Tech Talks Today
The Power Of Wi-Fi 6
Can You Keep Up Or Is It Still Too Slow?
As hardware and tech evolve, so do protocols and technologies. People from all over the planet put their minds together, perform experiments and push the boundaries of science for continual evolution. I want to say a great and big “Thank You!” to those gifted persons. They are making the world a better place.
It is hard to get past Wi-Fi, or, better yet, it is hard to live without Wi-Fi these days. Smartphones, computational devices, notebooks, TVs, security cameras, fridges, and a whole load of IoT devices that exist out there require connectivity. There’s no better way to get that connectivity than through a wireless connection. Hello, Wi-Fi/WiFi/wifi!
Some History
Wi-Fi has already been with us for the best part of 20+ years and has continued to grow, get more sophisticated, and be significantly more powerful. You can thank the Wi-Fi Alliance and the IEEE for that work.
OK, so here they are, the relevant Wi-Fi standards:
- Wi-Fi 6E: 802.11ax (2020)
- Wi-Fi 6: 802.11ax (2019)
- Wi-Fi 5: 802.11ac (2014)
- Wi-Fi 4: 802.11n (2009)
- Wi-Fi 3: 802.11g (2003)
- Wi-Fi 2: 802.11a (1999)
- Wi-Fi 1: 802.11b (1999)
I have omitted the initial legacy standard from the list, which launched in 1997. There are also other standards in between, such as 11ad, 11ah, 11az, but you don’t need to be concerned about those. If you are, Wikipedia is a great learning tool.
In all honesty, we can pretty much ignore the 802.11a and 11b standards, as it is unlikely that you are using a device that requires those protocols. Plus, there’s the fact that the 11a and 11b standards cannot communicate with newer 11g and up routers, so you would have to have an “ancient” router as well.
In my part of the woods, it is still common to find people using the 802.11n or Wi-Fi 4 standard. However, the shift towards faster wireless networks is noticeable. Wireless routers or access points that support the Wi-Fi 5 standard have become increasingly popular over the past few years.
But speed is tricky and is only part of the equation.
First, you have to understand that owning a router that boasts higher speeds does not necessarily translate to real-world performance for you.
Here’s a list of the theoretical speeds for Wi-Fi, and the frequencies being used:
- Wi-Fi 6E: 802.11ax — 10.8 Gbps — 2.4 & 5 & 6 GHz
- Wi-Fi 6: 802.11ax — 10 Gbps — 2.4 & 5 GHz
- Wi-Fi 5: 802.11ac — 1.3 Gbps — 2.4 & 5 GHz
- Wi-Fi 4: 802.11n — 600 Mbps — 2.4 & 5 GHz
- Wi-Fi 3: 802.11g — 54 Mbps — 2.4 GHz
- Wi-Fi 2: 802.11a — 54 Mbps — 2.4 GHz
- Wi-Fi 1: 802.11b — 11 Mbps — 5 GHz
That’s all very nice, but the fact is you won’t be able to reach those speeds. First of all, most older devices or IoT devices still use the 2.4 GHz band and are limited to a theoretical maximum speed of 600 Mbps. But, compared to the 5 or 6GHz frequencies, it offers a much better range.
For higher speeds, you need to go to Wi-Fi 5 and 6, on the 5GHz band.
Wi-Fi 6 and 6E
Let’s put history aside for a bit and concentrate on progress. It is important to understand that newer wireless standards bring huge benefits, and we will discuss the main ones below. However, nothing is perfect, so there are still some minor downsides.
While Wi-Fi 5 mainly came with a nice bump in speed, I think Wi-Fi 6 brought remarkable things to the wireless space.
Wi-Fi 6 and 6E refined and improved in almost every area when compared to Wi-Fi 5. You now have even more available channels, that will help your overall speed, as you will not have to use congested channels. There’s also the fact that multiple devices can communicate much more efficiently and reliably, thanks to an improved MU-MIMO and OFDMA.
So, compared to Wi-Fi 5, you get higher speeds, increased efficiency and
better handling of the increased number of devices you keep adding to your smart home.
You also get better security with the added support for the new WPA3 protocol.
This is all true for Wi-Fi 6E as well, with the additional 6GHz band.
So, to compare, the 2.4 GHz frequency only has 3 channels that do not overlap with each other, plus, the actual frequency is used by other technologies as well, such as Bluetooth, Zigbee, microwaves, various other sensors, etc.
The fewer the channels that overlap, the less interference you will have, and interference can be a real pain as it affects network speed.
The 5GHz spectrum alleviates much of the problem, with 9 non-overlapping channels that can theoretically be used, so much improved compared to 2.4 GHz.
6 GHz increases the number of available channels for consumers significantly, now with 24–41 non-overlapping channels, depending on where you live.
Still, as with 5 GHz, the 6 GHz frequency comes with an even shorter range.
In reality, you will likely see much higher speeds and better range with these newer Wi-Fi 6 and 6E devices, as they come with multiple high-power antennas.
Don’t be alarmed if your devices don’t support the new standard, as it backward compatible, so older Wi-Fi 4 and 5 devices will work just fine with your new Wi-Fi 6 or 6E router.
Mesh Network or Gaming Router?
Yes, I am referring to Wi-Fi 6 routers, although some things will be generally true for Wi-Fi 5 routers.
First, what is a “Gaming” router? For the most part, it is generally the highest-end consumer device you can buy. It can act as a router, switch, access point, firewall, network hub, and comes with the latest and greatest features.
On the other hand, a mesh network, made out of two or three devices acts in pretty much the same way, as it can also be a router, switch, access point, firewall. Compared to their “gaming” siblings, they are usually more user-friendly, arguably more stylish, and might not include some “bleeding age” tech. This can vary from device to device and from producer to producer, but this is a general thought.
Even though gaming routers are usually sold as single units, and mesh packages come as either 2 or 3 packs, they both can be used as a single unit device or in a mesh network. That being said, the integration on the mesh devices is more seamless.
In the end, I think it all depends on preference. The speed is very similar, and it will be hard to notice any real-world difference in day-to-day usage, as I am very sure you don’t run speed tests every day just for the fun of it.
If the price is all the same for devices advertising similar characteristics and features, I’d go for a mesh setup, with 2–3 devices. If you fancy the “gamer-y” look, then one of those 8–10 external antenna beasts will do a great job as well.
Can Your Home Handle The Speed?
Earlier I mentioned that the devices you use in your household — PCs, laptops, tablets, smartphones — need to be capable of taking advantage of the speed and features offered by these Wi-Fi 6 routers. You can add capable network cards to your PC and laptops, but older wireless devices will need replacing at some point.
Another important thing that you should be conscious of is your actual network speed. If you have a 100 Mbit connection or less, then the benefits of upgrading to Wi-Fi 6 will not be there (maybe apart from increased range).
802.11ax thrives with Gigabit or Multi-Gigabit connections such as 2.5, 5, 10 Gbps. Unless you are planning to upgrade your network speed, maybe save a bit more money for the future.
Yes, save some money, or put some aside just for the upgrade because Wi-Fi 6 or 6E devices are not particularly cheap. We’re talking anywhere from 250$ to 1000$ or more for a capable device. Choose wisely. If you decide to step forward, it is unlikely you will have to do it anytime soon after Wi-Fi 6/E.
Do You Need Wi-Fi 6?
Hmmm…
I have a lot of devices connected to my network, so a Wi-Fi 6 network benefits me, but if you only use a phone and a laptop to chat on social sites, browse the web or read some e-mails, maybe it is not yet the time to splash the cash on the newest and fanciest 802.11ax toy.
If you are a tech geek like me, it is always fun to play with new toys and technologies.
Have fun y’all…unless you’re waiting for Wi-Fi 7, in which case, you’re still a good 3–4 years away from any commercial product.
If you like the Internet, maybe you would also be interested in reading about it here:
Are you planning to upgrade?
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