Multi-link operation (MLO) is a key feature of Wi-Fi 7 routers designed to allow simultaneous connections across multiple frequency bands, promising faster speeds and more stable connections by splitting traffic between bands. In theory, MLO improves upon earlier band steering by sending and receiving data across multiple bands at once, avoiding the instability caused by switching. However, in practice, MLO remains largely unfulfilled.
A February 2026 report by Rtings found that no Wi-Fi 7 router currently supports the full multi-radio version of MLO. While Enhanced Multi-Link Single Radio mode offers a partial improvement, real-world benefits are limited by hardware and compatibility issues. Device compatibility is a major hurdle: only Wi-Fi 7 devices can use MLO, meaning older Wi-Fi 6 or earlier devices gain no benefit and may even experience instability if MLO is enabled.
Networks mixing Wi-Fi 7 routers with legacy devices won’t see MLO advantages. Given these limitations, there’s no universal recommendation to enable or disable MLO. Users with full Wi-Fi 7 setups and compatible devices may benefit from testing MLO on and off, while others should keep it disabled to avoid potential instability.
MLO settings vary by router brand—accessible via apps (e.g., UniFi, eero) or web interfaces (e.g., Linksys)—and are often disabled by default, though some ASUS routers enable it out of the box.
Source: Engadget · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing