The next WiFi technology expected in either 2026 or 2027 isn’t necessarily about faster speeds, but better and more reliable reach in general. Just what we all wanted.
New wireless technology is inbound boasting improved connectivity and reach, which may be just what we’re all needing, or even hoping for from our current WiFi setups.
Higher speeds, better performance, and no dropouts are the dream of everyone at home with a WiFi connection, and we’re gradually making our way to it.
In fact, the next generation of WiFi — WiFi 8 — could actually get us closer to it than ever, with the focus of the technology on reliability.
When it arrives, you’ll need the latest technology on both ends, covering both a new network device (the router) and the new device connecting to it, such as a phone, computer, tablet, or TV. But when it works and is all connected, the idea of simultaneous network speed and reliability could finally be a real tangible thing, and we expect CES 2026 will show a bunch of manufacturers making it happen.
Last year, TP Link even chimed in with news that it was ready for WiFi 8, complete with a prototype showing the connection working, a sign of what we could end up seeing more of this year, but that will likely reach commercial availability either later in the year or early in 2027.
What is WiFi 8 and how does it differ?
Technically called 802.11bn, WiFi 8 is like 802.11be’s WiFi 7 in that it uses multiple bands, covering 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz, and keeps the extra bandwidth offered by the technology, which jumped from 160MHz to 320MHz when moving from WiFi 6E to WiFi 7.
More bands and bandwidth were the promise of WiFi 7, which in turn increased speed monumentally, jumping to maximums of 48Gbps.
In WiFi 8, the speed remains the same — because it is fast — but the technology focuses on reliability, using new technologies to improve the modulation network devices use to ensure your devices remain connected with stronger and steady connections.
Officially, the 802.11bn WiFi 8 will be called the “Ultra High Reliability” standard.
To do this, technologies such as stream controllers that aim to improve stability will form a key part of WiFi 8, with routers more intelligently assigning channels and sub-channels to improve connections. Roaming around the house will improve, and connections with several access points will support improved overlap.
The long and short is stronger and more consistent WiFi connections on WiFi 8, all while retaining what has previously been rolled out in WiFi 7 and before. That means better streaming, gaming, and more reliability on the whole.
Previous WiFi technologies provided the speed and bandwidth, and now WiFi 8 will deliver the reliability.
Older devices will still be able to use aspects of the technology, because backwards compatibility is clearly a thing, but they may not see all the benefits when an 802.11bn WiFi 8 network is rolled out. They’ll connect, sure, but they may not have as consistent a WiFi performance as a full end-to-end WiFi 8 experience.
When will WiFi 8 arrive?
As to when routers with WiFi 8 will launch, the likelihood is later in 2026 with more in 2027.
Before WiFi 8 becomes more common in wireless routers, it will also need to be found in the devices connecting to those routers in the first place, the phones, tablets, computers, and video game systems we all rely on, with other devices like TVs to come, as well.
That also means the chips inside these devices, with chipsets on phones and computers likely featuring 802.11bn WiFi 8 capability inside, and more or less implies your next device in 2026 and beyond featuring the tech.
In short, you can probably expect WiFi 8 to be launched in the first devices in 2026, with more in 2027, and then for the technology to become more commonplace in the following years, at least until the next variations of WiFi are sketched out and worked on.
As it is, at the time this article was published, there was no information on what WiFi 9 would be. We probably have some time to think about that.
When WiFi 8 routers arrive, you can probably expect that they won’t be inexpensive, at least initially. By comparison, when WiFi 7 devices first arrived in Australia using mesh technologies, they attracted prices nearing $4000, suggesting WiFi 8 would be equally high priced.
Will I need to upgrade to WiFi 8?
The good news is that you won’t need to upgrade to WiFi 8, and it may not even be all that beneficial until more of your devices support the technology.
You don’t need to wait to upgrade to WiFi 8, and can instead make use of modern wireless networking technologies and standards.
While the reliability of WiFi 8 will be one of those things we will all eventually want, the other benefits of the technology can be found in previous wireless standards, such as improvements to increased bands in WiFi 6E and WiFi 7, both of which can be found at more price points.
That means that while WiFi 8 makes its way to release, and subsequently to more price points, upgrading to WiFi 6E and WiFi 7-supported devices and routers can also provide improvements to wireless networking where it’s used.
