Post #4463869

The eighth generation of Wi-Fi represents a change in focus. While previous incarnations of the Wi-Fi standard have promised higher connection speeds, Wi-Fi 8 seems to be more about improving the basics: reliability, stability, and lower latency. Wi-Fi 8 also promises seamless roaming, keeping devices connected as you move and cutting down on dropped connections and dead zones. For those keeping score, Wi-Fi 8 is IEEE 802.11bn using the old naming convention, where Wi-Fi 7 was IEEE 802.11be and Wi-Fi 6 was IEEE 802.11ax. As with all the previous standards, Wi-Fi 8 will be backward compatible, meaning if you buy a Wi-Fi 8 router, it’ll still function just fine with devices on older standards. But to take advantage of the new features and performance enhancements it promises, you'll also need to upgrade your devices. That means buying new routers and mesh systems, yes, but also new smartphones, laptops, TVs, and other gadgets. https://www.wired.com/story/what-is-wi-fi-8/