WiFi 6 and WiFi 6E Explained: Should You Upgrade?

WiFi technology continues to evolve rapidly, and the latest standards, WiFi 6 (802.11ax) and WiFi 6E, bring significant improvements that address the growing demands of modern connected homes. But with a perfectly functional WiFi 5 setup, you might wonder whether upgrading is worth the investment. This guide breaks down what these standards offer and helps you decide.

What Is WiFi 6?

WiFi 6, technically known as 802.11ax, is the successor to WiFi 5 (802.11ac). Released in 2019, it was designed to handle the increasing number of connected devices in homes and public spaces. While WiFi 5 focused primarily on speed, WiFi 6 takes a more holistic approach, improving efficiency, capacity, and performance in congested environments.

The theoretical maximum speed of WiFi 6 is 9.6 Gbps compared to WiFi 5 at 3.5 Gbps. While you will never achieve these theoretical maximums in real-world conditions, WiFi 6 devices consistently deliver 30-40 percent faster speeds than their WiFi 5 counterparts in typical home environments.

Key WiFi 6 Technologies

OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access) allows the router to communicate with multiple devices simultaneously within a single channel. Think of it like a delivery truck that can drop off packages to multiple houses in one trip instead of making separate trips for each delivery. This dramatically improves efficiency when many devices are connected.

MU-MIMO (Multi-User, Multiple Input, Multiple Output) was introduced in WiFi 5 but limited to four simultaneous streams on downlink only. WiFi 6 expands this to eight streams and adds uplink MU-MIMO, allowing more devices to send data to the router at the same time.

Target Wake Time (TWT) allows the router to schedule when devices wake up and communicate. This is particularly beneficial for IoT devices and smartphones, as they can sleep longer between transmissions, significantly improving battery life.

BSS Coloring helps reduce interference from neighboring networks. In dense environments like apartment buildings, overlapping WiFi networks can degrade performance. BSS Coloring tags transmissions with a color code so devices can differentiate between their own network and neighboring ones, reducing unnecessary delays.

What WiFi 6E Adds

WiFi 6E extends WiFi 6 into the 6 GHz frequency band, adding a massive amount of new spectrum. While WiFi 6 operates on the familiar 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, WiFi 6E adds up to seven additional 160 MHz channels in the 6 GHz band. This is like adding seven new lanes to a highway that currently has only a few.

The 6 GHz band is currently unused by legacy WiFi devices, meaning it is completely free of congestion. Only WiFi 6E devices can operate on this band, providing a pristine environment for the fastest possible speeds and lowest latency. This makes WiFi 6E particularly attractive for bandwidth-intensive applications like 4K video streaming, virtual reality, and cloud gaming.

Should You Upgrade Your Router?

If your current router is more than four years old, upgrading to a WiFi 6 router is a worthwhile investment. You will see improved performance with your existing devices and be ready for the WiFi 6 devices you will inevitably acquire over the coming years.

If you live in a congested environment like an apartment building and experience frequent slowdowns, WiFi 6 OFDMA and BSS Coloring technologies will provide noticeable improvements. If you have many smart home devices, the improved efficiency of WiFi 6 handles large device counts much better than WiFi 5.

WiFi 6E is worth considering if you need the absolute best performance for applications like gaming, VR, or large file transfers. However, you need WiFi 6E compatible devices to take advantage of the 6 GHz band. Most devices purchased in 2024 and beyond support WiFi 6E.

Upgrading Tips

When upgrading, replace your router first, as this provides the most significant impact. WiFi 6 routers are backward compatible with WiFi 5 and earlier devices, so everything will continue to work even before you upgrade individual devices.

Consider a WiFi 6 or 6E mesh system if you need coverage across a large home. Mesh systems with WiFi 6E can use the 6 GHz band as a dedicated backhaul channel, improving performance across all nodes without consuming bandwidth from client devices.

Make sure to reconfigure your security settings on the new router, including WPA3 encryption, strong passwords, and a guest network. Use the opportunity to implement any security improvements you have been putting off.

Conclusion

WiFi 6 and WiFi 6E represent meaningful improvements in wireless networking. While not everyone needs to upgrade immediately, those with older routers, many connected devices, or demanding applications will benefit significantly. As WiFi 6E devices become more common and affordable, the 6 GHz band will become increasingly valuable for maintaining a fast, reliable home network.