MIT Researchers Claim They've Tripled Wi-Fi Speeds

Researchers at MIT's artificial intelligence labs have developed new algorithms they claim could triple the maximum speed of modern Wi-Fi networks. According to a new paper by the researchers at MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab (CSAIL), outlines the development of a new suite of signal-processing algorithms that lets multiple routers and access points concurrently transmit data to multiple receivers, all using the same frequency and without interference.

The new technology, which they're dubbing MegaMIMO 2.0, is an evolution of existing MIMO (multiple-input multiple-output) systems that utilize multiple transmitters and receivers to transfer more data at the same time.

But the researchers note that multiple antennas and MIMO (which is part of the overall 802.11n standard) can only go so far.

"In today's wireless world, you can't solve spectrum crunch by throwing more transmitters at the problem, because they will all still be interfering with one another," researcher Ezzeldin Hamed tells MIT News.

"The answer is to have all those access points work with each other simultaneously to efficiently use the available spectrum."

Enter MegaMIMO 2.0, which the researchers claim can deliver not only three time the speeds of existing Wi-Fi, but double the range of the signal. Granted while the researchers claim the technology is "soon-to-be-commercialized," they're offering no timeline on how soon we'll see it implemented in existing consumer or enterprise gear. The video below provides a little more detail.