In this second instalment of the new series hosted by AV Trade Talks, the connectivity experts at Kordz and special guests, Nathan Holmes and Eddie Shapiro share the realities of Wi-Fi 7—the new demands on cabling infrastructure and best installation practices to optimise speed and bandwidth.
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Each new generation of Wi-Fi brings exciting new capabilities for faster, more reliable connectivity with all the many devices your clients depend on for safety, efficiency and enjoyment. The latest Wi-Fi iteration inching its way onto the market, Wi-Fi 7, promises even greater speed and bandwidth capacity. “Wi-Fi 7 is a monumental leap forward, akin to the transition from component video to HDMI,” relates Nathan Holmes, Director of Operations at Why Reboot, during Kordz’ latest episode of the Mastering Connectivity podcast.
However, there’s one crucial aspect to unleashing the next-gen capabilities of a wireless Wi-Fi 7 network: better wiring. It may seem counterintuitive, but, yes, optimal Wi-Fi 7 connectivity hinges largely on the capacity of a building’s internal cabling infrastructure. Specifically, a building’s Wi-Fi 7 access points need to be connected to a Category 6A cabling system certified for 10Gbps signal transmission. This prevents the degradation of Wi-Fi signals as a user moves outside the range of one access point and into the range of another. With proper wiring and placement of the access points, signal handoff is fast and seamless throughout the building, completely transparent to the user and experiences less signal interference.
Yet, many systems integrators are still installing Cat 5E and Cat 6 for new Wi-Fi networks. So, before you even begin to think about configuring a client’s home or workplace for Wi-Fi 7, you need to assess and potentially upgrade the existing wiring backbone to ensure it meets the up-and-coming Wi-Fi 7 standards.
Thankfully, the progression from Wi-Fi 6 to 7 will be gradual, giving systems integrators ample time to determine if and when to update their customers’ premises with the appropriate wired and wireless infrastructures.
So, what are your next steps? How should you prepare for this impending Wi-Fi 7 evolution?
Here are three tips shared during this informative Mastering Connectivity podcast episode:
Tip #1: Know your client’s needs
Evaluate the design of your client’s building, their needs and lifestyle or ways of working, existing and planned Wi-Fi devices and their intended usage. This will determine if a wireless Wi-Fi 7 network and complementary wired Category 6A infrastructure are necessary. You may be surprised to find how many devices are battling for bandwidth today. Additional bandwidth-intensive applications will only burden the wireless network further.
Tip #2: Choose a certified, reputable cabling provider
Find and align with a reputable provider of 10Gbps-certified Category 6A cabling. Equipping a building with Wi-Fi 7-enabled access points won’t ensure a seamless Wi-Fi 7 experience. The addition of 10Gbps-certified Category 6A cabling creates the strong, resilient, future-ready backbone that is often necessary for optimal connectivity, so be sure that the provider of that cabling has met all the essential performance certifications and standards compliance. For example, Kordz PRS SlimCat Cat 6A Network Cable has been designed, engineered, manufactured and rigorously tested to ensure data rates of 10Gbps up to 50 metres. This is the type of infrastructure that does what it promises, relieving you of the endless service calls and delivering your clients exceptional Wi-Fi 7 experiences.
Tip #3: Promote your networking expertise
Promote the importance of your networking expertise and back it up with documentation. The best cabling and access points on the planet won’t meet the connectivity demands of today’s buildings if they are not installed and configured properly. Be sure to learn about and adopt these best practices and promote your IT expertise as a key differentiator of your integration business. Practice what you preach by providing your clients with a certification report that documents the speed, throughput and range of all connected devices on the Wi-Fi 7 network.
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Optimal Wi-Fi 7 performance hinges on many factors, one of which is the support of a 10Gbps-certified Category 6A cabling infrastructure. By connecting Wi-Fi 7 access points to this advanced digital backbone, you ensure your customers of the best Wi-Fi experience with all the speed, reliability and bandwidth required of current and future technologies. By choosing the right products and following best installation practices you can provide your customers with an excellent network that lasts a lifetime!
Discover more about Kordz’ future-ready PRS SlimCat Network Cable solution here. For more about the evolution of connectivity and its influence on smart home and building ecosystems, sign up to our newsletter and stay tuned for future episodes of Mastering Connectivity where Kordz will continue to demystify technology, share tips for proper installation, solutions to common pain points and more.
And if you missed Episode 1 of Mastering Connectivity, ‘Why the Integration Industry Has Connectivity All Wrong’, you can catch up on that here.
A special thanks to AV Trade Talks host, Katye McGregor Bennett, and the team at KMB Communications, for collaborating on this podcast series.
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