The new generation of WiFi is here! With homes and businesses full of smart devices and being connected, 802.11ax (WiFi 6) has many benefits over its predecessor 802.11ac (Wifi 5).
- Faster Speeds - WiFi 6 will be four to ten times faster than previous WiFi.
- Less Congestion - Have you ever been at a concert or other crowded area and noticed slower internet? This is caused by data requests being in hold until the previous have completed with only a limited number of channels to process them as is the case with MU-MIMO. One of WiFi 6's biggest advancements is that it will utilize Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (ODMFA), which will break up channels into sub-channels and allow them to process more requests at one time. Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) encoding allows for more data to be sent at one time. This increases peak data-rates under good conditions.
- Longer Battery Life - Extended battery performance is great news for anyone who wants to stay mobile. Existing power-save modes are supplemented with new mechanisms allowing longer sleep intervals and scheduled wake times. Also, for IoT (Internet of Things) devices, a 20MHz-channel-only mode is introduced, allowing for simpler, less powerful chips that support only that mode.
- Outdoor Operation - A number of features improve outdoor performance. The most important is a new packet format where the most sensitive field is now repeated for robustness. Other features that contribute to better outdoor operation include longer guard intervals and modes that introduce redundancy to allow for error recovery.
With all these improvements in WiFi 6, should you wait for WiFi 6 before upgrading? No. Get the best technology available when it’s time to make the purchase decision. There will always be a new, better Wi-Fi access point on the horizon, about every two years, as standards advance, silicon becomes more powerful and equipment vendors add features.
If you are looking to upgrade your current facility or processes or if you want more information on WiFi 6, one of our Data Comm professionals can help you get the information, parts, and service you are looking for.
Article Source: Aruba