What Is Wi-Fi 6? – Reasons Why Should You Upgrade to It

Are you still using a very old router model that runs with Wi-Fi 4 or Wi-Fi 5 internet connectivity? If then, it is high time you decided to upgrade to the latest Wi-Fi 6 internet connectivity.

You may ask, why so. Sometimes, you don’t have to upgrade to a new technology, just because everybody is using it, and it is the talk of the town. Well, you are right in one way. But new technology comes with enhanced features and better capabilities.

That is what we will try and help you understand through this post. You see, the Wi-Fi 6 internet connectivity has quicker performance, better battery life for your devices, and lesser bandwidth congestion.

What is Wi-Fi 6?

The Wi-Fi 6 was released by the Wi-Fi alliance in 2019. The Wi-Fi 6 also known as the 802.11a is the latest iteration of Wi-Fi. This succeeded the Wi-Fi 5 also called the 802.11ac. The massive changes in this were the efficiency and the bandwidth.

It comes with 12 streams and not the usual 8 streams. There is a maximum throughput of 9.6 Gbps compared to the 3.5 Gbps provided by most of the routers. Moreover, you will be delighted to know that the Wi-Fi 6 can handle more devices and quicker speeds.

It also can support several devices that are connected to the Wi-Fi 6 router. It is also less power-intensive. The good news is that you can find several router models that can be compatible with the client devices at all prices.

Here are some of the reasons why you would want to consider using the Wi-Fi 6 router.

What are the Wi-Fi 6 terms you need to know?

First, we will read some of the new terminologies that we need to know about the Wi-Fi 6 router. The Wi-Fi 6 router can transfer data at up to 10Gbps, then max speeds of around 3.5Gbps for 802.11ac.

It offers you with reduced network congestion, better client capacity, and decreased client power consumption. This is possible thanks to the Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) technologies.

Up to 30 clients can use the same channel simultaneously. This drastically improves the efficiency of the devices and boosts the overall capacity, while reducing the latency in the long run. This technology provides the clients with intervals, enabling them to use available network channels.

For example, when someone is streaming a movie, and somebody else is browsing the internet using their devices, then it assigns the channels on the devices likewise. So, the individual watching a movie requires more internet data and is provided that.

Similarly, the individual who is browsing the internet is provided with adequate internet connectivity. It also makes use of the Target Wake Time (TWT), where devices are allowed to determine when they need to send and receive the internet connection.

It takes advantage of the earlier unused radio frequencies to offer a quicker 2.4 GHz performance. Moreover, the router makes use of refined bandwidth management to provide enhanced Quality of Service (QoS) options.

The Wi-Fi 6 provides you with an 8-stream uplink and downlink Multi-User Multiple Input Multiple Output (MU-MIMO). It steams the data together, and not sequentially providing a more equitable sharing of bandwidth on the connected MU-MIMO enabled clients.

Wi-Fi 6 vs. Wi-Fi 5 – What’s different between W-iFi 6 and Wi-Fi 5?

The main difference between the Wi-Fi 5 and the Wi-Fi 6 is the speed. The devices that can support Wi-Fi 6 work three times faster than devices that operate with Wi-Fi 5 or lower. It also supports several devices being connected to the router simultaneously.

It is also backward compatible, where Wi-Fi 5 and Wi-Fi 6 can be used on the same Wi-Fi network. But please note that the devices that can work on the Wi-Fi 6 only can work on the latest router model.

Now, we will read the reasons for upgrading to a Wi-Fi 6 router.

Wi-Fi 6 has more speed

You would be amazed to note that the Wi-Fi 6 provides you with more speed than the Wi-Fi 5 router models. Some of the speeds that are provided with the routers and wireless devices are theoretical.

When you connect a Wi-Fi 6 device to a Wi-Fi 5 router, you will not get to see speeds that are more than 700 Mbps. The router model is a bottleneck for you, and you might want to upgrade to the Wi-Fi 6 or the Wi-Fi 6E router model.

Please note that the baud rate is the number of symbols that are transferred per second. When you have a higher number, then more data is transferred across that medium. The Wi-Fi 5 router makes use of the 256-QAM, which contains eight bits per symbol.

In contrast, the Wi-Fi 6 router makes use of the 1024-QAM, which contains 10 bits per symbol. It means, that the Wi-Fi 6 is quicker than the Wi-Fi 5 router. You may want to know that the channel width is also important and most of smartphones today support 80 MHz.

Wi-Fi 6 has more streams

The Wi-Fi 6 comes with more streams. They broadcast data in spatial streams that are actually different signals that make use of different spaces to avoid collisions in the same channel. They can radiate with different antennas to make sure that your smartphones receive the signal.

The wireless devices come with two transmit streams (Tx) and two receive streams (Rx). The Wi-Fi Alliance supports 3×3 configurations on the 5 GHz band. But it can handle a single device at a time known as a single-user, multiple inputs, and multiple outputs (SU-MIMO).

You will need to have a 4×4 configuration on the 2.4 GHz band. That means when you have the Wi-Fi 6 routers coming with 12 streams. The more streams that you have, the better your router can function and offer you with quicker speeds for several devices.

Wi-Fi 6 provides a better battery working life

The Wi-Fi 5 router is able to broadcast the message (beacon) to all the devices that are connected to it. It is done so that the devices know when the data is ready for transmission. Most of the connected devices wake up and then wait for it to receive and send the data.

But this waiting can cause the devices to lose out on their battery. This is when the Wi-Fi 6 router comes with a new feature known as Target Wait Time that helps it to enhance the battery performance.

Wi-Fi 6 has better data management

Any router that comes with better data management should be considered. Luckily for you, the Wi-Fi 6 router models have this feature embedded in them. The earlier WI-FI 5 models came with Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM).

Sadly, this technology is on a first-come, first-served basis. That means a single device occupies the entire bandwidth without using the bandwidth that goes to waste. However, in Wi-Fi 6, the Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) supports several users by dividing a channel into smaller subchannels known as resource units.

Wi-Fi 6 has better security features

When compared to the previous models the Wi-Fi 6 model comes with better security features. It comes with the Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) that was started in 2003, and the latest router models come with better features that are provided below:

• Allows easy-to-remember passwords.
• Enables password sharing via NFC and QR codes.
• Uses GCMP-256 encryption.
• Protects against offline password guesses.
• Protects against data decryption if a password is compromised.
• Creates a new key for each device.
• Enables a more secure router-device handshake.
• Wi-Fi 5 supports WPA and WPA2 only.

Wi-Fi 6 has better availability

Today, when you purchase a new smartphone, tablet, laptop, or PC, chances are that they come with the Wi-Fi 6 or even Wi-Fi 7 router internet connection. You can use these devices for connecting to the Wi-Fi 5 router effortlessly.

Besides, the earlier routers like the ASUS RT-AC88U are priced at more than $300. This is a Wi-Fi 5 router model. Instead of spending that much money, you can get a new Wi-Fi 6 router model. So, for effortless connectivity choose the Wi-Fi 6 router.

Wi-Fi 6 has less interference

The main benefit of using the Wi-Fi 6 is that it comes with less interference. Don’t you like it when there is less interference in your devices? In the older connectivity, you could notice the slowdown when more devices were connected.

Unlike the Wi-Fi 5 router, the Wi-Fi 6 provides you with an identifier that makes sure your devices are provided with similar connectivity. There is no lag in the speed when the number of devices increases.

Wi-Fi 6E comes with a new 6 GHz band

The Wi-Fi 6E is the new 6 GHz band. But it is only somewhat better than the Wi-Fi 6 router model. The 6 GHz band is newer than the 5 GHz bands. It comes with better speed and offers less interference.

Sometimes the earlier versions reduce the internet speeds when you reach rural areas or out-of-network regions. However, the new 6 GHz band comes with 7 new 160 MHz channels. They ensure that the interferences do not occur often and provide smooth connectivity.

Pros and cons of upgrading to Wi-Fi 6

Pros

• Faster speed – The Wi-Fi 6 is much faster than the Wi-Fi 5 internet connection. The previous versions came with slower internet connectivity or bandwidth. You can add more devices, with no lag in the connectivity as it uses frequency-division multiple access (FDMA).
• Long battery life – The new “target wake time” (TWT) feature in the Wi-Fi 6 lets the router to wake your device at a particular time. This is done so that it can establish the connection when you are outside. This feature helps in saving on power, improving the power efficiency, and increasing the battery working life.
• Safer – A new enhanced security protocol called WPA3 was provided in 2018. Though this is optional for earlier Wi-Fi models, but it is mandatory now. The introduction of Wi-Fi Alliance certifications makes sure that the router is safe to use and work. They come with better encryption and offer intense protection against PC viruses.

Cons

• Smaller range – The Wi-Fi 6 has a smaller range when you compare it to the 5 GHz network and signals can be interrupted frequently. This can happen when there are some obstacles between the device & the router.
• Compatibility issues – It can’t provide speed on the devices it does not support. You can use a device that supports Wi-Fi to 802.11ac. But when you upgrade to the new router model, then your Wi-Fi connection may not make any difference to you.

As we can see, upgrading to the latest wireless connectivity is definitely worth considering the fact that it comes with several benefits for you. The speeds are quicker, you can connect with several devices without experiencing any lag in the network.

Besides, it won’t cause any problems for those who are connected wirelessly. Of course, please make sure that the devices support the latest standards, or it won’t make any difference to your connection.

Should you wait for Wi-Fi-7?

Probably not. At the time of writing, we guess that the Wi-Fi 7 routers have just been announced. We are not sure about the release date. As expected, these routers can cost you a bit, meaning they are expensive.

For now, when you want to experience spurge in internet speeds, then you may want to choose the Wi-Fi 6 router that can work splendidly. The Wi-Fi 6 can also work fine with laptop and PC devices.

Not to mention, you can get better security features and durability as well. So, if you are still using the Wi-Fi 5 or older equipment, then we strongly suggest that you upgrade to the Wi-Fi 6 and experience the benefits.

You may want to go with the Wi-Fi 6E, which is the fastest currently. But the device choice is quite low for now. So, you may want to keep an eye on that and then upgrade to it. We hope you found this post useful and are welcome to share it with others if you want.

Do you have any doubts about Wi-Fi 6 and its connectivity options, then please don’t hesitate to write to us in the comment section.