Wi-Fi 7 support

General Topics
1

Certification for Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) devices just started on January 8th, so there aren’t many compatible devices out yet. The good news is, Wi-Fi 7 uses the same 6 GHz band as Wi-Fi 6E (which is used in currently shipping Framework laptops), so when Wi-Fi 7 adaptors eventually become more common (and likely offered by Framework), upgrading should be as simple as replacing the adaptor card, without having to mess with rerouting antennas. That is the first upgrade I am eyeing once I receive my Framework laptop 16.

New features of Wi-Fi 7 include:

  • 320 MHz channels: available in countries that make the 6 GHz band available to
    Wi-Fi, ultra-wide channels double today’s widest channel size to facilitate multigigabit device speeds and high throughput
  • Multi-Link Operation (MLO): allows devices to transmit and receive data simultaneously over multiple links for increased throughput, reduced latency, and improved reliability
  • 4K QAM: achieves 20% higher transmission rates than 1024 QAM
  • 512 Compressed block-ack: improves efficiency and reduces overhead
  • Multiple RUs to a single STA: improves flexibility for spectrum resource scheduling to enhance spectrum efficiency
  • Triggered Uplink Access: optimizes Wi-Fi 6 defined triggered uplink access to accommodate latency sensitive streams and satisfy QoS requirements
  • Emergency Preparedness Communication Services (EPCS): provides a seamless National Security & Emergency Preparedness (NSEP) service experience to users while maintaining the priority and quality of service in Wi-Fi access networks

Intel has a good explainer page here: What Is Wi-Fi 7? (intel.com) and a couple of adaptors. I haven’t seen anything from AMD yet, but I hope they release something soon.

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There’s a decent thread about this at Wifi 7 clarification. To summarize myself in my comment in the other thread, I’m interested in the Intel BE200 if/when it becomes compatible with the FW16, or an AMD RZ800-series card if/when that becomes available. The existing AMD RZ738 is not yet available for consumer purchase, but it doesn’t even have the Bluetooth LE Audio features that I’m most looking forward to.

3

Looks like the MediaTek Filogic 380 chipset does. Hopefully AMD will make an adapter using that soon.

Of course, adding Bluetooth support to the Framework laptop would require adding an additional antenna.

4

Nope.

Bluetooth operates over the same antennas as WiFi and is already supported on current Framework laptops.

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5

I should have said Bluetooth LE. The spec sheet says a separate antenna is required for those features for some reason. I don’t know enough about it to understand why.

Bluetooth 5.3: LE Audio, extra antenna for MRC, HDT

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6

No, you want the Filogic 360 which is newer than the Filogic 380. The existing RZ738 uses the Filogic 380, but that’s a year old whereas the 360 just came out a few months ago.

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7

Good to know. In my quick searching I incorrectly assumed that a higher number meant newer.

8

Looks we’re going to be waiting a while.

The MediaTek Filogic 860 and Filogic 360 solutions have begun sampling to customers and mass production is anticipated for mid-2024.

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the 860 is a router/broadband CPE platform though, the 360 is the wireless nic device chipset i understand. kinda apples and oranges.