WiFi 6 can improve wireless capacity and security, but its benefits depend on compatible devices and the demands placed on your network.
WiFi 6, based on the IEEE 802.11ax standard, succeeds WiFi 5. WiFi 6 does more than speed up your browsing. It also supports stronger wireless security and improves how access points serve multiple devices.
WiFi 6 builds on its predecessor with features designed to improve efficiency in busy wireless environments. Businesses with many connected devices may benefit, although the improvements depend on their equipment, configuration and traffic patterns.
Understanding WiFi 6: How and why is it faster?
WiFi Alliance is an international industry organization that certifies WiFi products for interoperability. WiFi 6 expands the capabilities of MU-MIMO, short for “multi-user, multiple-input, multiple-output.” This technology allows an access point to communicate with multiple compatible devices simultaneously using separate spatial streams. WiFi 6 supports multi-user operation in both the uplink and downlink directions, although actual capabilities vary by product.
WiFi 6 operates in the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, while WiFi 5 operates only in the 5 GHz band. WiFi 6E extends WiFi 6 into the 6 GHz band for compatible devices. The theoretical maximum data rate for WiFi 6 is approximately 9.6 Gbps, compared with approximately 6.9 Gbps for WiFi 5. These figures require configurations beyond typical client devices and do not reflect everyday download speeds.
Another significant development in WiFi 6 is OFDMA, or “orthogonal frequency-division multiple access.” This lets an access point divide a channel into smaller frequency allocations and serve multiple compatible devices in the same transmission opportunity.
Think of a transmission as a delivery truck. Instead of dedicating the entire truck to one customer’s small delivery, OFDMA lets it carry deliveries for several customers at once. This improves efficiency when many devices exchange small amounts of data, although the access point still has to compete with other devices and networks for channel access.
More devices and stronger security with WiFi 6
With MU-MIMO and OFDMA, WiFi 6 can serve compatible devices more efficiently in busy environments. This improvement can benefit offices, cafés, and homes where multiple devices are online at the same time. Congestion does not become a problem of the past, but WiFi 6 provides additional ways to manage shared wireless capacity.
WiFi 6-certified equipment also supports stronger wireless security through WPA3. However, upgrading the local wireless connection does not replace a VPN for remote access to a corporate network. Wireless security and remote-access security serve different purposes.
WiFi CERTIFIED 6 products require WPA3 support. WPA3-Personal improves resistance to offline password-guessing attacks, while WPA3-Enterprise offers security capabilities for organizational networks, including an optional 192-bit security mode for sensitive environments. These protections depend on compatible clients and the security mode actually configured; buying certified equipment does not establish that every connection uses WPA3.
Accessing WiFi 6: Making necessary upgrades
Businesses supporting growing numbers of wireless devices should assess whether their existing networks have sufficient coverage and capacity. WiFi 6 can improve efficiency, but it will not resolve every cause of a slow connection. Internet service, wired uplinks, interference and access point placement can still limit performance.
To use WiFi 6 features, both access points and client devices need compatible hardware; a software update alone cannot turn a WiFi 5 radio into a WiFi 6 radio. Older devices can generally still connect to WiFi 6 access points on supported bands, provided the security settings match, but they will not gain WiFi 6-specific capabilities.
WiFi 6 is available across a growing range of smartphones, laptops and networking equipment. Businesses considering an upgrade should check client compatibility, access point power requirements and wired network capacity before buying. The strongest case for upgrading is a measurable need that the new equipment can address.
Sources
- WiFi Alliance: WiFi CERTIFIED 6 capabilities and WPA3 requirements (2019)
- Cisco: Preparing the enterprise for WiFi 6 (2019)
- Cisco: WiFi 6 OFDMA resource allocation and channel access (2020)
- TP-Link: WiFi 6 and WiFi 5 theoretical maximum rates (2020; Spanish)
- WiFi Alliance: WiFi 6E extends WiFi 6 into 6 GHz (2020)
- Wi-Fi Alliance: WPA3-Personal and WPA3-Enterprise security (2018)
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