Benefits of WiFi 6: Is It Worth the Upgrade?

WiFi 6 offers a host of significant benefits beyond just faster speeds, making it well worth considering for an upgrade. Here’s why investing in a WiFi 6 router and package could be the best decision for your internet needs:

  • Enhanced Security: WiFi 6 introduces WiFi Protected Access (WPA) 3 as standard, improving security compared to the WPA and WPA2 available in WiFi 5. WPA3 provides advanced protection against password guessing, utilizes GCMP-256 encryption, and allows NFC password sharing, ensuring secure and easy access to your accounts and WiFi router. Enhanced security is a critical benefit in today’s online environment.
  • Improved Efficiency: WiFi 6 integrates Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) and Multi-User Multiple Input Multiple Output (MU-MIMO) technologies. These features allow multiple devices to share the same channel simultaneously, increasing network efficiency and significantly reducing latency or lag, especially in high-density environments.
  • Faster Speeds and Longer Range: WiFi 6 offers maximum theoretical speeds of up to 9.6 Gbps, which is 25% faster than WiFi 5. Additionally, it operates with up to 75% less latency, providing a smoother and more responsive internet experience. The extended coverage range of WiFi 6 ensures that your network can reach more areas in your home or office, reducing dead spots and enhancing overall connectivity.
  • Better Availability: As more devices become WiFi 6-compatible, purchasing options for WiFi 6 routers are expanding. While second-hand WiFi 5 routers are still available, investing in a new WiFi 6 router offers better options and deals, making it a more sensible choice moving forward.
  • Future-proofing: WiFi 6 is designed to support the evolving demands of modern wireless networks, ensuring your setup is ready for future technologies and applications. With the introduction of WiFi 6E, which includes an additional band for even less interference and higher speeds, investing in WiFi 6E can significantly future-proof your network, allowing you to achieve maximum speeds of 1,200 Mbps per stream.
  • More Streams for Better Performance: WiFi 6 supports up to 8×8 configurations on the 5 GHz band, allowing more devices to connect simultaneously without performance degradation. This is particularly beneficial in environments with multiple devices, ensuring each one receives optimal bandwidth.
  • Better Battery Longevity: WiFi 6 introduces a feature called Target Wait Time (TWT) to improve battery performance. TWT allows devices to schedule when they wake up to transmit or receive data, reducing unnecessary energy consumption and extending battery life.
  • Enhanced Data Management: With OFDMA, WiFi 6 can manage data more efficiently by dividing channels into smaller resource units, allowing simultaneous data transmission to multiple devices. This improves overall network throughput and reduces the chances of bottlenecks during high-demand activities.

Read also: Is WiFi 6 Worth It? A Comprehensive Guide to the Pros and Cons