MegaMIMO 2.0 to triple current Wi-Fi speeds

MIMO was introduced in devices when the 802.11n specification was certified in 2009. Routers supporting MIMO are able to send multiple packets of data through multiple discrete streams to a single device, increasing transfer speeds and signal reliability. Nowadays, many devices adhere to the new 802.11ac standard and support multi-user MIMO. Routers supporting MU-MIMO are able to use its multiple antennas to transmit data to multiple users simultaneously. Whereas traditional MIMO routers dedicate all their performance to one device that may be limited in bandwidth, MU-MIMO routers can interact with multiple devices at the same time to utilize more of the router's bandwidth.

Researchers at MIT took the concept even further to create MegaMIMO 2.0, a technology that allows multiple routers to work in harmony to transmit data. Conceptually, two 2x2 MegaMIMO routers operate as if their antennas were in a single 4X4 MU-MIMO router. The routers coordinate tightly to send data to one or more clients. Using additional routers will also increase Wi-Fi coverage and reduce strain on single access points. MIT researchers realized a 330% increase in speed over current Wi-Fi devices. The technology is expected to be commercialized soon and will possibly be included in the next major Wi-Fi specification.

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