WiFi 6: A Primer

This year, WiFi 6 will be hitting our computers. Its debut will be big, and its impact will soon be felt. WiFi 6 is the newest standard of Wireless Fidelity and contains better and improved features than its predecessors. With WiFi 6’s big arrival, WiFi will connect to more devices, deliver higher video resolution for Zoom and Discord video calls, and give higher speeds and data transmissions.

Read more to learn more about WiFi 6.

What Is WiFi 6?

WiFi 6, or 802.11ax (its technical) name, is the updated version of wireless Internet technology. The latest iteration of the 802.11 standards for wireless network transmissions is what people commonly call WiFi. It is a level-up compared to its previous iteration, 802.11ac.

WiFi 6 is an upgraded standard for WiFi. It connects devices more efficiently and transmits WiFi signals more effectively. With WiFi 6 Philippines coming soon, you can expect an elevated technological experience.

What Are The Other WiFi Iterations?

The other names of the WiFi iterations are clunky and not as relevant to people, especially those who do not work in the technology sphere. Due to this, the WiFi Alliance has simplified the names of the previous WiFi iterations.

WiFi 6, the newest version, is the 6th version of 802.11. The predecessors of WiFi also received the same treatment regarding their names. The previous existing standard, 802.11ac, is now called WiFi 5.

The other WiFi iterations are

  • WiFi 4 (2014)
  • WiFi 5 (2016)

The Perks Of WiFi 6

As it has been established, WiFi 6 raises a higher bar regarding Internet usage and connectivity.

Some of the highlights of WiFi 6 include:

  • Increased AP Capacity – WiFi 6 possesses several features that make WiFi 6/6E better suited to handle the demands of multiple mobile devices. What is even better about WiFi 6 is that it can handle multiple devices without sacrificing its performance. With the workforce going digital and more agile in its arrangements, your workstation can be reduced only to you and your laptop or mobile from anywhere in the world.
  • More Efficient Bandwidth Sharing – WiFi 6 provides more antennas and scheduling data. First, more antennas are great because WiFi 6/6E has increased the number of antennas it can support. WiFi uses a maximum configuration of 8×8:8. The latter then identifies the number of AP transmits and receives antennas and the number of spatial streams it receives. Having more antennas allows more concurrent communication and improves data transmission speeds.
  • Secondly, the 802.11ax standard performs better than splitting up user time and “scheduling” the data. As a result, it produces a better end-user experience and capacity improvements.
  • Better Connectivity – WiFi 6 has the Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access. The latter’s job is to classify one wireless channel into several sub-channels. The sub-channels carry data for every different device.
  • Lesser Power Consumption – WiFi 6 has a longer battery life and consumes less power than its previous version because of its Target Wake Time Feature. Thanks to this feature, you can also decide when to switch on your device again once the transmission is triggered.

Wrapping Up

WiFi 6 is currently the latest iteration of wireless internet technology on the market. It promises overall better performance and more connectivity. In an ideal world, everyone would level up their systems to WiFi 6/6E APs and devices to take advantage of all the improvements it offers, but with the budget being a huge factor in decision-making, the choice is up to you.

Author’s Bio:

Rosette has a knack for anything DIY, but not only that, she also knows a lot about manly chores and tech stuff as she spent her younger years immersed in books about tools and technology. She makes it a point to write about the things she’s most passionate about during her free days.