in the area surrounding it. While Wi-Fi used to be a business network tool, most homes today have wireless networks, using simple routers to turn wired Internet access into a wireless signal that can be used by mobile phones, wireless printers, laptops, TVs, and even home appliances.
Most businesses today have wireless local area networks (WLAN) on which operations run, but many campuses, large buildings, or even public areas may use wireless wide area networks (WWAN) that mesh networks to provide coverage throughout a larger service footprint.
What Else Do You Need to Know About Wi-Fi?
The latest trends in business Wi-Fi include the widespread adoption of Wi-Fi 6 and 6E, increased device density support, and emerging technologies like Wi-Fi mesh networks, Wi-Fi sensing, advanced security features, and data analytics for network optimization and management.
- Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax): Considered the current standard for business Wi-Fi, 6 provides improved performance in dense environments with many connected devices.
- Wi-Fi 6E: An extension of Wi-Fi 6 that offers additional bandwidth and reduced interference.
- Mesh Networks: This distributed network architecture uses multiple access points working together to create a seamless network, ideal for large spaces with complex layouts such as manufacturing or hospitals.
- Wi-Fi Sensing: This emerging technology enables Wi-Fi networks to detect people or objects in a space, creating a foundation for smart building applications.
- Enhanced Security Features: Vendors continue to layer on robust security protocols and advanced threat detection to protect business networks from the obvious threat surface provided by a Wi-Fi network.
- Network Analytics and Optimization: "Smarter" networks are starting to utilize data to monitor network performance, identify and avoid bottlenecks, and proactively optimize network settings – bringing traditional wired network functionality into WLAN and WWAN.
Wireless Networks Continue to Evolve to Offer New Functionality
New Wi-Fi technology is often adopted slowly for multiple reasons, and while the next generation, Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be), has been in development for nearly four years, it is expected to become available this year. This new technology promises even faster speeds, better capacity, and improved latency. These advancements are particularly beneficial for applications such as high-definition video streaming, online gaming, and virtual reality experiences.
One reason businesses continue to invest in upgraded Wi-Fi networks is the growing reliability on these wireless networks, even with the popularity of remote workforces. Many businesses not only rely on Wi-Fi for their operations, they provide access for clients and guests. For those organizations investing in the Internet of Things, a robust Wi-Fi network is essential. As more IoT devices come online, business WiFi networks will need to handle increased device density and diverse connectivity requirements. Dovetailing with the growing dependency on Wi-Fi for business operations is the growing trend of cloud-managed Wi-Fi, the capability to manage business Wi-Fi networks through cloud-based platforms for easier administration and monitoring.
This likely seems very technical and overwhelming and is a perfect example of why working with professional technicians such as a trusted managed IT services partner is important. With a team dedicated to continuously tackling emerging technologies with insights from major vendor partners, MSPs can help guide your organization to make the right investments. Do you need Wi-Fi7? Who knows! Let your MSP explore use cases and guide you to the right choice.
Want to learn more about Wi-Fi 6? Download this expansive guide from our partner, Extreme Networks.
