Over the past five years, IT staff focused on enterprise networks have been inundated with claims and counterarguments about the debate over 5G cellular networks and WiFi 6. The theoretical advantages of 5G in terms of network management, performance, security and dissemination capabilities are much touted; but in my experience, deciding on any technology in the abstract without considering the specific context is always extremely risky.

The best environment needed to support a business application should always be determined based on its specific needs; anything else is putting the cart before the horse. It is difficult to understand the argument that enterprises need 5G to "accelerate business development". In fact, many enterprise customers usually use WiFi and cellular data services interchangeably. Especially now that SD-WAN technology is increasingly widely used, SD-WAN technology is expected to Solve traditional networking challenges and simplify access to the cloud.

From an overall business/consumer perspective, it is estimated that there are more than 18 billion WiFi-enabled devices in use globally, with the number of cellular-enabled devices close behind at 12 billion. These numbers are remarkable considering that there are just over 8 billion people in the world, about a third of whom may be too young or live in areas with little digital technology.

Fortunately, both WiFi 6 and 5G cellular networks have come a long way over the past two decades, and while both technologies use radio to transmit data, the infrastructure and granular management required to support a global 5G network Far more expensive and complex than WiFi, a low-cost, powerful wireless network already adopted by many homes and businesses.

WiFi 6 or 5G? Depends on business needs

In some ways, the line between WiFi and 5G is very clear. The traditional use case for WiFi is to support client systems for which direct cabling is either too costly or simply impractical due to location or nominal bandwidth requirements. WiFi has become ubiquitous, and the configuration and management process for building a WiFi network is close to plug-and-play. Modern WiFi access points (APs) for consumers and enterprises offer simplified, intuitive network utilities that guide users through setting up authentication, security and access policies, allowing them to have a secure network up and running in minutes. , practical WiFi network.

For mobile and outdoor applications, cellular networks from 4G LTE to now 5G have gone beyond telecommunications, providing greater range and more reliable connections for a large number of data-rich mobile applications. Public and private cellular networks have found use in large-scale industries such as light and heavy manufacturing, utilities, oil and gas production, and transportation, where WiFi is insufficient for specific mission-critical applications. Mobility, performance and signal reliability requirements.

As with every other IT project, it is the responsibility of our technical experts to fully define the business needs and then propose technology recommendations that can reliably meet or exceed those needs. The choice between 5G and WiFi 6 is not either/or—just like every other IT hybrid environment, the two approaches can and should coexist.

Top factors to consider before choosing 5G and/or WiFi 6

Of course, there are many technical factors that need to be considered broadly when allocating business applications to 5G and/or WiFi 6. When I started researching current state-of-the-art wireless networks, I could think of a dozen factors to consider, even without a specific use case. After rational consideration, the following factors were placed at the top of the list:

• Physical location and system mobility: Because both WiFi and 5G rely on radio technology, they have similar limitations in getting and maintaining a signal. Although 5G combines higher power output and frequency selection and is better suited to penetrating buildings, landscape and vegetation, the coverage of both technologies will vary significantly depending on the surrounding environment. On average, a small cell access point covers about 10,000 square feet, while a comparable WiFi 6 access point covers about 2,500 square feet. Additionally, cellular services have excellent "handoff" capabilities in maintaining uninterrupted connectivity with mobile clients. Dropped connections are annoying, and for applications such as remote control systems, ensuring connectivity is crucial.
• Network speed and latency: The volume, density, and dependency of business data have exploded over the past two decades and show no signs of declining. Perhaps the biggest impact on wireless network selection is the critical response window between the client system and any systems it connects to at the edge, in the cloud, or even at the core of the data center. Unfortunately, the actual capabilities of both wireless networks can only be evaluated in the field, taking into account the current status of the radio, network, environment, number of concurrent connections, and competing devices, all of which are subject to change at any time. On May 6, 2023, Michael Kosiol published an article in IEEE Spectrum magazine saying: “Even the most powerful 5G network can only barely reach 1 Gb/s, which is far from the 20 Gb/s proposed by the International Telecommunications Union. s ideal download speed." As always, your experience may vary.
• Security and Authentication: Regardless of the type of connection, network security is an important issue. Unfortunately, most security risks come from people, especially mobile devices that inexplicably sprout legs and disappear on their own. Both WiFi 6 and 5G offer security options, but carriers and IT customers don't always see eye to eye. Device-based authentication, multi-factor and biometric authentication can significantly reduce some of the most common methods of intrusion, but only if 5G providers and wireless customers are aligned.

I'm a firm believer that any technical advice that doesn't start with "Oh, it depends" should be viewed with a high degree of suspicion, especially in the world of wireless networking. To be honest, I can't think of any other IT technology that is as susceptible to environmental variables as high-speed networking via radio. Even in the worst-case scenario, it's remarkable that 5G/WiFi 6 has gotten to where it is now, and there's no doubt it will continue to improve as 6G rolls out later this decade.

The same is true for WiFi 6 and the upcoming WiFi 7 standards, but data and application demand will almost certainly continue to grow as well. However, switching to 6G technology by the end of this decade is likely to require huge investments in new technology. Compared with this, the cost of updating to WiFi 7 technology can be said to be negligible.

We are very generous and tolerant of the 5G hype. Considering the vast amount of expensive underlying infrastructure and cutting-edge technology development required to run global wireless communications networks, it makes perfect sense for cellular network operators to explore new applications to recoup hundreds of billions of dollars in investments in 5G infrastructure and spectrum. But when less complex, lower-cost, and easier-to-understand alternatives like WiFi are fully capable of supporting most wireless use cases, carriers may have to settle for only a slice of the wireless market.

5G and WiFi 6 companies would ideally find a way to work together, but with vendors and standards organizations more focused on advancing their own plans than meeting customer needs, that ideal may not be that easy to achieve.

As a customer, you should avoid hype and take the time to truly understand your business needs and use the most reasonable combination.