What is WiFi 6?
The current 802.11ax WiFi standard – or WiFi 6 for short – brings improvements in speed, efficiency and security. Particularly in locations with high network utilisation, the new generation promises faster WiFi for a greater number of simultaneously connected devices. The theoretically possible maximum speed increases to 9.6 Gbps – with shrinking latency.
What are the benefits compared to WiFi 5?
The jump from WiFi 5 (802.11ac) to WiFi 6 (802.11ax) increases the browsing speed. If the old ac standard quickly hits its limits when there are many clients, WiFi 6 proves to be significantly better at multitasking and more efficient. In addition, the new standard is more secure and saves more energy.
Did you know? With Magic 2 WiFi 6, the power of the new WiFi standard can be distributed throughout the home.
PCs and laptops require high top speeds for downloads. Smartphones, tablets and smart TVs require stable connections for streaming. And now there are also household appliances getting in the wireless mix, wanting to transmit smaller data packets time after time. WiFi channels are now a scarce commodity – and need to be used efficiently. Previous WiFi technology delivers these data packets of different sizes bit by bit.
Not so with WiFi 6: The current WiFi 802.11 ax standard is fully committed to efficiency – and thanks to OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access), it combines as many packets per delivery as possible. The result: A video conference won't freeze due to a parallel download. And a WhatsApp message is sent out immediately even if you're streaming Netflix at night.
Performance and multitasking
WiFi 6 uses frequency bands in the 2.4 and 5 gigahertz range, an improved multi-user MIMO and a higher modulation density per data packet (QAM-1024). Now the 5 GHz band works with a channel width of 160 megahertz.
In plain English, this means your WiFi is more flexible, faster and makes it easier to use data-hungry applications in parallel – such as high-quality video conferences.
Energy efficiency
WiFi 6 ensures more intelligent management of the data streams – and reduces the power consumption of connected devices by means of TWT (Target Wake Time). Now these switch to standby mode if they are not communicating with the WiFi.
For example, you won't have to charge your integrated smartphone battery as frequently now. And IoT devices in your home, which often do not need a continuous WiFi connection, operate with significantly better efficiency.
Conflict prevention
In overloaded WiFi environments – such as multi-family buildings – routers and access points can really get in each other's way. Overlapping signals slow down the data transmission and disrupt the WiFi.
WiFi 6 relies on BSS colouring and thus prevents conflicts with neighbouring networks. As a result, delays and connection interruptions become significantly rarer.
Data security
For encryption of the wireless connection, WiFi 6 relies on the WPA3 security protocol.
This encryption standard especially makes targeted attacks on weak passwords nearly impossible and keeps your network devices secure from harmful external influences.
Which devices support WiFi 6?
There are now numerous end devices that support WiFi 6, including Apple smartphones – iPhone 11 and later and Samsung mobile phones – Galaxy S10 and later. Brands such as Huawei, OnePlus, Motorola and others also already have the ax standard installed.
PlayStation 5 is the first home console to offer WiFi 6. Intel has been using the standard ever since 9th generation desktop processors were released. Numerous well-known laptop manufacturers such as Asus, Dell and HP now provide WiFi 6 support. If necessary, however, many laptops and PCs can also be easily retrofitted with the WiFi AX standard.
WiFi 6 and backward compatibility
Are you still using a lot of end devices that operate wirelessly with WiFi 4 or 5? No problem, because WiFi 6 offers broad (backward) compatibility. So even now you can upgrade your WiFi and keep using your smartphones, consoles and IoT devices quite easily.
The speed boost of WiFi 6 for data transmission won't be a benefit you can enjoy then, but even older devices benefit from new functions such as TWT (Target Wake Time) and WPA3. So even now WiFi 6 makes your home network more efficient, more energy-saving and more secure.
Checklist: The benefits of WiFi 6 at a glance
- Increased WiFi speed of up to 9.6 Gbps
- Stable network – even when there are many simultaneously active devices
- Greatly increased efficiency due to OFDMA, MU-MIMO etc.
- Longer battery life for networked end devices
- Increased security due to WPA3 encryption standard
New: the first Powerline adapter with WiFi 6
- 50 percent more WiFi performance than any WiFi 5 Powerline adapter: up to 1800 Mbps! The new technology of the Magic 2 WiFi 6 supplies your mobile devices with an extremely strong WiFi signal.
- Extra power for many users: WiFi for everyone, at the same time and throughout the home – through efficient use of the frequency spectrum.
- Flexible use of the channels and increased efficiency due to OFDMA.
- Always well networked – by means of airtime fairness, access point steering, fast roaming, band steering.
- Adapter set for establishing your Magic Powerline network with two adapters (Ethernet and WiFi).
devolo Product Advisor
Not sure which Wi-Fi booster is right for your home? Our product advisor will help you in just a few clicks.