Wi-Fi 6

Updated on Apr 11, 2024 by

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What Is Wi-Fi 6?

Wi-Fi 6, also known as Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ 6, is the cutting-edge advancement in Wi-Fi technology. It is based on the 802.11ax draft standard and is governed by the Wi-Fi Alliance's interoperability certification program. The standout feature of Wi-Fi 6 is the introduction of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA). This innovation is specifically designed to address the growing demand for supporting a higher number of devices in future networks.

Origin of Wi-Fi 6

The birth of Wi-Fi 6 can be attributed to the ever-increasing demands for enhanced wireless capabilities. As users sought faster, more reliable, and efficient wireless connectivity, the Wi-Fi Alliance recognized the need for a new standard that could meet these evolving requirements. Consequently, the development of the 802.11ax draft standard took place, serving as the foundation for Wi-Fi 6. Through industry collaboration, technological advancements, and the collective efforts of multiple stakeholders, Wi-Fi 6 emerged as the next progression in Wi-Fi technologies. Its arrival brought remarkable improvements in speed, capacity, and overall wireless performance, propelling the wireless landscape into new realms of possibility.

Wi-Fi 6 vs Wi-Fi 5

To gain a better understanding of the disparities between Wi-Fi 5 and Wi-Fi 6, let's explore the following comparative aspects:

Data Rates: Wi-Fi 5, or 802.11ac, introduced data rates surpassing one gigabit, a significant improvement over its predecessor, Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n). However, Wi-Fi 6 takes this a step further by delivering substantially higher data rates, surpassing the capabilities of Wi-Fi 5. This advancement enables faster and more efficient data transmission, particularly in scenarios that involve bandwidth-intensive tasks or simultaneous connections from multiple devices.
Total Throughput: While Wi-Fi 5 offered commendable throughput, Wi-Fi 6 elevates this metric even further. Leveraging advanced technologies like Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) and Multi-User Multiple Input Multiple Output (MU-MIMO), Wi-Fi 6 optimizes the allocation of channel resources, resulting in improved overall throughput. Consequently, Wi-Fi 6 can handle larger data payloads and accommodate a higher number of devices concurrently, ensuring a smoother and more dependable network experience.
Efficiency: Wi-Fi 6 introduces Target Wake Time (TWT), an innovative feature that enhances power efficiency in connected devices. TWT allows devices to schedule their wake-up and sleep times, minimizing unnecessary power consumption and extending the battery life of smartphones, laptops, IoT devices, and other connected devices. This efficiency improvement proves particularly advantageous in environments where battery-powered devices are prevalent.
Network Congestion Management: Wi-Fi 6 incorporates advanced mechanisms to effectively manage network congestion. By leveraging features such as improved channel utilization and the ability to divide channels into smaller sub-channels (Spatial Reuse), Wi-Fi 6 minimizes interference and enhances overall network performance, even in densely populated areas where multiple Wi-Fi networks coexist.
Backward Compatibility: Despite these significant advancements, Wi-Fi 6 ensures compatibility with previous Wi-Fi versions. It seamlessly operates alongside Wi-Fi 5, Wi-Fi 4, and other older Wi-Fi standards. This enables users to integrate Wi-Fi 6 devices into their existing networks without encountering compatibility issues, facilitating a smooth transition to the latest generation of wireless technology.

Wi-Fi 6 Benefits and How Does Wi-Fi 6 Work?

Higher Speed: Wi-Fi 6 provides a theoretical maximum speed of 9.6 Gbps, although reaching this speed in real-world scenarios is unlikely. Nonetheless, Wi-Fi 6 offers a significantly higher speed limit compared to previous versions. It also benefits from wider coverage, with a theoretical range of 500-800 meters using the 2.4GHz frequency bands, enabling faster and more extensive transmission.
Safer Network Environment: Wi-Fi 6 introduces WPA3, a new security protocol that addresses vulnerabilities found in the previous WPA2 protocol. WPA3 requires interaction with the infrastructure for each guessed password, making it harder for hackers to crack passwords through offline analysis. It also renders obtained data less useful. Wi-Fi 6 devices require WPA3 to ensure stronger security.
Better Performance: Wi-Fi 6 excels in improving network performance when multiple devices are connected. Rather than solely boosting individual device speeds, Wi-Fi 6 enhances the overall network efficiency. This is made possible through four main technologies:

OFDMA Technology: Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) divides the available channel bandwidth into smaller subcarriers or resource units (RUs). It allows the simultaneous transmission of small frames to multiple endpoints, reducing overhead and congestion. OFDMA is more flexible than the OFDM technology used in Wi-Fi 5, resulting in improved efficiency and reduced latency.
MU-MIMO Technology: MU-MIMO enables routers to communicate with multiple devices simultaneously, both for uploads and downloads. Wi-Fi 6 supports 8x8 uplink/downlink, providing four times larger capacity than Wi-Fi 5. This technology increases the utilization of Wi-Fi network bandwidth and improves efficiency.
BSS Color Technology: Basic Service Set (BSS) coloring assigns a number or identity to shared frequencies, reducing potential conflicts and co-channel interferences. It optimizes the reuse of channels, particularly in densely populated areas, improving system-level performance.
TWT Technology: Target Wake Time (TWT) allows devices to negotiate when they wake up to send or receive data, increasing sleep time and conserving battery life. With TWT, devices plan communication with the router, keeping their antennas powered off until it's their turn to transmit data. This scheduling scheme reduces congestion and power consumption.