Have you heard of Wi-Fi 6? It’s the next generation of wireless network technology. Using the IEEE 802.11ax specification, Wi-Fi 6 delivers faster download and upload speeds as well as greater overall connection reliability when compared to previous Wi-Fi generations. To learn more about Wi-Fi 6 and what to expect with the next-generation wireless network technology, keep reading.
Overview of Wi-Fi 6
Wi-Fi 6 is a type of wireless network technology that, like preceding technologies, is designed to connect multiple computers and devices together, either with or without an active internet connection. It’s designed to operate on all ISM radio bands in the range of 1 GHz to 6 GHz. Wi-Fi 6 is still in the early stages of deployment, though you can already find the technology used in thousands by thousands of businesses throughout the United States.
Wi-Fi 6 Speeds
Now for the million-dollar question: How fast is Wi-Fi 6? The theoretical maximum download speed for the next-generation wireless network technology is 9.6 Gbps. To put that number into perspective, the theoretical maximum download speed for Wi-Fi 5 is just 3.5 Gbps. Therefore, it’s safe to say that Wi-Fi 6 is nearly three times faster — in terms of downloading — than its predecessor, Wi-Fi 5.
Of course, it’s important to note that the aforementioned speeds are simply theoretical limits, meaning you probably won’t download files at 9.6 Gbps over Wi-Fi 6 or 3.6 Gbps over Wi-Fi 5. Nonetheless, Wi-Fi 6 is download to support significantly faster downloading, as well as uploading, speeds.
Supports More Connected Devices
In addition to faster speeds, Wi-Fi 6 also supports a greater number of connected devices. Over the past decade, the number of internet-connected devices in the average home has increased. When Wi-Fi 5 rolled out, the average home had about a half-dozen internet-connected devices. Today, the average home now has nine internet-connected devices — a number that’s expected to balloon into 50 over the next few years.
Wi-Fi 5 only supports a limited number of connected devices. The good news is that Wi-Fi 6 is better equipped to handle a large number of simultaneous connections.
In Conclusion
Wi-Fi 6 is still being rolled out, so it may take a while for businesses and consumers to adopt the new wireless network technology. Furthermore, only computers and devices featuring a Wi-Fi 6-compatible network card can operate over the next-generation wireless network technology. Considering its ability to support faster downloading and uploading speeds, as well as more simultaneous connections, Wi-Fi 6 will eventually become the standard for wireless network technology — at least until Wi-Fi 7 comes along, which will likely occur a long time from now.
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