| Philosophy shift | UHR = Ultra High Reliability: target is P95/P99 latency, throughput at RANGE, and roaming continuity - not headline peak rate. "Make Wi-Fi deterministic", after Wi-Fi 7 made it fast. | PAR targets: 25%+ throughput gain at signal-limited range, 25% latency reduction at P95, reduced roam interruption. |
| MAPC - Multi-AP Coordination | Framework for neighbor APs to cooperate instead of contend: Co-SR (coordinated spatial reuse - power-coordinated simultaneous TX), Co-BF (coordinated beamforming - null toward neighbor's client), C-TDMA/C-OFDMA style sharing of a TXOP across APs. | Biggest architectural change since MIMO. Enterprise densification finally addressed at protocol level rather than by RRM heuristics. |
| Seamless roaming (Single Mobility Domain) | Roam within a mobility domain without full reassoc/rekey interruption - context moves AP-to-AP; target is make-before-break-like continuity. | Aimed squarely at VoWiFi/XR roam gaps that 11r only shortened. |
| ELR - Enhanced Long Range | New robust PPDU/rates below today's MCS0 effective floor (repetition/spreading style) for reliability at cell edge. | IoT + coverage: hold a usable link where 11ax drops. |
| NPCA - Non-Primary Channel Access | STA/AP may contend on a non-primary channel when primary is busy (e.g. OBSS occupying primary 20). | Attacks the "wide channel hostage to busy primary" problem. |
| DSO - Dynamic Sub-band Operation | Per-PPDU switching of operating sub-band without full channel switch. | Complements puncturing; draft details evolving. |
| dRU - Distributed RU | Spread a user's tones non-contiguously across the band - power-spectral-density-limited (LPI 6 GHz) clients get more total power. | Directly targets 6 GHz LPI uplink range problem. |
| Expected constants | Bands 2.4/5/6 GHz, up to 320 MHz, 4096-QAM, up to 8-16 SS - PHY peak similar to Wi-Fi 7; gains come from efficiency/coordination. mmWave integration was explored, then dropped from scope. | - |
| Timeline | TGbn formed 2023-24; draft iterations through 2025-26; ratification target ≈2028; pre-standard silicon expected earlier (as with every generation). | ALL rows on this sheet are DRAFT-BASED and subject to change - re-verify against latest TGbn drafts before citing externally. |