Bringing real-time intelligence to Wi-Fi 7 with DPI-driven traffic insights

When we first published a Wi-Fi 7 blog article back in 2023, IEEE had just finalized the 802.11be specifications. Since then, a slew of Wi-Fi 7 devices have appeared on the market. Among early debutants are chip makers such as Qualcomm, Intel, MediaTek and Broadcom, and producers of Wi-Fi routers and access points such as Netgear, Eero, ASUS, TP-Link and Linksys. Customer marketplaces also saw scores of Wi-Fi-7-enabled smartphones and wearables, including latest gadgets from Samsung, Xiaomi, Apple, Lenovo and Oculus.

While its predecessors Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E focused on multiplying connection numbers and expanding coverage in local area networks, Wi-Fi 7 targets next-level performance and reliability goals. It introduced 320 MHz channels for higher bandwidth and uses the 4096-QAM technique which significantly increases throughput, thus achieving breakthrough speeds of 46 Gbps. It also brings further advancements to the Multi-Link Operation (MLO) feature by leveraging different channels across 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz bands. Wi-Fi 7 also deploys multi-RU and puncturing, which collectively optimize resource usage.

Deep packet inspection for Wi-Fi 7

New use cases mooted for Wi-Fi 7 are data heavy and latency sensitive. They also involve a wide range of applications and devices across multiple bands, creating a complex network with mixed characteristics. These Wi-Fi 7 use cases rely, to a great extent, on real-time traffic intelligence tools such as deep packet inspection (DPI), to ensure QoS and SLAs are maintained. When integrated in Wi-Fi routers and Access Points (APs) next-gen DPI by ipoque delivers application and threat awareness that enables Wi-Fi network operators to maintain visibility into their traffic flows and user behavior.

Catering to new, demanding applications with DPI-driven traffic insights

Wi-Fi 7 offers higher data transfer rates, supporting interactive HD content such as AR/VR applications and cloud gaming which require higher capacity and low latency. In these scenarios, DPI analysis of latency, jitter, time to first byte (TTFB) and other parameters help network management tools predict congestion issues before users experience content buffering and communication lags. DPI-driven traffic insights are also crucial in critical environments: just think of hospital networks where transmission of data from sensors, monitors and life-support systems, health reports and staff requests are coordinated and handled in real time across various units.

The extensive signature library of the DPI software R&S^®PACE 2 and R&S^®vPACE, in addition to its custom service classification feature, provides a more effective tracking of traffic flows in specialized verticals. DPI helps identify traffic usage patterns and bottlenecks in communications between hundreds of robots, machines and sensors in Wi-Fi-7-powered smart manufacturing environments. In content production studios with large distributed teams collaborating intensively, deep packet inspection unearths issues relating to specific apps. It also identifies editing sessions and applications that drain resources and congest the network. Most applications today are encrypted with increasingly stringent protocols such as TLS 1.3 and QUIC. The encrypted traffic intelligence by ipoque ensures full visibility into each packet, flow and session, including traffic that is obfuscated and anonymized. In the long run, these granular traffic insights also equip Wi-Fi network providers with the intelligence needed to improve their infrastructure when provisioning backhaul connectivity, designing Wi-Fi mesh, configuring optimal routes and reducing power usage, for example.

Using every inch of bandwidth with DPI-powered application awareness

DPI’s application-awareness also plays a critical role in supporting Wi-Fi 7’s MLO. Let’s take the example of a mining environment. For a larger capacity, data-hungry applications can be assigned to the 6 GHz band, while the 2.4 GHz band can be allocated for IoT communications that require constant remote reach. This smart allocation of different channels and bands requires real-time application awareness, alongside metrics on the network condition. As connected assets such as driverless trucks, shuttles and drones navigate the mining ground, DPI’s information also enables these assets to migrate seamlessly from one AP to another, even in congested areas. This is possible because speed, throughput and latency information is already available before handover decisions are made. DPI data is also important in improving network efficiencies, for example, in deploying Wi-Fi HaLow to offload IoT and mesh AP traffic.

Tackling higher device densities

Wi-Fi 7 can manage higher connection densities. DPI-driven traffic insights enable Wi-Fi operators to identify device location and mobility patterns, and pin down interferences from other networks. This facilitates the accurate assignment of frequencies, which is part of the automated frequency coordination feature of Wi-Fi 7. Correct assignment strengthens Wi-Fi 7 implementations in stadiums, event halls, exhibition centers and megamalls, enabling providers to support general browsing activities and event-specific applications, while keeping the venue infrastructure such as parking, fire, air conditioning, locking and lighting sensors working at all times.

Additionally, Wi-Fi 7’s 16 x 16 MU-MIMO feature provides for up to 16 antennas, which will result in a single AP handling hundreds of user devices such as smartphones, tablets, laptops and smartwatches. DPI data enables these APs to be monitored continuously against anomalous behaviour, for example, devices crowding the network, or users resorting to illegal tethering.

Making Wi-Fi-cellular convergence more seamless with AI-powered DPI

DPI’s ability to identify bandwidth-hogging applications and services can greatly facilitate the convergence of Wi-Fi 7 and 4G/5G networks. AI-based modelling of DPI data can be used to anticipate traffic surges and user experiences to power better Wi-Fi offloading strategies. These strategies include mobile devices automatically connecting to available Wi-Fi hotspots to free up bandwidth. In the case of private 5G networks, DPI can be used to monitor QoS, performance and security of the radio nodes as well as Wi-Fi APs. These insights enable university and enterprise campuses, amusement parks and airports etc., to prioritize traffic for employees and critical applications. It also helps these entities secure their assets against data loss and infiltration, via real-time detection of malicious and suspicious flows.

Enhancing the OpenRoaming experience with built-in DPI

The OpenRoaming standard by the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) uses Passpoint technology to provide customers with seamless access to a federation of Wi-Fi networks. They are typically operated by infrastructure owners such as transportation companies and convention centers. Wi-Fi 7 is expected to push OpenRoaming take-up rates due to improved speeds and capacity. Having DPI built into the Wi-Fi platform not only facilitates the management of access requests from thousands of pass holders, including one-off requests, it also supports intelligent allocation of bandwidth. This paves the way for a consistent QoE for OpenRoaming pass holders, while ensuring sufficient bandwidth for roamers with different devices and subscriptions, especially when visitor traffic is at its peak. DPI’s information can also support tiered passes and innovative add-ons, which provides additional monetization avenues for players in the OpenRoaming ecosystem.

Putting the world on Wi-Fi with DPI as a reliable companion

Moving forward, the widespread adoption of AI and GenAI in Wi-Fi network management will require comprehensive training data, which again can be sourced from DPI’s extensive data capture. But this is not all. Wi-Fi 7 in data centers will soon start handling high-performance computing applications whose parallel processing demands the lowest latencies and highest speeds. Industry 5.0, which will see intense interactions between humans and machines, will push more data onto Wi-Fi networks. So will the maturation of Industry 4.0, intensifying real-time data exchanges between machines. Amidst all this hubbub and ever-increasing traffic loads expected to traverse Wi-Fi 7 networks in the coming years, DPI stands as a reliable companion that ensures each packet reaches its destination, securely and fast.

Unlock the potential of your Wi-Fi 7 network! Get insights into how DPI-driven traffic management enhances performance and reliability for data-heavy applications. Get a free demo today!