What is Wi-Fi 6?

What is Wi-Fi?

The term “Wi-Fi” was created by the nonprofit Wi-Fi Alliance and refers to a group of wireless networking protocols that are based on the IEEE 802.11 network standard. Wi-Fi has been around since the late ‘90s but has improved dramatically in the last decade.

To make the differences between each generation more obvious, the Wi-Fi alliance recently adopted a more traditional naming convention, dropping the 802.XX designation for a simplified numerical suffix. This simpler labeling convention (Wi-Fi 6 vs. 802.11ax) makes it easier to know what generation of the technology is being used and to determine compatibility with devices that support that version.

How is Wi-Fi 6 Different?

The first big change is that Wi-Fi 6 allows for potentially faster connection speeds. Faster Wi-Fi means better upload and download speeds due to the increased bandwidth afforded by Wi-Fi 6. This is becoming increasingly important as file sizes continue to increase, along with the higher data demands of streaming high-quality video and communication-heavy online gaming. Playing a multiplayer game while also streaming to Twitch* requires large amounts of bandwidth and a reliable and stable connection.

So, how much faster is Wi-Fi 6? From the below screenshot you can see the different speed of Wi-Fi 4/Wi-Fi 5/Wi-Fi 6.

Network Benefits Beyond Speed

Speed is probably the most important thing to the average user, especially for gamers, but there’s more to a wireless network. Wi-Fi 6 also promises improvements in security of WPA3

Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) is a common Wi-Fi security protocol that uses passwords for encryption. Anytime a password is required to sign into a Wi-Fi network, that’s WPA in action. WPA2 has been the standard for a long time, but that’s changing with Wi-Fi 6.

One of the biggest improvements is the implementation of increased password security via the Dragonfly Key Exchange system, also called SAE or Simultaneous Authentication of Equals. This authentication method helps make passwords harder to crack by using a more sophisticated method of establishing the handshake with the Wi-Fi network. This added layer of security, coupled with stronger encryption, means Wi-Fi will have more robust security options than ever.

This extra layer of security is a great example of how Wi-Fi 6 changes things for the better without negatively impacting the user experience.

Is it Time to Upgrade Your Wi-Fi?

Wi-Fi 6 stands for the future and it will replace Wi-Fi 5 day by day. Between the faster speeds, better traffic prioritization, and added security, Wi-Fi 6 is a significant step forward in wireless network technology.

Whether you’re gaming, working, or just streaming video, upgrading to Wi-Fi 6 is worth considering.

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