For a couple of years, Wi-Fi 6 was touted as the solution to wireless networks that had saturated themselves with smartphones, computers, and countless smart home devices that demanded their bandwidth. . In 2020, we finally saw a huge influx of Wi-Fi 6 devices, just in time for the arrival of a new protocol, Wi-Fi 6E, which companies like Netgear are already adopting as a big improvement in congested wireless networks.
Wi-Fi 6 (also known as 802.11ax Wi-Fi for those who refuse to abandon the old naming scheme) improved the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz dual-band technology of Wi-Fi 820.11 n increasing the bandwidth of each channel to adapt to more devices simultaneously with less interference increasing wireless transfer speeds. Wi-Fi 6 was a great improvement over wireless networking technology, but at the same time, it was also a kind of protection for older technologies that were quickly overwhelmed by the number of wireless devices we use regularly. and its demand for more and more bandwidth.
If 2.4 GHz was the paved suburban road leading home while 5 GHz was the main dual-lane road that takes you to the center, Wi-Fi 6E will introduce a new 6 GHz band that equates to a massive lane highway. allowing multiple devices to run at top speed at the same time. The maximum speeds it will theoretically allow will be the same as those offered by the 5 GHz band, but the real advantage of the 6 GHz band is that it will offer 59 non-overlapping channels (compared to the 25 non-overlapping channels of the 5 GHz band). GHz), and only three channels in the 2.4 GHz band) that will drastically reduce interference, which contributes significantly to reducing the speed of bandwidth in a busy network.
The 6 GHz band spans 1,200 MHz, allowing Wi-Fi 6E compatible devices to access multiple 160 MHz high-bandwidth channels at once, which will be greatly appreciated by anyone jumping on the TV bandwagon. 8K. But most importantly, even though older wifi protocols were compatible with previous versions, no legacy device will be able to use the new 6 GHz band, only new devices that support it. By using the road analog again, your devices won’t get stuck behind a device from decades ago that didn’t reach the speed limit.
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It seemed like a couple of years had passed since then Wi-Fi 6 became a buzzword in the industry until such time as consumers could get the Wi-Fi 6 compatible hardware, but the Wi-Fi 6E looks set to enjoy a much faster launch. One of the first Wi-Fi 6E wireless routers will be Netgear’s new Nighthawk RAXE500 coming later this year. With a 1.8 GHz quad-core processor, the router will be able to offer multiple gigabit speed wireless connections to devices via 6E 160 MHz Wi-Fi channels, as well as fast cable connections with five additional gigabit LAN ports ( including a 2.5G Multi-Gig Port) and a couple of USB 3.0 ports
As with any new technology, there are a couple of good reasons not to run out and buy a 6E Wi-Fi router yet. The first reason is the price. The Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 will sell for $ 600 at launch, which will also allow you to get a Well equipped 6 mesh Wi-Fi network system with at least three nodes spread across the house. The second reason is that there are very few devices that can connect to a 6E Wi-Fi network. In recent months alone, companies such as Intel, Broadcom and Samsung have launched (or submitted FCC approval) devices that can take advantage of Wi-Fi 6E speed. Your new iPhone 12 Pro? No. All the gadgets you found under the tree for Christmas? Sorry. It will be quite some time before consumers can reap the benefits of Wi-Fi 6E. So for now, your best plan is to hold out as long as possible until 6E routers like the new Nighthawk start to come down in price.