Do I Need a Router with Wi-Fi 6 Support?
Published on August 22, 2023 · Niwo
Wi-Fi 6 support is something that not everyone needs these days, but many people want to acquire. The new Wi-Fi 6 has generated a lot of conversation both for its performance and its range. However, it’s not something that everyone urgently needs. Here’s why.
Do You Have Devices That Support 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6)?
Not all network devices are compatible with the new Wi-Fi 6, and most still aren’t, as it’s a relatively recent WLAN connection method. If you acquire a modern router like the TP-Link Archer AX10 with Wi-Fi 6 system and don’t have devices that support this standard, you probably won’t notice any difference in your current network. They will simply connect using the Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) standard they’ve worked with so far, limited by their hardware capabilities.
Wi-Fi 6 support is still not widespread, and most devices would simply connect to your new Wi-Fi router using the Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) standard.
Do I Need to Upgrade My Entire Wi-Fi Network to Wi-Fi 6?
Not necessarily. You’re probably wondering: why not? The reason is that the high speeds offered by Wi-Fi 6 are only noticeable between devices connected to the same Local Area Network (LAN). They don’t affect your internet connection speed or any transmission involving external connections.
Therefore, it’s not a very smart idea to invest in new equipment and quickly upgrade your entire wireless system if you aren’t going to really take advantage of its benefits. It might only be interesting in specific cases, such as streaming locally from a network hard drive to a television a 4K video, where you could appreciate the benefits of the new standard.
However, even in these cases, you need state-of-the-art equipment for both Wi-Fi 6 transmission and reception.
Is It Mandatory to Buy New Equipment?
Yes. To take advantage of Wi-Fi 6, you need a router that broadcasts in 802.11ax. But not only that: you also need receiver devices capable of using this standard. Therefore, everything must be new, although it is not mandatory to do so immediately.
If you buy a phone with support for Wi-Fi 6, it will still connect to older standards like Wi-Fi 5 or Wi-Fi 4. The only difference is that it supports the new WLAN transmission method.
