think about the transition to the newest standard Wi-Fi? Today we will tell about the main advantages and disadvantages of the sixth generation of wireless networks.
Wi-Fi 6 is the latest standard wireless LAN computer network Wi-Fi. As in the case of 5G, many users have a question, is it worth moving to the latest technology right now or can you wait?
If you still solidically decided to move, then there are many things that are important to know. Just below, we will discuss everything related to the latest Wi-Fi standard.
What is Wi-Fi 6?
Wi-Fi 6, also called 802.11AX, is the newest Wi-Fi standard that works faster and more efficient. It contains many improvements compared to the previous 802.11ac standard, which is now called Wi-Fi 5. First of all, we are talking about minimizing overloads.
Wi-Fi 6 uses MU-MIMO (multiple antennas), which allows multiple users to connect and access the network simultaneously. Also note the orthogonal frequency multiplexing regime (OFDMA), which improves spectral efficiency and, consequently, the network efficiency. And finally, we have an adaptive formation technology of a focus chart, which significantly improves the signal quality and range.
These technologies are not able to significantly improve your home Wi-Fi, however, they are definitely suitable for publicly available wireless networks. Wi-Fi Alliance Indicates stores, residential buildings, transport hubs and stadiums as ideal "customers" for Wi-Fi 6.
The newest standard also provides a greater speed with a maximum theoretical bandwidth of 9.6 Gbps / s compared to 3.5 Gb / s in the case of Wi-Fi 5. We also note improved security thanks to the WPA3 standard - the likelihood that your password Wi-Fi will be hacked, significantly decreases.
Is it worth moving?
You probably noticed that all the latest and best devices (smartphones, tablets, etc.) support Wi-Fi 6. Thus, the question arises - if the devices support the latest standard, is it worth upgrading your network to Wi-Fi 6?
First of all, it is important to answer the following question - do you even need Wi-Fi 6? If you are quite happy with your current Wi-Fi, then you can not even think about switching to the latest standard.
Most users are satisfied with a high speed Internet connection even with Wi-Fi 5.
There is a fairly simple way to check if the speed difference between devices connected via the Ethernet cable and devices connected via Wi-Fi is low, then your current network is fine.
Of course, in addition to speed, Wi-Fi 6 boasts many other advantages. First of all, it is worth noting the introduction of the concept of that same “smart home”.
If you have a lot of devices connected to Wi-Fi, and many of them are smart, then you should upgrade to Wi-Fi 6. But it is important to make sure that most, if not all of these devices support the latest standard, otherwise the devices simply will not be able to take advantage of all the delights of the network.
If you are thinking about moving to public/office Wi-Fi with a large number of users, then it makes sense to consider Wi-Fi 6.
In addition, the new standard is good if you are creating a new Wi-Fi network, and not updating the old one.
It's also worth remembering that Wi-Fi 6 is a new standard, so routers and other equipment will cost significantly more than Wi-Fi 5.
What do I need to upgrade from Wi-Fi 5 to Wi-Fi 6?
First you need to make sure your internet connection is fast enough.
Therefore, you will need a new Wi-Fi 6 router, such as TP-Link Archer AX73 or Netgear Orbi Wi-Fi 6. If you want to upgrade a network located in a larger area (for example, in a large house), we recommend paying attention to the cellular system.
A mesh network (mesh) consists of several Wi-Fi devices distributed over an area of a certain object for better coverage. Wi-Fi 6 is simply the ideal standard for this type of network.
Regardless of your choice, make sure the router/mesh device is positioned to maximize connection speed.
All of this, of course, assuming you have devices that support Wi-Fi 6. Many new phones, laptops, tablets, and other electronics support the standard, but far from all.
If we talk about older devices, then they are certainly limited to Wi-Fi 5 or even Wi-Fi 4, so you cannot use the advantages of Wi-Fi 6.
The latter has backward compatibility - it does not even support old devices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Wi-Fi 6 is better than boat Wi-Fi?
The Wi-Fi cellular system is a type of Wi-Fi setting, which, of course, supports Wi-Fi 6. The choice will eventually depend on the specific purposes of use. If you want to cover a large area with Wi-Fi, the mesh-network is better suited than the usual Wi-Fi 6.
What Wi-Fi 6E?
Wi-Fi 6e is the same Wi-Fi 6, but with better bandwidth. It works on the range of 6 GHz and is not limited to 2.4 and 5 GHz, as in the case of other standards.
Nest Wi-Fi is Wi-Fi 6?
The current version of Google Nest Wi-Fi does not support Wi-Fi 6.
