What is Wi-Fi-6E and how is it different from Wi-Fi-6

2022.03.24

The sixth generation of Wi-Fi technology helps alleviate network congestion and provides gigabit speeds, paving the way for the cable industry's promise of 10G speeds in homes across the country. Wi-Fi6 technology entered the market three years ago, providing faster speeds, lower latency and greater security in many homes. Since then, a range of technologies have evolved to make the Wi-Fi experience even better. What do these developments mean for consumers as wired Internet service providers continue to stay ahead of consumer demand and at the forefront of innovation. What is Wi-Fi-6E and how is it different from Wi-Fi-6? Wi-Fi6 is the name of the latest generation of Wi-Fi technology to be released in 2019. The sixth generation of Wi-Fi technology helps alleviate network congestion and provides gigabit speeds, paving the way for the cable industry's promise of 10G speeds in homes across the country. Wi-Fi6E refers to the latest generation of Wi-Fi6 technology, which utilizes a new band of wireless spectrum. 6ghz, an unlicensed band approved by the FCC in 2020, provides much-needed bandwidth for routers. 6ghz marks the largest increase in Wi-Fi spectrum since 1989. As more devices come online and utilize the wireless spectrum, the radio waves are becoming more and more crowded. PCMag reports that the 6ghz band features four times the number of channels available for Wi-Fi, which means that Wi-Fi6E routers and devices are more flexible than Wi-Fi6 technology. These new technologies include Wi-Fi connected devices, from routers to smart bulbs to tablets. Wi-Fi6/E is also backward compatible, meaning that if someone buys a new smart speaker running the new standard, it will still work fine on Wi-Fi5. As devices are upgraded and replaced, the connection becomes faster and the transition smoother through this approach. In short, the difference in Wi-Fi-6/E technology is efficiency. Many of the updates are innovative solutions that allow Wi-Fi functionality to work better and smarter. Here is a brief analysis of two of these developments and what they enable for end users. Modulation Wi-Fi-6/E brings a more efficient way to packetize data because it transmits on one signal, thus quadrupling the data rate for a given channel and thus increasing network speed. Battery Life Each version of the Wi-Fi standard increases the battery life of devices using the network. Since each version brings faster speeds, data is transferred faster and the device does not consume as much energy. And, Wi-Fi6/E will further improve battery savings with a feature called Target Wake Time, which has a feature called Target Wake Time that puts the device into a low-power mode, and these short sleep times will increase battery life. These are just two of the highlights of the Wi-Fi-6 and Wi-Fi-6E updates. These and many other enhancements will ensure that users are not slowed down by congested Wi-Fi networks and get the full experience of gigabit speeds. As the Internet of Things continues to evolve, better network management will make a world of difference.