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Wi-Fi 6 – What You Need to Know

November 25, 2019

Wi-Fi 6 is here and devices supporting the standard are going to make a big splash this year. In the past, you've seen Wi-Fi identified as some sort of 802.11 specification. Trying to remember all those letters following 802.11 and which one means faster speeds is just one reason the Wi-Fi Alliance decided to change the name to just numbers. In other words Wi-Fi 6 is the latest and faster standard than Wi-fi 5. Technically Wi-Fi 6 is 802.11ax, but Wi-Fi 6 is easier to remember. I suggest you read the entire CNET post to learn all about the technical details of Wi-Fi 6.

Wi-Fi 6 has a theoretical maximum transfer speed of around 10 Gbps. The higher speeds are possible because the standard allows for better multi-tasking and serving multiple devices more efficiently. The reality is that you will currently max our around 1.5 Gbps, which is still pretty darn fast. Your actual speed will be dependent on a lot of factors, but your most limiting restriction will probably be the speed of your ISP connection. Most users usually have around a 100 Mbps or 300 Mbps connection so you'll be limited to that speed.

CNET's speed tests have identified TP-Link Archer AX6000 as the fastest Wi-Fi 6 router. You'll also need a Wi-Fi device that supports the Wi-Fi 6 standard. As an example, the Galaxy S10 and iPhone 11 models support Wi-Fi 6. Expect the next generation of laptops and smart home devices to support the standard going forward.

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