Wi-Fi 6 is the next generation of the Wi-Fi standard, also known as 8002.11ax

Wireless technology is constantly evolving, our world environment is driven by more devices, more connections, and bandwidth-hungry applications. The networks already need more wireless capacity and reliability. In this context, Wi-Fi 6 comes in to supply all its demands and provide a better experience to the users.

Wi-Fi 6 will bring efficiency, flexibility, and scalability which allows new and existing networks increase speed and capacity. The Wi-Fi 6 standard was proposed by The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), so it can couple the freedom and high speed of Gigabit Ethernet wireless with the reliability and predictability found in licensed radio.

The 8002.11ax term and Wi-Fi 6 are the same. The premise to adopt a name that refers to the sixth wi-fi generation was to simplify the message and help in the marketing efforts to bring Wi-Fi to the public. So, technically speaking, there is no difference between both.

Benefits of Wi-Fi 6

One of the main benefits of Wi-Fi 6 is that will allow enterprises and service providers to support new and emerging applications on the same wireless LAN (WLAN) infrastructure while delivering a higher grade of service to older applications. In the business perspective, this scenario can speed up the development of new business models and increased Wi-Fi adoption.

More Benefits

• It will build on the success of 802.11ac
• It will let access points support more clients in dense environments and will provide a better experience for typical wireless LAN networks
• More predictable performance for advanced applications such as 4K or 8K video, high-density high-definition collaboration apps, all-wireless offices, and the Internet of Things (IoT)

Wi-Fi 6 Technology Details

We listed below more detailed information about the new technology.

• Denser modulation using 1024 Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM), enabling a more than 35 percent speed burst.
• Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA)-based scheduling to reduce overhead and latency.
• Robust, high-efficiency signalling for better operation at a significantly lower Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI).
• Better scheduling and longer device battery life with Target Wake Time (TWT)

Wi-Fi 6 Use

As a society we are walking into a path where Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR) or Mixed Reality (MR) will be more and more present in our daily activities. Even though, it’s not possible to see a full picture of the impact of these technologies yet, what is clear is that significant throughput and low latency are required for these applications. In this scenario Wi-Fi 6 is well positioned with its advanced Multiple Input, Multiple Output (MIMO) (8 x 8) and scheduling capabilities. 

As with every other recent Wi-Fi advances, 802.11ax is backward-compatible, building on existing technologies and making them more efficient. This scenario enables a graceful installed base transition with ever-increasing gains as the client base converges toward 802.11ax. 802.11ax is worth considering as soon as it’s available, even if the client density for the technology is still evolving. In the meantime, enterprise and service provider customers looking at long-term investments in wireless LANs should strongly consider 802.11ac access points.

Availability

The IEEE is currently scheduled to ratify the Wi-Fi 6 amendment in the latter half of 2019. The Wi-Fi Alliance has a similar timeline for Wi-Fi 6 certification.

*The article above is based on the information provided here. 

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