WiFi 6
WiFi 6 (802.11ax) is the current WLAN standard, offering significantly higher speeds, better performance with many simultaneous devices and lower power consumption than WiFi 5.
In a world where more and more devices are online at once older WLAN technology reaches its limits. WiFi 6 (officially IEEE 802.11ax) was designed to address this – not only with higher speeds but above all with better efficiency in dense environments. Whether in an office with dozens of laptops, a smart home with IoT devices or public spaces with hundreds of users: WiFi 6 delivers more reliable connections for everyone. The standard has been widely available since 2020 and is the new minimum standard for professional WLAN infrastructure.
What is WiFi 6?
WiFi 6 is the sixth generation of the WLAN standard and is based on the IEEE 802.11ax specification. Compared to WiFi 5 (802.11ac) WiFi 6 offers theoretical speeds of up to 9.6 Gbit/s and uses technologies such as OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access), which lets one access point serve multiple devices on the same channel at once. MU-MIMO (Multi-User Multiple Input Multiple Output) was extended to eight simultaneous streams, increasing capacity in dense environments. Target Wake Time (TWT) lets devices put their WiFi chip to sleep on a schedule, reducing power use – especially relevant for IoT and mobile devices. WiFi 6 also uses 1024-QAM for higher data rate per symbol and BSS Coloring to reduce interference where many access points overlap.
How does WiFi 6 work?
WiFi 6 improves performance through several parallel technologies. OFDMA splits a channel into smaller sub-channels so one access point can send data to multiple devices at once – instead of one after another as with WiFi 5. MU-MIMO allows sending data to eight devices at once over separate spatial streams. BSS Coloring marks packets from different networks so devices can ignore interference from neighbouring networks. Target Wake Time synchronizes when devices wake up so they are active only when data is actually being sent. Together these make WiFi 6 perform noticeably better in environments with many simultaneous users and devices.
Practical Examples
An open-plan office with 200 employees upgrades to WiFi 6 access points and greatly reduces WLAN issues during video calls thanks to OFDMA and MU-MIMO.
A hotel equips all rooms and common areas with WiFi 6 so hundreds of guests can stream and browse at the same time.
A smart home uses a WiFi 6 router to connect over 30 IoT devices (sensors, cameras, voice assistants) efficiently and with low power.
A logistics hall uses WiFi 6 to serve hundreds of scanners and tablets at once with low latency for warehouse management.
A university supplies lecture halls with WiFi 6 access points so 300 students can use stable connections for e-learning platforms at the same time.
Typical Use Cases
Office and co-working spaces with high device density and many users on video calls and cloud apps at once
IoT in industry and smart buildings where hundreds of sensors are connected efficiently via Target Wake Time
Events, conferences and stadiums with thousands of simultaneous users needing stable WLAN
Healthcare where medical devices and mobile workstations need reliable, low-latency connections
Retail and logistics with mobile scanners, POS terminals and warehouse robots on WLAN
Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages
- Higher capacity: OFDMA and MU-MIMO allow many more simultaneous connections without performance loss
- Better performance in dense environments: Optimized for scenarios with many devices
- Lower power consumption: Target Wake Time extends battery life on mobile and IoT devices
- Higher data rates: Up to 9.6 Gbit/s theoretical and about 40% higher real throughput than WiFi 5
- Less interference: BSS Coloring reduces disruption where many networks overlap
Disadvantages
- Hardware upgrade needed: Both access points and client devices must support WiFi 6 to get the full benefits
- Higher upfront cost: WiFi 6 access points cost more than WiFi 5, especially in enterprise
- Limited range: Range is not much better than WiFi 5 – large areas still need multiple access points
Frequently Asked Questions about WiFi 6
What is the difference between WiFi 6 and WiFi 6E?
Is WiFi 6 worth it for a small office?
Do I need special cabling for WiFi 6?
Related Terms
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