Looking to get that Wi-Fi 7 router because your iPhone, iPad or Mac supports it? Not so fast, because I have a few words to share.
Invest in a Wi-Fi Router that Supports a Mature Standard like 802.11ax if You Prefer Stability Above All Else
Terms like MLO, WPA3, and 320MHz channel make you want to buy that Wi-Fi 7 router immediately, doesn’t it? After all, your next iPhone, iPad, and Mac will support the latest standard, so it makes sense to jump onboard.
Well, not so fast.
See, the thing is, I’m a bit of a Wi-Fi nerd, and spend a considerable amount of time around Wi-Fi routers and testing them out. Heck, I even got myself a Wi-Fi 7 router a while ago, because that’s the future.
However, after all the testing and money spent, I’m going to say what a lot of people don’t want to hear instead: invest in a Wi-Fi router with a standard that has fully matured, has received all its crucial security updates along with bug fixes, and is not obsolete from the manufacturer.
That’s why I downgraded to the most solid Wi-Fi standard and settings for home. What’s that standard? Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax). What’s the security type? WPA2.
The Wi-Fi router I downgraded to is the TP-Link AX55 which is a mid-range champ even in 2026, and it works flawlessly with Apple and smart home devices.
These are the settings I’m using:
- OFDMA turned on.
- WPA2-only security – no WPA2/WPA3 mixed nonsense.
- 20MHz channel width on 2.4GHz band, 80MHz channel width on 5GHz band.
- ALG turned off completely.
I chose WPA2 very carefully because it works extremely well whether you’re close to the router or far from it. WPA3 is a complicated encryption type that starts falling apart when used alongside WPA2 in mixed mode. It’s just an unnecessary overhead on your router’s CPU.
Unless you’re building a network from scratch with modern devices that support WPA3, then go ahead with it. The moment you use the WPA2/WPA3 mixed mode option, you’ll notice packet losses, latency spikes, issues with AirPlay, and other things as well.
I know it’s great to future proof your home, but if you’re only planning on getting that new Wi-Fi 7 router just for one device only, it’s just counterintuitive, and the benefits you’ll get from it are going to be situational only, like MU-MIMO.
The bottom line is: unless you are building a home network from scratch that is surrounded by latest and modern devices, go with Wi-Fi 7. But if you want stability above all else, then work with mature standards; they will never fail you.
There’s a good reason Apple uses older Wi-Fi standards in some of their devices, like the HomePod – because it just works.
