Wi-Fi 7 Throughput Comparison: MLO vs Non-MLO

At Alethea, we recently explored in detail the most well-known feature of Wi-Fi 7 – Multi Link Operation (MLO). Our focus was on evaluating the effect of MLO on performance. Hence, we compared the downlink throughput with Multi-Link Operation (MLO) and without MLO (Single Link Operation (SLO) / non-MLO). on a Wi-Fi 7 Access Point, at 3 different load levels – with a single Wi-Fi 7 client, 2 Wi-Fi 7 clients, and 4 Wi-Fi 7 clients.

We also compared the throughput between MLO and non-MLO scenarios under different client bandwidth combinations in each band.

The Access Point used for the test was a 4×4 SoC Reference board running its latest firmware.

1/ 2 / 4 Wi-Fi 7 clients connected and shared the network resources. Tests are done on 2 different configuration options-

• • With Symmetric 20 MHz + 20 MHz bandwidth in both bands.
  • Asymmetric – with 20 MHz bandwidth in 2.4 GHz and 80 MHz bandwidth in 6 GHz band. From customer discussions, we understand that 80MHz is the most common deployment bandwidth in the 6GHz band. Hence, we have used it instead of 160MHz or 320MHz.

Scenario 1 : Symmetric (2.4 GHz(20 MHz) + 6 GHz(20 MHz))

Test Setup Details

Access Point (AP) Configuration:

• • MLO Tests: MLO enabled, utilizing both 2.4 GHz and 6 GHz bands with 20 MHz bandwidth in both bands and WPA3-SAE security.
  • Non-MLO Tests: MLO disabled, using the same bands (2.4 GHz and 6 GHz) with 20 MHz bandwidth in both bands and WPA3-SAE security and with the common SSID and security in both bands.

Client Distribution:

• • 1 Client Test: Single MLMR-supported Wi-Fi 7 client used.
  • 2 Client Test: Two MLMR-supported Wi-Fi 7 clients connected simultaneously.
  • 4 Clients Test: Four MLMR-supported Wi-Fi 7 clients connected simultaneously.

Fig. 1: Symmetric bandwidth Test results

Here’s a detailed look at our findings for Scenario 1:

Observation – Scenario 1: 

Symmetric Bandwidth (20 MHz + 20 MHz) Testing with MLO & without MLO – Real-World Throughput Analysis

MLO Throughput:

• • With Multi-Link Operation (MLO) enabled, throughput increased significantly to over 400 Mbps, showcasing the potential of MLO to optimize data transfer by aggregating multiple channels across different bands. Notably, this result reflects double the throughput compared to the non-MLO scenario.

Non-MLO Throughput:

• • The Access Point demonstrated solid performance, achieving a peak throughput of up to 200 Mbps under real-world conditions (over-the-air testing in an RF isolation chamber with realistic interference injected). This result, achieved with 20 MHz bandwidth, highlights the raw efficiency of Wi-Fi 7 in standard operations, leveraging 4K QAM to surpass the capabilities of Wi-Fi 6 (11ax).
  • During 20 MHz + 20 MHz Non-MLO testing, clients consistently associated with the 2.4 GHz band, due to band preference and range characteristics.

Please refer to Fig. 1 above for detailed results.

Key Insights:

• • MLO Performance Gains: MLO enabled more than a 50% increase in average throughput compared to single-band operation in this scenario-1. This represents a materially significant improvement.

Scenario-2 : Asymmetric (2.4 GHz(20 MHz) + 6 GHz(80 MHz)) 

Test Setup Details

Access Point (AP) Configuration:

• • MLO Tests: MLO enabled, utilizing both 2.4 GHz and 6 GHz bands with 20 MHz bandwidth in 2.4 GHz and 80 MHz bandwidth in 6 GHz band and security used WPA3-SAE security.
  • Non-MLO Tests: MLO disabled, using the same bands (2.4 GHz and 6 GHz) with 20 MHz bandwidth in 2.4 GHz and 80 MHz bandwidth in 6 GHz band and security used WPA3-SAE security and with the common SSID and security in both bands.

Client Distribution:

• • 1 Client Test: Single MLMR-supported Wi-Fi 7 client used.
  • 2 Client Test: Two MLMR-supported Wi-Fi 7 clients connected simultaneously.
  • 4 Clients Test: Four MLMR-supported Wi-Fi 7 clients connected simultaneously.

Fig. 2: Asymmetric bandwidth Test results

Here’s a detailed look at our findings for Scenario 2:

Observation – Scenario 2:

Asymmetric Bandwidth Testing (20MHz + 80MHz) with MLO & without MLO – Real-World Throughput Analysis

MLO Throughput:

• • With Multi-Link Operation (MLO) enabled, overall throughput saw a substantial increase to over 1300 Mbps. This gain was achieved by intelligently aggregating the 20 MHz link on 2.4 GHz with the 80 MHz link on 6 GHz. Even though the 2.4 GHz link contributes less raw capacity, MLO leverages it for supplemental data flow, contributing to improved overall performance.

Non-MLO Throughput:

• • In the baseline configuration without MLO, the Access Point delivered robust performance, reaching up to 1180 Mbps throughput under controlled RF isolation conditions with realistic RF interference injected. This throughput, achieved using an 80 MHz channel on the 6 GHz band (with 4K QAM), highlights the inherent efficiency of Wi-Fi 7, even in single-link operation.
  • During asymmetric tests using 20 MHz on 2.4 GHz and 80 MHz on 6 GHz in non-MLO mode, client devices consistently prioritized association with the 6 GHz band, taking advantage of the cleaner spectrum and wider channel bandwidth available.

Please refer to Fig. 2 above for detailed results.

Key Insights:

• • MLO Efficiency in Asymmetric Bandwidth: MLO’s ability to operate over links with differing channel widths shows significant benefit. Even with a narrower 2.4 GHz link (20 MHz), the additional pathway contributes to throughput gains and reduced latency.
  • Performance Boost with Multi-Band Aggregation: The observed throughput uplift of ~20% over single-link operation demonstrates how MLO can materially enhance performance, particularly in mixed-band environments.

MLO WORKS!!!

Our throughput testing on the Wi-Fi 7 Access Point confirms that MLO delivers significant performance improvements by harnessing multiple channels simultaneously. Stay tuned for additional test results from Alethea as we validate additional scenarios and features.