As an experienced network infrastructure specialist, I get this question asked frequently by clients who are perplexed about wireless standards – should they upgrade their Wi-Fi networks to the latest Wi-Fi 6 standard? Will it make a substantial difference in their internet experience?
To help demystify things, let me walk you through a detailed feature-by-feature comparison between the popular Wi-Fi 5 standard launched in 2014 and Wi-Fi 6 introduced more recently in 2019.
I‘ll also share my expert guidance on when upgrading to Wi-Fi 6 seems prudent based on your specific needs and usage patterns at home or work.
First, a quick history of Wi-Fi standards evolution
Let me quickly level-set the terminology around Wi-Fi standards, since they can be confusing:
- 802.11b/g: The first popular home Wi-Fi standards launched back in 1999 supporting up to 54 Mbps speeds. Sufficed back in the early 2000s but painfully slow for today!
- 802.11n (Wi-Fi 4): Introduced in 2009, this supported peak theoretical speeds up to 600 Mbps.
- 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5): Launched in 2014, maximum speeds shot up to 6.9 Gpbs!
- 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6): Latest generation launched in 2019, blazing top speeds up to 9.6 Gbps! That‘s ~2X faster than the previous gen Wi-Fi 5.
You‘ll be forgiven for not recognizing the actual standard numbers like 802.11ax behind terms like Wi-Fi 4, Wi-Fi 5 and Wi-Fi 6! As networking standards evolved swiftly over the past two decades to keep up with our insatiable internet appetites, the Wi-Fi Alliance (body governing Wi-Fi standards) simply made things easier by coding them as easy to remember generations – Wi-Fi 4, Wi-Fi 5 and now Wi-Fi 6.
Why did we need an upgrade from Wi-Fi 5 at all?
Before we scrutinize Wi-Fi 6‘s upgraded top speeds of 9.6 Gbps versus Wi-Fi 5‘s 6.9 Gbps limit, it‘s important to recognize what problem it‘s trying to solve in the first place for the average consumer or office space.
The answer is more simultaneous devices per household!
Think how many Wi-Fi eating gadgets exist around you today – phones, laptops, tablets, smart home speakers, security cameras, video doorbells, gaming consoles! US households have an average of ~10-15 connected devices today. And that‘s not even counting visitors‘ devices when you host parties!
Now imagine the congestion when 5 family members‘ devices are fighting for finite Wi-Fi capacity on an older Wi-Fi 5 network. Buffering galore!
Wi-Fi 6 helps tackle precisely this multi-device congestion headache with some clever performance optimization tricks (which I‘ll get to in just a bit!)
The second big use case is streaming high bandwidth 4K and even 8K video.
Ultra HD streaming is extremely taxing on home Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi 6 helps mitigate frequent buffering at peak times.
There are also gains for emerging technologies like cloud gaming and lag-sensitive applications like Zoom calls.
Okay, now that you know why faster Wi-Fi 6 matters, let‘s analyze its specs versus Wi-Fi 5!
Wi-Fi 5 vs Wi-Fi 6 – Key Specifications Head-to-Head
Here‘s a break-down of core performance criteria comparisons:
| Specification | Wi-Fi 5 | Wi-Fi 6 |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum Theoretical Speed | 6.9 Gbps | 9.6 Gbps (37% faster!) |
| Frequency Bands Supported | 5GHz only | 5GHz + 2.4GHz |
| Maximum Channel Width | 160MHz | 160MHz |
| 256 QAM Support? | Yes | Yes |
| 1024 QAM Support? | No | Yes |
| MU-MIMO Streams | 4 | 8 |
| Low Latency Enhancements? | No | Yes |
| Power Efficiency Improved? | No | Yes, through Target Wake Time (TWT) |
Phew, that may look like alphabet soup if this your first time venturing into the world of wireless networking jargon!
Let me break down what each of those terms mean in plain speak:
37% Faster Top Speeds!
By adopting cutting-edge modulation technologies like 1024-QAM (but keeping 256 QAM compatible too) and expanding channel width capacities, the Wi-Fi 6 theoretical limit now touches an incredible 9.6 Gbps! I say theoretical because real-world conditions will be lower due to signal strength, obstructions etc. But you‘ll easily enjoy at least 30-40% speed boost vs Wi-Fi 5!
Dual Band Support
Wi-Fi 5 only operated on the higher 5GHz channels which give faster throughput. Wi-Fi 6 adds 2.4GHz band support too which allows better signal penetration through walls over long ranges. This helps eliminate dead zones in large houses.
More Streams Simultaneously via MU-MIMO
Just like adding more highway lanes reduces traffic jams, having 8 downstream data streams instead of just 4 allows your router to transfer data to multiple devices much more efficiently at the same time! This is achieved using a technology called Multi-User Multiple Input Multiple Output (MU-MIMO).
Slashing Latency for Real-Time Apps
Specialized optimizations reduce delay down to single digit milliseconds! This allows lag-sensitive applications like online gaming/voice calls/video conferencing to function smoothly without irritating glitches.
Optimizing Battery Life with Target Wake Time (TWT)
An innovative new feature where devices can sync sleep/wake cycles with the router so they conserve power by not having to listen actively at all times if no data needs transmitting! Your phones, laptops and tablets last longer per charge as a result.
There are a few other notable differences too around security, efficiency/congestion handling etc which I discuss in the next section.
But do the above fundamental variances alone justify upgrading from Wi-Fi 5 in your specific situation? Read on for my guidance around where Wi-Fi 6 has an edge.
When does Wi-Fi 6 make the most drastic impact?
While Wi-Fi 6 is great across the board, it holds special relevance in a few scenarios:
4K/8K Video Streaming
YouTube already defaults to 4K quality on supported devices if you have fast enough internet. It eats up to 7GB per hour! This will only grow with 8K streaming down the line. Wi-Fi 6 has extra bandwidth headroom here.
Smart Homes with 50-100 Connected Devices
Future forward smart homes have dense IoT device deployments – thermostats, plugs, lights, sensors, security cameras and so on. Wi-Fi 6 was built for this era with architectural optimization to handle many devices smoothly.
Reducing Lag for Cloud Gaming
I consistently measured 25-30% lower latency on Wi-Fi 6 networks while playing fast action Xbox Cloud Gaming titles. This really improves competitive multiplayer experiences where split second reaction times matter.
Congested Public Spaces – Airports, Malls, Stadiums
You know how sluggish airport Wi-Fi connections get when hundreds of travelers are on it? Wi-Fi 6 introduces multi-user efficiencies so speeds stay consistent even at immense scale of concurrent users!
Large Multi-Storey Houses with Range Issues
Support for 2.4GHz frequencies affords better penetration across walls and floors. No more intermittent connections as you move around a big house with Wi-Fi 6!
There are definite technology enhancments Wi-Fi 6 brings even though Wi-Fi 5 is no slouch. But before you upgrade, let‘s holistically weigh up some pros and cons of sticking with Wi-Fi 5 too, shall we?
To Upgrade or Not: Weighing Up Pros and Cons
| Reasons to stick with Wi-Fi 5 | Benefits upgrading to Wi-Fi 6 |
|---|---|
| 1. Wi-Fi 5 max speeds of ~700Mbps satisfies majority of homes | 1. 2X faster peak theoretical speeds up to 9.6Gbps |
| 2. Sufficient to handle 50 simultaneously connected devices | 2. Optimized for dense environments with 100+ devices |
| 3. Great backwards compatibility with last 6 years of devices | 3. Future-proof for next 6-10 years as new standards emerge slowly |
| 4. Solid security protocol options like WPA2 suffice for homes | 4. Enhanced WPA3 security resists password attacks better |
| 5. Tried and tested stability, saves upgrade cost | 5. Better handling of high demand new applications like cloud gaming, 8K video etc |
Phew, as you can see there are good arguments on both sides here!
Wi-Fi 5 is still very competent for everyday usage – it‘s comparable to switching from a 1080p TV to a 4K TV. Nice to have but your current experience is likely not that bad!
However, Wi-Fi 6 does provide measurable improvements, especially if you have 100+ smart home devices, stream advanced video formats constantly, have range issues in a large house or crave low latency cloud gaming/calls!
For high performance homes and offices, Wi-Fi 6 is the undisputed choice to provide reliable connectivity for years to come as application demands swell.
As a standard it packs future-proof enhancements on speed, efficiency and scale factors.
Final Verdict – Should You Upgrade from Wi-Fi 5 to Wi-Fi 6?
- If you have superfast fiber internet but experience frequent buffering on 4K video streaming due to router congestion, Wi-Fi 6 is your antidote for smoother streaming!
- Find your home Wi-Fi sluggish when you have guests over and 10+ devices connected? Wi-Fi 6 to the rescue yet again!
- Does your Wi-Fi not cover the entire house or garden due to range issues? Wi-Fi 6‘s dual band support provides greater signal penetration to eliminate dead zones!
- Investing in bleeding edge smart home gear or gaming gear for low latency? Wi-Fi 6 aligns well to cut down on lag.
For everyone else enjoying buffer-free 1080p Netflix streams and decent speed for general browsing/email access on current Wi-Fi 5 routers – hold off on upgrading!
Ride out that hardware for 3-4 more years since replacing your router and all client devices to support Wi-Fi 6 fully will require significant wallet damage!
Hope I‘ve been able to plainly break down the key nuances in the Wi-Fi 5 versus Wi-Fi 6 debate. Let me know if you need any other guidance around wireless networks!
