About WiFi 6
About WiFi 6
The key issue is ensuring WiFi 6 is officially ratified so manufacturers can confidently support it. It’s frustrating when companies market their devices as WiFi 6 while it remains unapproved. Those who purchase such hardware are essentially testing it in beta, with no certainty of full compatibility with the latest clients. This undermines the standards process we rely on. Early experiences with 802.11n showed similar problems—no guarantee of final compliance—and now there’s little indication that changes will happen beyond 6GHz. It remains uncertain whether everything will work as expected.
The lower bandwidth actually adds to the benefits of 6Ghz, reducing chances of disrupting neighbors and providing steadier connections. https://www.duckware.com/tech/wifi-in-th...tml#wifi6e It also avoids DFS, preventing your device from switching to a crowded channel when nearby radar is active—like during flights—it reverts to channel 36, forcing all networks to use the same frequency and causing major slowdowns. I usually keep my laptops close to the router for seamless speeds, so I’m excited about 6Ghz but a bit let down that 60Ghz wasn’t part of it. I’d rather have a fast wireless link than constantly plug in for maximum speed, especially since Ethernet ports are right where I need them. A short-range, ultra-fast connection would be ideal instead. Another perk is the broader spectrum, which helps avoid bumping into other networks and keeps performance high. In business, having separate channels in each room can boost efficiency—high speed without long distances means less interference and smoother operations.
Yeah, that's the trade-off. Higher freqs give more throughput but at the expense of range and penetration through solid objects. It's just an attribute of physics. That said, the appeal of WiFi 6 over WiFi 5 isn't so much the added throughput insomuch as the reduction in latency and packet loss. It's been often said that WiFi 6 will be the equivalent of wireless "Ethernet". For video streamers (where buffering is used) and general computing, WiFi 5 is fine. But WiFi 6 will be the stuff that gaming, telecommuting (Zoom meetings, etc) and VOIP demands for those UDP packets.
The issue lies in needing all clients to support WiFi 6 for those benefits. It's really disappointing because it finally delivers better speeds at 2.4Ghz, but there are many 5GHz networks on that band—you'd need to be in a remote area to enjoy them. (Of course, some users do benefit, and the longer-range speed will be valued.) Ideally, you'd have separate channels for 5GHz devices and WiFi 6, which would help. Even then, if neighbors use the same channel as your WiFi 6 network, those advantages are reduced. This makes 6GHz a positive update since it ensures every device connects via WiFi 6. It would ultimately improve public WiFi reliability, allowing devices to communicate more smoothly and reducing overlap on the same channel.
I've largely removed the 2.4Ghz portion. It's widely adopted across many sectors since it isn't strictly controlled by the FCC. The band is quite saturated, though it remains regulated for amplitude limits. Anything from 2,400 to 2,483.5 MHz can be used for WiFi. This stems from microwave oven regulations around 2,450 MHz, which also affects older devices with some leakage. Essentially, the 2.4Ghz ISM range was introduced because of FCC concerns about interference. The 5GHz band appears more organized and less congested, mainly due to better separation from other signals. However, I'm concerned that if 5GHz usage keeps rising, the advantages of WiFi 6 in that spectrum might be minimal. Personally, I'm waiting to see how well 5GHz performs compared to WiFi 5 and 6, regardless of practical limits. Ultimately, I doubt it'll make a significant difference unless 2.4Ghz becomes available again in the next decade or so for pre-WiFi 6 gear. In my situation, 5GHz is spotty at home, especially when I'm far from the source; it also suffers from poor signal strength and penetration issues. For me, 6GHz probably won't be much better unless I install a mesh point or extender.
It works well on devices with limited bandwidth. I've experienced slowdowns with 2.4GHz as more people joined the network, but it's picking up again now with 5GHz being adopted. It's not set in stone—what matters is the difference between no signal and a usable one. However, 6GHz promises to be especially helpful for me since even 5G remains unreliable.
Great to hear! I’ll wait a bit before getting a WiFi 6 router. It looks like WiFi 6 is really on the rise! Thanks!
Despite WiFi6 being backward compatible, the standard isn't fully approved and there are rumors about 7 and 8 features in development. This creates many factors that either assist or disrupt service. My premium WiFi6 mesh network benefits from this setup, helping older AC devices and expanding coverage through stronger signals from several access points. However, performance can vary based on the age of the legacy equipment. As noted, "it looks promising" and will improve once the standard is complete. It's still a costly prototype aimed at early adopters. I didn't pay for mine...