In a world where staying connected is no longer a difficult task, WiFi 6 is the latest technology to help link up with the globe and the digital universe. It allows for faster internet that works even better in crowded places. It is designed to meet the demands of the growing number of connected devices in homes and businesses.
It offers speed, efficiency, and strong connectivity reshaping the ways for interaction with the digital world. As the whole world relies on wireless networks, understanding the latest WiFi 6 and why it is a great option is crucial.
Launched in 2019, WiFi 6 is the latest wi-fi version in the market. IEEE 802.11ax or Wi-Fi 6 as Wi-Fi names it, is an extension on IEEE 802.11ac or W-Fi 5. It was designed to give greater efficiency to users and give up to 4 times better speed and capacity as compared to Wi-Fi 5.
This new numbering simplifies differentiation between different Wi-Fi versions. These names are given by Wi-Fi Alliance which is an industry organization providing thought leadership, industry collaboration, and spectrum advocacy.
Wi-Fi 6 offers stronger security in relation to guests and password along with providing flexibility and scalability. These features support growth in IoT and client devices, initiatives for digital transformations, and higher usage of cloud.
Wi-Fi 6 is an extension for W-Fi 5 and so there are many ways in which these differ. The following table gives a comparison between the two on the basis of Spatial Streams, Order of Modulation, OFDMA (Orthogonal frequency division multiple access), IoT Target Wake Time, etc.
| Basis | WiFi 5 (802.11n/ac) | WiFi 6 (802.11ax) |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum Spatial Speed for increasing peak data rates | 4×4 | 8×8 |
| Highest order of modulation for increasing and decreasing | 256-QAM | 1024-QAM |
| Multi-user MIMO providing synchronous user uploads for increased efficiency | Only downloadlink | Downloadlink and uplink |
| OFDMA to combine short packets and increasing efficiency | Not present | Present |
| IoT Target Wake Time for saving battery life | Not present | Present |
| BSS Coloring for increased reuse of capacity and channel | Not present | Present |
| Enhanced Open for providing encryption on non-protected networks. | Not present | Present |
| WPA3 for robust authentication | Not present | Present |
The demand for Wi-Fi 6 is increasing, while the devices and applications continue to grow. Wi-Fi 6 introduced new technologies which have mitigated various issues that come with Wi-Fi devices on a single network. It allows for multiple devices to connect with the router at the same time. The router in the same broadcast can send data to many devices.
W-Fi 6 is 4 times faster than its ancestors. However, while in practice only slight difference might be visible to users when they connect Wi-Fi 6 laptop with router. The true speed is visible on busier networks. Older Wi-Fi routers get overwhelmed by the number of requests they receive from user laptops or systems, but WiFi 6 is designed to handle larger volume of requests.
It efficiently provides the required data to the devices connected to it. The top speeds with which these devices can work do not get boosted much, but the regular speeds which are seen in daily use are upgraded and maintained in busier networks.
Wi-Fi 6 is fast due to two key technologies which are MU-MIMO (Multi-user – Multiple Input Multiple Output) and OFDMA (Orthogonal frequency division multiple access).
MU-MIMO enables a router to communicate with more than one device at a single point of time rather than broadcasting to a single device and then moving to the next. Before Wi-Fi 6, routers with MU-MIMO could only communicate with four devices, however, now this number has moved up to eight devices.
Kevin Robinson, who is the marketing leader of Wi-Fi Alliance relates MU-MIMO connections to delivery trucks and how they can be sent in different directions to multiple customers, but earlier there were four trucks to fill and now there are eight trucks.
OFDMA also allows routers to serve multiple clients at the same time. It improves network performance by independently adjusting subcarriers within frequency. It is used in getting more out of every Wi-Fi signal that is transmitted from the router to the client’s device.
In this case, Robinson relates OFDMA again to a delivery truck which is 75 per cent allocated to a single client, but due to another customer being on the way, the remaining is filled with the order of this second customer.
To upgrade any router to support Wi-Fi 6 all that is needed is the addition of an access point to it. This would also help to strengthen the network in the organization. Access Points are wireless receivers that allow devices to connect to the internet by acting like a gateway between the device and internet making communication possible with the world.
Aruba’s Access Points provide an easy way to scale and expand the network while maintaining performance and security. They are automatically configured, which means that just plugging them in an existing internet connection is enough for them to start working.
Depending upon the user’s needs, Aruba has three kinds of Access Points. These are Indoor Access Points, Outdoor/ Ruggedized Access Points, and Remote Access Points.
Indoor Access Points can be deployed in almost any environment with the flexibility for managing networks on premises or in cloud. Some products include 550 Series, 530 Series, 500 Series, etc. Outdoor Access Points are built for hazardous locations, warehouses, and environments with extreme weather conditions.
These products are 560 Series, 570 Series, 518 Series, 580 Series, etc. Remote Access Points are built for accessing applications remotely. These products are 500H Series and 500R Series.
Choosing Aruba for Wi-Fi 6 Access Points is a wise decision. The reason for this is:
Aruba created the first self-locating Aps for accurately pointing out the indoor location. In conventional Wi-Fi ranging technologies, manual mapping of reference points and measuring of relative distance happens. So, to improve the accuracy of indoor location, Aruba brought in this technology.
The APIs used, utilize embedded GPS receivers, intelligent software, and fine time measurements to determine accurate location with the help of universal longitude and latitude. Wi-Fi 6 APs rectify their measurements with time, automatically locate themselves with embedded GPS receivers, and serve as absolute reference points for client location.
Aruba Access Points have built-in network intelligence. They have advanced capabilities such as AI powered RF (Radio Frequency) optimization which collects client session metrics to smartly guide them to the AP that has the best performance.
This is based on factors like Wi-Fi signal strength, traffic load, bandwidth, and if the latency-sensitive application is in use such as video or voice. This technology is also called ClientMatch and is patented with Aruba.
Along with this, network intelligence supports dynamic segmentation, smart management options, and service assurances for better user and IT experiences.
The APs for Wi-Fi 6 provide modern day security features to shield the network from any cyber threats, including malware, cyberattacks, unauthorized access, etc. The APs have WPA3 (Wi-Fi Protection Access-3) and Enhanced Open for network protection. They improve user and guest encryption.
PEF (Policy Enforcement Firewall) present in the Access Points uses DPI (Deep Packet Inspection) and role-based access control to segment and isolate the traffic. Aruba ESP (Edge Services Platform) allows protection with Zero Trust Network Security for IoT and devices.
Aruba Access Points allow accessing the corporate applications from anywhere and at anytime as per the person’s requirements. The HPE Aruba Networking Central is a cloud-based management platform which is built for flexibility and scaling. It simplifies deployment, management, and operation of Access Points. The remote APs also enable faster troubleshooting.
This is because IT teams have access to WAN (Wide Area Network) performance which enables them to diagnose any problems that may occur inside or outside the network. These cloud managed APs come with integrated SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) which protects the network from malicious attacks.
Conclusion
Wi-Fi 6 is a new wireless technology that brings faster internet and better connectivity. Aruba is a leading company for making networking tools. Their Access Points make Wi-Fi 6 even more powerful and strengthen the connections without switching routers. These access points not only make the internet faster, but they also make it work smarter and protected.
This solution is significant for businesses, schools, and anyone wanting uninterrupted connectivity and smooth, secure network. Aruba’s access points create a strong foundation for internet that helps to work better. By adopting Aruba’s Wi-Fi 6 access points, individuals and organizations can experience a faster and advanced networking technology introduced for high powered performance in the digital world.
Yes, Wi-Fi 6 routers are 100 per cent backward compatible. They are compatible with Wi-Fi 5 and older routers. Even though a user may not be able to experience wi-fi 6 from the first day, their network can be ready for newer devices with Wi-fi 6.
Devices which are compatible with Wi-Fi 6 include all iPhones after 11th gen, Huawei P40 Pro, LG V60 ThinQ, Samsung Galaxy S series after 10th gen, etc.
Wi-Fi 6 has improved speed and higher capacity. It offers greater security to its users with respect to guests and passwords.
Best Wi-Fi 6 routers are TP-Link Next-Gen, D-Link R15 AX1500, ASUS AX3000, MERCUSYS AX3000, Netgear 4-Stream, etc.
A wi-fi 6 router sends different signals to the same transmission window. This makes a single transmission able to communicate with more than one device through the router.
Yes, Wi-Fi 6 provides better range because it’s features like more radio chains, smaller channels, and better sensitivity. These improve data rates at a given range.
Wi-Fi 6 is the most recent version in the Wi-Fi network protocol. It is a significant and faster upgrade over Wi-Fi 5. This is due to features like traffic prioritization, beamforming, OFDMA, better security, and new encryption technology like SAE (Simultaneous Authentication of Equals).
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