Wi - Fi 6 is a far-flung engineering in 2023 so you ’ve likely get along across the terminal figure , or have it within one of your internet - connected devices . Wi - Fi 6Eis now useable but , with the former still being so prevalent , we ’re here to clear explain just what Wi - Fi 6 is .
If you ’ve seen Wi - Fi 6 on intersection you already own or considering buying then you may be penetrative on pile up more data on the wireless standard . We ’ve created this handy guide to do just that .
Once you ’ve got all the key information , check out ourbest routerguide where you could receive the top Wi - Fi 6 and Wi - Fi 6E picks around .
What is Wi-Fi 6?
Wi - Fi standards used to be know by their IEEE names , so Wi - Fi 6 was in the beginning introduced as 801.11ax in April 2018 . As these name can be perplexing , the Wi - Fi Alliance determine to simplify its designation conventions , so you may easily recite which standard is newer . Hence , we now have Wi - Fi 6 , the successor to the older Wi - Fi 5 monetary standard ( previously known as 802.11ac ) .
Although the banner was announced in 2018 , it ’s taken quite a long time for products ( especially low-cost ace ) to become available . However , we ’re now at the point where the vast majority of new routers bear at least Wi - Fi 6 , as do all of the latest phones , laptops and even other devices , such as smart speakers .
But what are the independent benefits of Wi - Fi 6 compared to its predecessor ? The fresh standard offers theoretic speeds of up to 9.6Gbps , whereas Wi - Fi 5 is cap at 3.5Gbps . It ’s important to remember that these are theoretic speeds , which may not be attainable with your home web . However , it still demonstrates that Wi - Fi 6 has a far higher performance ceiling .
It ’s not just quicker speeds that Wi - Fi 6 offers though . It ’s also subject of convey a greater issue of moment at the same fourth dimension .
Wi - Fi uses a technique called Quadrature Amplitude Modulation ( QAM ) . Wi - Fi 5 utilise 512 - QAM , which lets the system transmit eight bit at once ; Wi - Fi 6 apply 1024 - QAM , which lets 10 fleck be transmitted at the same time . That afford a 25 % speed improvement .
Next , Wi - Fi 6 apply Orthogonal Frequency - Division Multiple Access ( OFDMA ) , which go bad a wireless channel down into small chunks , so that each client gets its own dedicated bit of bandwidth . It ’s interchangeable to how a post truck can be bundle with letters for different people , and separated out at the final stage .
There ’s also been a boost to MU - MIMO ( short for ‘ Multiple User – Multiple Input Multiple Output ’ ) . With this technology , a router has a set bit of current for upload and download . For example , an 8×8 router has eight upload and eight download streams . With MU - MIMO , a stream can be conduct at a client , giving them dedicated bandwidth . There ’s a choice on how this is done . For example , a 2×2 node could connect with both streams to increase functioning , rent our 8×8 router support up to four customer in this mode ; however , the router could connect eight node directly using a single stream each instead .
The significant matter is that the more watercourse you have , the easier it is for the router to support more clients .
MU - MIMO was innovate with Wi - Fi 5 , but only for downloads . Wi - Fi 6 makes the technology atomic number 83 - guiding . And , MU - MIMO can be used with OFDMA at the same clip , improving the response and dedicated bandwidth that each client induce .
On the 5GHz set , line breadth has been repeat from 80MHz to 160MHz , further increasing the amount of bandwidth useable ; on the engorged 2.4GHz band , channel width remains at 40MHz .
Power saving is improved with Wi - Fi 6 thanks to Target Wake Time . With this technology , clients and the router can schedule when regular communications can take place . For devices that have to jibe in from time to time , such as fresh detector , this saves battery life as the gadget only needs to pass along when scheduled ; with the older system , the gimmick would need to wake up , try and transmit but back off if the Wi - Fi internet was in use , then sample again .
Target Wake Time wo n’t make a difference on your laptop , which will communicate a lot more , but for sensors , smart abode devices and the like , this technology should ameliorate communication and battery life .
Wi - Fi 6 is a standard that works on both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands , so everything you show above applies to both . As a comparison , Wi - Fi 5 was a 5GHz touchstone only , and routers still used the older 802.11n stipulation for the 2.4GHz dance band .
As a answer , Wi - Fi 6 deliver its features across all bands , give more entire high - quality bandwidth ; however , devices will still only connect to one connection type at a time : router can either gift two separate channels or have a individual connection name and send connect equipment to the best distribution channel based on stop number , range and capabilities .
Those are all of the chief benefits of Wi - Fi 6 , but what is Wi - Fi 6E ? In shortsighted , Wi - Fi 6E has all of the lineament remark above for Wi - Fi 6 , but it also acquaint a Modern 6GHz channel into the mix . We ’re only just starting to see Wi - Fi 6E routers and gadget bump off the market place , but it ’s gestate to gain further traction imminently with the technology coif to turn up on theiPhone 15 . Either direction , it ’s worth keeping an eye on if you want thebest routerand Wi - Fi performance potential .
