WiFi 6: Is It Time to Upgrade Your Home Network?

What is WiFi 6?

WiFi 6, also known as 802.11ax, is the latest generation of WiFi technology. Released in 2019, it represents a significant step forward in wireless networking capabilities compared to its predecessor, WiFi 5 (802.11ac). While the upgrade to WiFi 5 was largely about increasing speeds, WiFi 6 focuses on improving efficiency, especially in environments with many connected devices.

This new standard was developed specifically to address the challenges of modern homes, where dozens of devices—from smartphones and laptops to smart TVs and voice assistants—are simultaneously connected to a single network. For Canadian households, where an average of 17.1 internet-connected devices per home was reported in 2022, these improvements could be particularly relevant.

Key Benefits of WiFi 6

1. Improved Multi-Device Performance

Perhaps the most significant advantage of WiFi 6 is its ability to handle multiple devices simultaneously with less congestion. Through technologies like Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) and Multi-User Multiple Input Multiple Output (MU-MIMO), WiFi 6 routers can communicate with multiple devices at once rather than sequentially.

In practical terms, this means that homes with many connected devices will experience less slowdown during peak usage times. When everyone is streaming, gaming, or video conferencing simultaneously, a WiFi 6 router can better manage these competing demands.

2. Increased Theoretical Speed

WiFi 6 offers a theoretical maximum speed of 9.6 Gbps, compared to WiFi 5's 3.5 Gbps. While these theoretical maximums are rarely achieved in real-world conditions, the increased ceiling does translate to potentially higher speeds in everyday use.

However, it's important to note that these speed benefits are only realized if:

• Your internet service plan provides speeds that can take advantage of this capability
• Both your router and connected devices support WiFi 6

Given that the average internet speed in Canada was approximately 178 Mbps for downloads as of early 2023, most Canadian households won't be limited by their WiFi technology but rather by their internet service plan.

3. Better Battery Life for Connected Devices

WiFi 6 includes a feature called Target Wake Time (TWT), which allows the router to tell devices exactly when to "wake up" to receive or transmit data. This reduces the time devices spend with their antennas powered on, resulting in significant battery savings for mobile devices, laptops, and IoT gadgets around your home.

For households with many battery-powered smart devices like security cameras, door sensors, or tablets, this can translate to less frequent charging and longer device lifespans.

4. Improved Performance in Congested Areas

For Canadians living in dense urban environments like Toronto, Vancouver, or Montreal, WiFi 6 offers better performance in areas with many overlapping networks. Technologies like BSS Coloring help WiFi 6 routers distinguish between your network and your neighbors', reducing interference.

This is particularly valuable in apartment buildings or condominiums where dozens of networks may be operating in close proximity.

5. Enhanced Security

WiFi 6 comes with WPA3, the latest WiFi security protocol. WPA3 provides stronger encryption and protection against brute-force attacks, making your home network substantially more secure.

Given the increasing concern about network security and privacy in Canadian households, this enhancement alone may justify an upgrade for security-conscious users.

Real-World Performance Improvements

To move beyond theoretical benefits, let's examine what WiFi 6 offers in everyday scenarios for a typical Canadian household:

Multi-Device Homes

In our testing across various Canadian homes, we found that:

• Homes with 10+ active devices saw the most dramatic improvements when upgrading to WiFi 6
• Video conferencing quality remained more consistent during peak usage times
• Smart home devices responded more reliably, with fewer disconnections
• Gaming latency was reduced, particularly in households where multiple people were gaming simultaneously

Large or Multi-Story Homes

While WiFi 6 doesn't inherently provide greater range than WiFi 5, mesh systems that use WiFi 6 can offer better performance across larger spaces:

• Faster communication between mesh nodes means better performance at the edges of coverage
• Better handling of device transitions when moving between coverage areas
• More consistent speeds throughout the home

Urban Apartments

In dense urban Canadian settings, WiFi 6 users reported:

• More stable connections during evening peak hours
• Less interference from neighboring networks
• Better performance on balconies and near building edges where signal typically weakens

The Cost of Upgrading

Upgrading to WiFi 6 requires investment in new hardware. Here's what Canadian consumers can expect to pay (as of early 2023):

WiFi 6 Routers

• Entry-level: $150-200 CAD
• Mid-range: $200-350 CAD
• Premium: $350-500+ CAD

WiFi 6 Mesh Systems

• Entry-level (2-pack): $250-350 CAD
• Mid-range (2-pack): $350-500 CAD
• Premium (2-pack): $500-700+ CAD

Beyond the router itself, it's important to note that you'll only get the full benefits of WiFi 6 when using compatible devices. While newer smartphones, laptops, and tablets increasingly support WiFi 6, older devices will continue to use previous WiFi standards when connecting to your new router.

Most high-end devices released since 2020 support WiFi 6, with mid-range devices following in 2021-2022. Budget devices may still use WiFi 5 or earlier standards.

Is It Time to Upgrade? Decision Factors

Whether WiFi 6 is worth the investment depends on your specific circumstances. Consider these factors when making your decision:

You Should Consider Upgrading If:

• You have 10+ active devices regularly connected to your network
• Your household experiences slowdowns during peak usage times
• You live in a dense urban area with many overlapping WiFi networks
• You rely heavily on video conferencing, gaming, or 4K streaming
• Your current router is more than 3-4 years old
• You've recently upgraded to a high-speed internet plan (500+ Mbps)
• Network security is a priority for your household

You Can Probably Wait If:

• You have relatively few connected devices (under 5-8)
• Your current WiFi 5 router is meeting your needs without issues
• Your internet service plan is under 300 Mbps
• You live in a smaller space with good coverage
• Most of your devices don't yet support WiFi 6
• You're on a tight budget and your current setup works adequately

Looking Forward: WiFi 6E and WiFi 7

Technology moves quickly, and it's worth noting that WiFi 6E (an extension of WiFi 6 that adds the 6 GHz band) is already available, and WiFi 7 is on the horizon. Here's how these advancements factor into your decision:

WiFi 6E

WiFi 6E adds access to the newly available 6 GHz spectrum, providing additional uncongested channels. In Canada, regulatory approval for 6 GHz WiFi was granted in mid-2021, making WiFi 6E equipment now viable for Canadian consumers.

Benefits include:

• Access to uncongested 6 GHz channels
• Lower latency for very high-bandwidth applications
• More available spectrum for dense environments

However, 6E devices are still at a price premium, and the benefits are primarily noticeable in very congested environments or for specialized applications requiring extremely low latency.

WiFi 7

WiFi 7 (802.11be) is currently under development with expected certification in 2024. Early WiFi 7 devices may appear in late 2023 or early 2024.

If you're considering whether to wait for WiFi 7 instead of upgrading to WiFi 6 now, consider your timeline:

• WiFi 7 will likely come at a significant price premium upon release
• Benefits will primarily target very high-bandwidth applications
• Widespread device support will take 2-3 years after the standard's release

For most Canadian households, waiting for WiFi 7 means potentially delaying valuable improvements available today with WiFi 6.