R&D: Uncovering the true energy cost of WiFi access points

The demand for professional WiFi is exploding in hotels, campuses, and businesses. But what about the energy cost? This has been a major blind spot in the industry, with very little data available on the real-world power consumption of large-scale WiFi networks.

Until now.

Wifirst research engineer Hamidou Dembélé is shedding light on this crucial issue. His landmark study, titled "Characterization of Wi-Fi Access Point Energy Consumption and the Impact of IEEE 802.11 Standard Evolutions", published by the prestigious IEEE journal, tackles a strategic question: How can we make WiFi networks more powerful and more sustainable?

Key Findings: Performance without the power penalty

Conventional wisdom suggests that higher performance requires more power. Hamidou's research for Wifirst proves this isn't inevitable. The study's three key findings challenge old assumptions:

• Performance and efficiency can coexist. It's possible to achieve the high performance demanded by modern standards without a proportional increase in energy consumption.
• Dynamic adaptation is crucial. Intelligently adjusting bandwidth and transmit power based on real-time network demand is essential for minimising energy waste.
• ‘Green by Design’ is a must. Manufacturers must prioritise energy efficiency from the very beginning of the design phase, not as an afterthought.

Experimental device setup

A rigorous, real-world approach 

To uncover these insights, Hamidou conducted extensive tests on real equipment under realistic conditions. The methodology was comprehensive:

• Multiple generations: Access points from WiFi 4 through the latest WiFi 7 standard were compared.
• Precision measurement: Power consumption was measured with extreme accuracy.
• Deep technical analysis: The study factored in numerous variables often ignored in models, including network load, MIMO configurations, modulation schemes (MCS), bandwidth, and transmit power.

The result of this rigorous work is an advanced predictive model of access point consumption. This model is a powerful tool, enabling engineers to design smarter, more sustainable networks.

This study moves beyond theory. It provides a solid, data-driven foundation for designing the next generation of WiFi infrastructure—one that meets both our performance demands and our ecological responsibilities.

An approach in line with Wifirst's CSR commitments

As a leading European provider of managed WiFi, our commitment goes beyond delivering high-performance, resilient networks. We are dedicated to building a responsible digital infrastructure.

Hamidou Dembélé's groundbreaking research is this commitment in action. By pinpointing the key factors that influence an access point's energy use, we can develop real-world strategies to optimise both new and existing networks.

What does this mean for our customers?

This advanced knowledge enables us to design and deploy infrastructure that perfectly balances peak performance with energy responsibility. We can provide you with expert guidance to build a network that is powerful, cost-effective, and fully aligned with your sustainability goals.

It’s about building a smarter, greener digital future, one access point at a time.