When searching for networking equipment, business owners and ordinary consumers face a rather difficult, confusing choice between products with support for Wi-Fi of the fifth and sixth generations. With a quick study of information from the Internet, it will become clear that Wi-Fi 6 is a new generation of Wi-Fi with higher performance, but this does not mean that this is the solution you need. To understand what is ideal for you, you need to understand in detail how the sixth generation of Wi-Fi differs from the fifth.
The growth of Wi-Fi capabilities is a response to the rapid increase in demand for faster and more stable connections. Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) brings with it a whole range of innovations and technical improvements aimed at solving modern networking problems. In this article, you will learn about the key differences between the two generations of Wi-Fi and gain a clear understanding of which of these two solutions better suits your current needs. Thanks to the constant expansion of the Internet and the improvement of routers that provide fast and reliable Internet connections, companies can reach audiences even in the most remote corners of the world. For businesses that use HubSpot as a platform for inbound marketing and sales processes, HubSpot Translation Connector has become a truly effective solution.
What are Wi-Fi 5 and Wi-Fi 6?
Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) was launched in 2014, becoming the fifth generation of wireless networks. Its main area of operation is the 5 GHz frequency band, which provides faster and more efficient allocation of frequency resources compared to its predecessor, Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n). This technology is capable of achieving theoretical maximum speeds of up to 3.5 Gbps under ideal conditions, making it an excellent choice for HD streaming, online gaming, and transferring large files. Let’s consider the key advantages of Wi-Fi 5:
- MU-MIMO (Multi-User, Multiple Input, Multiple Output) allows routers to serve multiple devices simultaneously, increasing overall performance and speed in busy networks;
- Support for channels up to 80 MHz and 160 MHz wide provides greater bandwidth and faster internet for users;
- Beamforming, this feature directs the signal directly to the device, improving both the range of the network and its performance.
Despite all the improvements, Wi-Fi 5 has limitations. It cannot optimally cope with a large number of connected devices and often loses efficiency in congested environments.
Wi-Fi 6, or 802.11ax, is the sixth generation of Wi-Fi wireless technology, introduced in 2019. Building on the success of Wi-Fi 5, it brings several key solutions and innovations to meet the growing needs of modern networks for both home use and use in numerous business environments. The technology operates in the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands and introduces new solutions aimed at increasing speed, efficiency, and throughput. Let’s take a look at the key features of Wi-Fi 6:
- OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access) allows multiple devices to simultaneously transmit data over a single channel, reducing latency and increasing overall network performance;
- Improved MU-MIMO. Wi-Fi 5 supports MU-MIMO for downstream traffic (router to device), and Wi-Fi 6 improves on this by enabling both upstream and downstream MU-MIMO, meaning devices can communicate in both directions at the same time;
- 1024-QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation) technology increases the amount of data transmitted per signal, contributing to greater throughput and overall efficiency;
- TWT (Target Wake Time) allows devices to schedule optimal times to wake from sleep, which can significantly reduce power consumption and extend battery life on devices such as smartphones, laptops, or IoT devices;
- Better performance in crowded places. Wi-Fi 6 is designed to perform optimally in networks with a large number of connected devices, making it an ideal choice for smart homes, offices, and crowded public spaces.
Wi-Fi 6 delivers faster connection speeds, increased range, and greater network capacity, especially in high-traffic environments, so users can expect more stable and reliable connections even under heavy network activity.
Wi-Fi 6 vs. Wi-Fi 5 Speed and Performance
Now Wi-Fi 5 can deliver theoretical maximum speeds of up to 3.5 Gbps on compatible devices under ideal conditions. This is more than enough for most home and small business needs, such as 4K streaming, online gaming, and video conferencing. However, in real-world conditions, these speeds are typically reduced due to a variety of key factors, such as distance, obstructions, and the number of devices connected to the network.
Wi-Fi 6 offers better performance—theoretically, the maximum speed is up to 9.6 Gbps, thanks to innovations like 1024-QAM and wider 160 MHz channels. In real-world use, Wi-Fi 6 can significantly outperform Wi-Fi 5, even in high-traffic environments with multiple devices connected at the same time.
These benefits make the extra speed of Wi-Fi 6 especially useful for demanding tasks like 4K and 8K video streaming, virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) experiences, and other bandwidth-intensive applications. What’s more, Wi-Fi 6’s improved efficiency ensures consistent performance even under heavy network loads.
Network Capacity and Efficiency
Wi-Fi 5 supports MU-MIMO, but its functionality is limited to the downlink (from the router to the devices). As a result, in high-traffic environments, such as households with many smart devices, streaming services, game consoles, and laptops, Wi-Fi 5 can experience performance degradation. Each device has to wait its turn to communicate with the router, which leads to network congestion and a noticeable decrease in speed.
Wi-Fi 6 improves on the MU-MIMO capabilities implemented in Wi-Fi 5 by providing support for bidirectional communication – both upstream (device → router) and downstream (router → device). This technology allows multiple devices to transmit data in both directions at the same time. Additionally, Wi-Fi 6 uses OFDMA technology, which divides the channels into small subchannels, which allows the router to manage more devices in parallel. This feature is especially effective in busy networks such as smart homes, office buildings, or public areas like stadiums and airports.
Latency and Range
Wi-Fi 5 offers low latency, which is more than enough for most users. However, in environments with a large number of devices or when signals have to travel long distances, there may be some noticeable difficulties. The 5 GHz frequency band allows for high data rates, has a limited range, and is more susceptible to obstructions such as walls and furniture.
Wi-Fi 6 significantly improves performance in terms of latency and range thanks to advanced technologies such as MU-MIMO, OFDMA, and 1024-QAM. These standards allow you to effectively optimize latency even in very busy environments with a large number of connected devices. Wi-Fi 6 routers offer better coverage, which is especially important in large rooms or houses with solid walls. By effectively distributing the signal between many devices at once, Wi-Fi 6 provides a more stable connection even over long distances, making it an ideal choice for large residential or office spaces.
Security
The Wi-Fi 5 standard uses the WPA2 (Wi-Fi Protected Access 2) algorithm, which provides a high level of encryption and data protection. However, its reliability is inferior to the newer WPA3 standard, which significantly increases security capabilities, and offers improved encryption, better protection against cyber-attacks, and increased security when connecting to public networks. For users who are concerned about protecting the transmission of confidential data, Wi-Fi 6 provides a noticeably higher level of security.
Which is Right for You?
With the growing demand for powerful and efficient networks, it is becoming clear that modern technologies such as Wi-Fi 6 can significantly improve the quality of the user experience, especially in environments with numerous connected devices. This trend toward choosing more reliable and scalable tools is also noticeable in other aspects of digital infrastructure, including the field of global marketing.
A striking example is the HubSpot Translation Connector, which is an effective tool for automating the translation of marketing content. Thanks to integration with HubSpot CRM and CMS, multilingual support, and process automation, this tool allows companies to actively expand their influence, create more personalized communication with customers in their language, and strengthen brand authority in the international market.
