WiFi 6 has become a new buzzword! In addition to knowing that it is the sixth generation WiFi behind the 802.11ax specification, we have little idea about this technology. So, what does this technology hold for us and how is it different from its previous iterations? Here are some of the questions we will try to answer in the post today!
What is Wi-Fi 6
Wi-Fi 6 is a new labeling convention developed by Wi-Fi Alliance, which is a nonprofit organization that promotes Wi-Fi technology and certifies Wi-Fi products according to certain standards of interoperability. The new labeling is considered the fastest version of the Wi-Fi technology we have been using for more than a decade now.
The organization came with the convention because previous names were hard to remember (the real name being 802.11ax). The currently used Wi-Fi, 802.11ac, is also known as Wi-Fi 5 and supports speeds up to 3.5 Gbps. Wi-Fi 6 will support 9.6 Gbps, more than double the 3.5 Gbps you get with Wi-Fi 5.
That said, let's explore further:
- Differences between Wi-Fi 4, Wi-Fi 5 and Wi-Fi 6
- Why do we need Wi-Fi 6
- Key Benefits of Wi-Fi 6
- How will Wi-Fi 6 work?
1) Differences between Wi-Fi 4, Wi-Fi 5 and Wi-Fi 6.
| WiFi 4 | WiFi 5 | WiFi 6 |
| identifies devices that support 802.11n technology | identifies devices that support 802.11ac technology | identifies devices that support 802.11ax technology |
| This standard support speeds up to 600 Mbps | This standard supports data rates up to 3.46 Gbit / s. | supports 9.6 Gbps, (almost double the 3.5 Gbps you get with Wi-Fi 5 |
| Operates between two frequencies – 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, | Works in the 5 GHz frequency space | While still operating in the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz spectrum, this standard aims to improve the performance of WLAN deployments in dense scenarios, such as sports stadiums, airports, etc. |
| WiFi 4 has a modulation of only 64-QAM | In modulation mode, WiFi is 5-256-QAM | WiFi-6 has a modulation mode of 1024-QAM |
2) Why Wi-Fi 6
The ubiquity of Wi-Fi and its ability to complement other wireless technologies like artificial intelligence slowly translate the vision of connecting everyone and everything in reality. At the same time, the popularity of Wi-Fi has created very diverse and densely populated Wi-Fi conditions. This requires new technological advances to meet the needs of users. Wi-Fi 6 believes that it has answers to this because it will have the ability to allow Wi-Fi devices to work efficiently in the most dense and dynamic connectivity settings.
In addition to robust connectivity and speed, users demand stable performance in the most demanding Wi-Fi environments. Wi-Fi 6 promises to provide this, as well as other benefits.
3) Key Benefits of Wi-Fi Technology 6
- High performance in environments with many connected devices.
- Increased capacity
- Higher data transfer rates
- Improvement of energy efficiency
In addition to the above, devices certified by this technology, aka Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6, will meet the highest standards for security and interoperability. In addition, they will also reduce battery consumption, making it a preferred choice for the Internet of Things (IoT) and emerging applications like,
- Virtual and augmented reality used in e-Learning
- Health care
- Telepresence
The reason why Wi-Fi 6 is considered the inactive choice for the development of the Internet of Things is that it supports TWT (Target Wakeup Time) technology. The technology allows devices to determine the number of times they can be allowed to send or receive data, which allows 802.11ax (WiFi 6) access points to effectively increase the standby time of the device and conserve considerably the life of the battery. This idea remains an essential feature of the development of IoT. In addition to this, Target Wake Time allows access points and wireless devices to negotiate and set specific times to access support. This optimizes the spectral efficiency of the collectors and reduces conflicts and overlaps between users.
4) How does Wi-Fi 6 work?
Wi-Fi 6 mainly uses two technologies – MU-MIMO and OFDMA.
- MU-MIMO – means "multi-user, multiple entries, multiple exits". It is supported by routers and end devices. The technology is used to increase the number of antennas on a wireless router used for both reception and transmission, thus improving the capacity of wireless connections.
- OFDMA – It stands for "Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access" and, as its name indicates, the technology allows a single point of access to simultaneously connect to multiple clients with varying bandwidth requirements.
Already, we are experiencing a demand for increased capacity and throughput. This will continue to grow as users will continue to add more wireless devices to each network and expect faster response times for their activities (streaming favorite videos or uploading files large). our requests will appear as the most viable option.