WiFi 6 vs 6E: The biggest differences you should know

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WiFi 6 and WiFi 6E are two different iterations of the wireless networking standard, also known as IEEE 802.11ax. While they share many similarities, there are some key differences between the two.

WiFi 6 is the sixth generation of WiFi technology and was introduced in 2019. It brings several improvements over its predecessor, WiFi 5 (802.11ac), including higher data rates, increased capacity, improved performance in crowded environments, and better power efficiency.

One of the main features of WiFi 6 is the use of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA), which allows multiple devices to transmit data simultaneously on a single channel. This enables more efficient use of available bandwidth and reduces latency. Another important feature is Target Wake Time (TWT), which allows devices to schedule their wake-up times and reduce power consumption.

WiFi 6 also introduces Multi-User Multiple Input Multiple Output (MU-MIMO) technology, which allows access points to communicate with multiple devices simultaneously, improving overall network efficiency. Additionally, it supports 1024-QAM modulation, which increases the number of bits that can be transmitted per symbol, resulting in higher data rates.

WiFi 6E, on the other hand, is an extension of WiFi 6 that operates in the newly opened 6 GHz frequency band. The “E” in WiFi 6E stands for “Extended.” This additional spectrum provides more available channels and wider bandwidth, allowing for faster speeds and reduced interference.

By utilizing the 6 GHz band, WiFi 6E can offer up to seven additional non-overlapping channels compared to the existing 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands used by previous WiFi generations. This helps alleviate congestion in densely populated areas where multiple devices are competing for limited spectrum resources.

The introduction of WiFi 6E brings significant benefits in terms of capacity and performance. With wider channels available, it enables faster data rates and lower latency, making it ideal for bandwidth-intensive applications such as streaming 4K/8K video, virtual reality (VR), and augmented reality (AR). It also provides a more reliable connection in environments with many WiFi devices. Related post, the difference between AR, VR, MR, and XR.

It is important to note that while WiFi 6E offers these advantages, it requires compatible hardware, including routers, access points, and client devices. Older devices that only support WiFi 6 or previous generations will not be able to take advantage of the benefits provided by WiFi 6E.

In summary, WiFi 6 and WiFi 6E are both iterations of the IEEE 802.11ax standard. WiFi 6 brings improvements over previous generations in terms of data rates, capacity, performance, and power efficiency. WiFi 6E extends these benefits by operating in the newly opened 6 GHz frequency band, providing more available channels and wider bandwidth for faster speeds and reduced interference.