Talking wireless at Cisco Live brings you face to face with what tomorrow’s connectivity looks like, and my recent chat with Matt McPherson, Enterprise Wireless CTO at Cisco, and Jerome Henry, standards guru and author, did precisely that. When two people this deep in the trenches start describing how our networks cope with thousands of devices at concerts, hospitals, or homes brimming with smart gadgets, it hits you how invisible yet vital great wireless is.
Matt walked me through how Cisco’s approach has evolved over the years, from the early days when the solution to every problem was to throw more bandwidth at it to now, where Wi-Fi 7 serves as a smarter, more reliable safety net. His stories about the transition from Wi-Fi 5 and 6 to what we have now made it clear that what happens above our heads is anything but simple, yet the result for us should feel seamless.
Jerome gave this technical backdrop a human touch by explaining the decisions that went into the new standard. His book, Wi-Fi 7 In Depth, pulls back the curtain on what drives choices in protocols and frequency use. We discussed why multilink operation, which people often hear about, is just one piece of a puzzle that addresses real-time performance and lower waiting times, even in areas where radio waves become unstable quickly.
One part that stood out was Matt describing what happens when a venue like Cisco Live fills up with people. Walls go up, exhibitors build stands, and thousands of bodies, each mostly water, flood the space. That messes with signals, but Wi-Fi 7’s new scheduling tools help keep things running smoothly despite the chaos.
We could not ignore the current buzzword either. AI is being folded into the wireless playbook more deeply than most realize. Cisco has been using AI quietly to manage channels and power levels for years, but now, these tools can learn and adjust without requiring an engineer to intervene. For businesses juggling a flood of devices and constant pressure to operate leanly, this is more than helpful; it is becoming a standard practice.
Then there is Cisco Spaces. Jerome and Matt explained how this feature helps companies understand how their offices are utilized. Knowing exactly where an access point is located is more than trivia; it grounds everything from location tracking to indoor maps. Add in new chips that can measure tiny distances with great precision, and you get navigation tools that know exactly where your phone is yet respect your privacy by keeping control of the user.
Throughout, one message was repeated: wireless is getting smarter, so humans do not need to babysit it. AI handles routine decisions. Security layers keep new traffic safe. Automation reduces the time spent hunting for issues or second-guessing configurations.
Whether it is robots moving in a warehouse, nurses paging each other without drops, or a teenager streaming games while someone else hops on a video call, the backbone is ready to keep up.
Before we wrapped up, I asked both guests what excites them most. Jerome wants the day to come when connectivity works without fuss or expert intervention. Matt added that Cisco’s goal is to ensure companies can support a growing array of devices without needing a vast team of specialists monitoring every light and graph.
If you want to see how this new chapter unfolds, watch the sessions from Cisco Live, pick up Wi-Fi 7 In Depth for a real peek behind the scenes, and maybe keep an eye out for Jerome’s next book. I have my copy ready for the flight home, and after this conversation, I know we will have plenty more to talk about next year.