photo by Jino Nicolas

by Jino Nicolas, BusinessWorld

Wi-Fi technology has come a long way since it first came out, and it is difficult to imagine not having it around. 

The very first widely accepted standard was the 802.11b (Wi-Fi 1), which offered speeds of up to 11Mbps. As time progressed, so did technology. 

Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) introduced the multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) technology which significantly increased reach and speed. 

Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) focused on increasing speed by enabling wider channel bandwidths and higher-order modulation. 

Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) improved network efficiency while handling more devices simultaneously through the orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) and the multi-user MIMO (MU-MIMO). 

Fast forward to today, Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) is the latest standard promising higher speeds, lower latency, and higher network capacity. 

In order to experience Wi-Fi 7, the BusinessWorld team got its hands on the TP-Link BE22000, a high-end Wi-Fi mesh system that promises blazing fast-speeds and seamless connectivity for an entire home.

 

What is a mesh Wi-Fi system? 

A mesh Wi-Fi system uses multiple devices called ‘nodes’ to create a seamless network experience throughout an entire home. This kind of network setup blankets the entire home or office with consistent coverage, seamless roaming, and eliminates dead zones.

Source: https://www.tp-link.com/ph/mesh-wifi/

By setting up nodes strategically, any user can enjoy connectivity wherever they are. 

The TP-Link BE22000 is a top-tier mesh Wi-Fi device that utilizes Wi-Fi 7. 

 

BE22000 Key Features  

Source: https://www.tp-link.com/ph/home-networking/deco/deco-be85/

The TP-Link BE22000 offers 22 Gbps across three bands (tri-band): 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz. Devices connected to the mesh are distributed across these three frequencies in order to reduce congestion and interference. 

For instance, the 2.4GHz band is well-suited for many smart home devices. On the other hand, gaming consoles or 4K Smart TVs would be able to use the higher bandwidths of the 5 and 6 GHz bands. 

The BE22000 utilizes 4K-QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation), which packs denser data into each signal to further improve speeds and efficiency. Think of it as a piece of luggage you have to transport. Instead of just throwing clothes in it, folding and arranging them efficiently would help you secure more space for more items. In effect, this allows each signal to carry significantly more data, boosting both speed and efficiency. 

The BE22000 includes two 10Gbps Ethernet ports. One connects to your modem for high-speed internet access, while the second can be used for incredibly fast wired backhaul between Deco units, providing ample bandwidth for high-performance devices. 

Additionally, the BE22000 also has two 2.5 Gbps ports for devices that need high bandwidth such as gaming consoles and workstations. 

The BE22000 is easy to setup through the Deco App available for both Android and iOS devices.

 

Wi-Fi 7 Benefits 

In order to provide enhanced network efficiency, Wi-Fi 7 also introduces a wider channel of 320Mhz, Multi-Link Operation (MLO), and Multi-RUs (resource units). Think of it as a wider pipe through which data can flow, allowing for more simultaneous transmissions. 

MLO enables devices to access multiple bands at the same time, allowing increased throughput, lower latency, and improved reliability. This is quite advantageous for demanding operations such as online gaming and video streaming. 

With MLO, simultaneous online tasks will run smoother and lag-free because the Wi-Fi can use multiple bands. 

Multi-RUs, on the other hand, improves network efficiency by dynamic allocation of resources for optimal performance, regardless of multiple connected devices. It acts as a sort of a traffic controller that ensures every device connected gets its fair share of bandwidth. 

 

Testing the TP-Link BE22000 

Note: BusinessWorld only has access to one unit of BE22000 and as such, testing was only done within a single room with multiple devices. Among those devices, only a flagship phone was Wi-Fi 7 capable. This test is conducted to experience the router capabilities of the BE22000.

STOCK IMAGE: vector created by sentavio – www.freepik.com

It is a common circumstance nowadays wherein a room serves multiple purposes: bedroom, office, game/entertainment room. 

For this test, a room with a 4K TV, a mid-range desktop workstation, a Macbook Pro, an Xbox Series X, and three flagship phones. 

The scenario: Both husband and wife work remotely at home and in their bedroom with a 200mbps connection through the TP-Link BE22000. 

The husband is at his desktop workstation downloading video files for work, while his Xbox Series X is downloading a new game he just bought. His phone is perched in front of his monitor, playing 4K song covers from Youtube as he listens to them via his earbuds. 

The wife, on the other hand, is sitting on the bed with her Macbook Pro attending a meeting, all while playing a movie in 4K on their smart TV via Netflix. 

In this scenario, only the husband’s flagship phone is capable of connecting via Wi-Fi 7. Evidently, his Youtube streaming is unaffected by all the other devices considering the phone has access to multiple bands. The Wi-Fi 7 phone can utilize multiple bands simultaneously like a car using multiple lanes on an expressway, while other devices are limited to fewer lanes. 

This band switching, facilitated by MLO, allows the phone to maintain a consistent and high-speed connection even while other devices are heavily utilizing the network. 

 

Latency? Lower is better. 

Latency, in the context of networking, refers to the delay between a user’s action and the response to that action. It’s essentially the time it takes for data to travel from its source to its destination and back again. 

STOCK PHOTO | Image by Ian van der Linde from Pixabay

This is mostly noticed by online gamers and remote workers through their video conferences. 

The TP-Link BE22000 is designed to excel in reducing latency through the benefits of Wi-Fi 7 such as the MLO, wider channels, and Multi-RUs. 

These advancements in Wi-Fi 7’s technology will prove beneficial for fast-paced online games such as multiplayer first-person shooters, online sports and fighting games. 

Lower latency is always better, as it means a more responsive connection. 

 

Future proof? 

Wi-Fi 7 is still young, but with more devices coming out that are Wi-Fi 7 capable, the ability to change and use multiple bands and the dynamic allocation of resources, the dream of having a seamlessly connected smart home is within reach. The TP-Link BE22000 will be able to accommodate that aspiration. 

If a person is still just about to build their smart home, the BE22000’s support for Wi-Fi 7 and its backward compatibility make it a solid choice for those looking to invest in a high-performance network that will remain relevant for several years.