Wi-Fi has become an essential part of our daily lives, from conducting business to leisure activities. It is the responsibility of networking professionals to stay on top of the latest developments and technologies in wireless LANs to ensure that we stay connected whenever and wherever we need it. The COVID-19 pandemic has further emphasized the importance of having a strong and reliable Wi-Fi network. Keeping this in mind, this article aims to explore the future of Wi-Fi and how networking professionals can prepare themselves for new challenges.
There has been a significant shift towards cloud-centric wireless LAN vendors in recent years. Even companies that did not start out as cloud-centric have realized the need to adapt. The idea of WLAN controller as a requirement is becoming less desirable as cloud-managed solutions become more prevalent. This shift has been driven by the need to provide fast and reliable networks while simultaneously reducing the cost of the required hardware.
Advancements in radio technology have been a driving force in the evolution of the wireless LAN landscape. With the development of Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7, networking professionals will need to consider uplink ports to APs that can provide 2.5 Gbps, 5 Gbps, or 10 Gbps connectivity, and beefier PoE than ever before.
The increasing number of devices that rely on Wi-Fi has created a situation where not every wireless device is a good candidate for Wi-Fi. The Wi-Fi network infrastructure needs to be designed with this in mind, and device selection is an important consideration. Interestingly, device makers are realizing what WLAN administrators have known for a long time and are improving their devices to work more efficiently with Wi-Fi.
The need for higher uplink ports and PoE for Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 is crucial. With these new technologies on the horizon, network administrators will have to consider investing in switches that can support faster connectivity than ever before, ranging from 2.5 Gbps to 10 Gbps. Additionally, beefier PoE will be required to ensure that the infrastructure can handle the increased bandwidth requirements of these new technologies.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on networks, especially with businesses sending employees to work from home. This sudden shift has made it imperative for networking professionals to have a robust, secure, and scalable network infrastructure. Companies have begun to update their central WLAN systems, and new services are being developed to ensure employees can work from home without compromising on performance and security.
Central WLAN systems are continually being updated to meet the changing requirements of wireless networks. These updates provide companies with new services to keep their employees up-to-date with the latest technology and ensure that their networks are secure. Cloud-managed solutions and virtual LAN aggregation devices, such as the Mist Edge appliance, help simplify Layer 2 requirements in large networks.
In the USA, 6 GHz is creating a buzz as it has been added to the 802.11ax standard, commonly known as Wi-Fi 6E, and will be part of Wi-Fi 7. This new spectrum will provide faster and more reliable connections for wireless networks in the USA. Networking professionals will need to ensure that their infrastructure can take advantage of this new spectrum.
Wi-Fi has become a vital part of our everyday lives and it continues to evolve. Networking professionals must keep up with the latest trends and developments to create robust and secure networks that can handle the increasing demands of wireless technology. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of having a strong and reliable Wi-Fi network. The future looks bright, with even more exciting developments on the horizon. Cloud-managed networks and virtual LAN aggregation devices will become more common, simplifying network infrastructure and allowing businesses to keep up with the ever-changing technological landscape. It is up to networking professionals to ensure that they are prepared for these changes and can provide the best possible performance, security, and scalability for their networks.