The evolution of Wi-Fi – What we can expect

­Wi-Fi 6 (also known as 802.11ax) was the latest generation of wireless designed with more speed to provide better performance. Fast forward to 2021, Wi-Fi 6 has since advanced with the latest standard to Wi-Fi 6e.

Wi-Fi 6 vs Wi-Fi 6e – What’s the difference?

 Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6e are fairly similar with the same set of capabilities. But when Wi-Fi 6 initially came to the market, the wireless spectrum only covered the 2.4GHz and 5GHz band. The added “E”, which refers to extended, means an upgrade in the number of bands that’s available to use – the 6 GHz band for unlicensed use.

Being able to access the 6GHz frequency enhances network speed and performance, whilst running on lower latency, as well as having added spectrum and higher throughputs.

Although going from 5GHz to 6GHz may not sound like a big deal, it actually comes with 14 additional 80 MHz channels and seven additional 160MHz channels, meaning that the channels won’t be overlapping.

How does it work?

Let’s say, for example, that you have trouble connecting to your Wi-Fi network, your probably suffering from spectrum congesting. When multiple devices are attempting to connect over the same band of frequencies, then some signals will begin to start dropping.

The introduction of 6GHz can tackle that problem. How? The new spectrum can hold up to seven Wi-Fi streams, which can all be broadcasted at the same time, without overlapping one another. The broader spectrum also streamlines the network design for enhanced Wi-Fi performance – all whilst diminishing the need for legacy devices, reducing network congestion.

The great thing for enterprises is that the added 1200 MHz in the 6 GHz band provides more rapid enterprise Wi-Fi networks, built up of simplified architectures, whilst remaining scalable and resilient. This will allow businesses to support multiple users at multigigabit speeds.

The main benefits of Wi-Fi 6e are:

• Faster speed
• Improved performance
• Low latency
• High capacity

How can Wi-Fi 6 be used?

Wi-Fi 6 routers are fairly new, and whilst the 6GHz band is slowly rolling out in countries, it will take some time for other countries to also open up their wireless spectrum. New Wi-Fi 6e devices will be compatible with Wi-Fi 6 and any other earlier standards. But you’ll have to get a new Wi-Fi6e router, along with any new devices that support Wi-Fi 6e.

Looking to learn more on Wi-Fi 6e? Get in touch with our team today.