YK Communications sat down with our Network Operations Supervisor Joel Green to find out what the latest generation of Wi-Fi 6 is and what sets it apart. 

Learn more about the basics of Wi-Fi 6 and why it will soon become the new normal in high-speed internet service.

Q: What is Wi-Fi 6 and what sets it apart from typical Wi-Fi?

A: It’s the latest generation of Wi-Fi. As homes and businesses start to have more devices connected to their wireless network, it will affect speeds.

As homes grow with more devices and more equipment, with the older generation, you basically have a certain amount of devices connected to one Wi-Fi stream. With Wi-Fi 6, it enables one stream to feed multiple devices. So, it speeds up the Wi-Fi in your home.

Here’s a good analogy: Let’s say you go into a restaurant and you have one waiter serving one table at a time. You have to sit there and wait for your turn. With Wi-Fi 6, imagine the waiter having eight arms, delivering to multiple tables and multiple people at the same time.

On a typical Wi-Fi 5, you’re sharing that and waiting your turn. You can have your phone and your iPod connected and it’s sharing. Wi-Fi 6 shares more effectively and it’s noticeably faster in a perfect environment. It still depends on what you have in your home.

With Wi-Fi 5, the maximum speeds you could get would be 3.5 gigabytes. With Wi-Fi 6, it’s 9.6 gigabytes in a lab environment.

Let’s say you have a 100 Mbps connection. You’re probably going to get somewhere between 75 and 100 on your device. With Wi-Fi 6, you’re going to typically get closer to exactly 100.

Q: When was Wi-Fi 6 introduced?

A: We started deploying it in our network within the last two months. It’s the way that the technology is moving.

At the beginning of the year, when we started first looking into this, there were only two or three devices available for consumers to purchase with Wi-Fi 6 capability. There is going to be a demand for the capabilities because the consumer market is gearing towards Wi-Fi 6.

Q: What kind of equipment do you need for Wi-Fi 6?

A: Every piece of equipment and device has to be Wi-Fi 6 compatible, which means your phone or laptop, as well as your router.

Q: Who is the ideal user of Wi-Fi 6?

A: I would say anybody that has more than five to 10 devices in their homes. When I say devices, I mean phones, laptops, TV, smart TVs, smart homes, etc. There’s not a big benefit to a Wi-Fi 6 router unless you have Wi-Fi 6 capable devices.

Q: What do you see for the future of Wi-Fi 6?

A: As you know, manufacturers roll out with new phones, new laptops, new smart TVs, smart homes ― all of that is going to Wi-Fi 6. I fully expect with the fluidity of the industry, it will be the norm by the end of the year.

Q: How can I get Wi-Fi 6 for my home?

A: Call in and talk to our sales team at YK Communications. They would be more than happy to help customers that are interested in Wi-Fi- 6. You can also learn more about our services by visiting our website.