A Single-Link Propagation-Driven Performance Study of IEEE 802.11be Wi-Fi 7 in Complex Indoor Environments

IEEE 802.11be (Wi-Fi 7) extends wireless network capability through wider channels, higher-order modulation, and tri-band operation; however, realised indoor performance is strongly governed by propagation constraints. This study , therefore, presents a controlled empirical assessment of Wi-Fi 7 behaviour in a multi-storey university building, examining throughput and received signal strength across 2.4-, 5-, and 6 GHz bands using a single-link radio propagation measurement. Six experimental scenarios were designed to isolate dominant indoor impairments, including distance variation, wall penetration, line-of-sight obstruction, floor separation, antenna orientation, and microwave interference. Measured RSS values were evaluated against free-space, two-ray, and log-distance shadowing models using mean absolute error as the comparison metric. Results show that 2.4 GHz retains greater penetration at lesser capacity, 6 GHz offers the maximum short-range throughput under clear line-of-sight but rapidly deteriorates with structural attenuation. Performance in all bands is greatly diminished by multi-wall blockage and line-of-sight loss. A single propagation model cannot adequately capture the divergence introduced by increasing distance and indoor attenuation, while short-range line-of-sight conditions more closely resemble deterministic predictions in terms of measured RSS alignment. Overall, the results highlight the trade-off between Wi-Fi 7’s capacity and coverage, and provide helpful advice for choosing frequencies, positioning access points, and organizing indoor coverage. The research findings provide insights into the practical deployment of next-generation Wi-Fi in the multi-story buildings and residential houses.