Wi-Fi 6 vs. Wi-Fi 5: A Detailed Comparison

Wi-Fi 5 and Wi-Fi 6 are both Wi-Fi standards that specify the technical parameters of wireless networks under the name IEEE 802.11 (or 802.11). The inclusion of these standards in Wi-Fi routers indicates the strength of speed, the type of frequency band used, and various special features of the router. When comparing Wi-Fi 5 and Wi-Fi 6, you will know which Wi-Fi standard is suitable for your needs. In this article, Gpwebmedia.net will highlight the key differences between Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 5 to help you recognize the advantages of each technology and make an easier decision.

Comparison Table of Wi-Fi 5 and Wi-Fi 6

To understand the differences between Wi-Fi 5 and Wi-Fi 6, let’s compare criteria such as frequency, modulation, data transfer speed, and several other parameters in the table below:

Differences Between Wi-Fi 5 and Wi-Fi 6

Essentially, Wi-Fi 5 and Wi-Fi 6 differ in data transfer speed, wireless communication technology, frequency band access capabilities, and power-saving features for connected devices. Additionally, the number of compatible endpoint devices, performance, security, and BSS Coloring support also vary. Specifically:

1. Wi-Fi 6 Has Higher Data Transfer Speeds

QAM is a radio wave modulation method that enables multiple data streams simultaneously. Wi-Fi 5 uses 256-QAM modulation technology, while Wi-Fi 6 uses higher-order 1024-QAM modulation. The use of 1024-QAM technology helps Wi-Fi 6 increase data transfer efficiency and speed by up to 25%. Furthermore, improvements in signal encoding allow sixth-generation Wi-Fi routers to send more data in a single transmission, boosting speed by 20%. The combination of both features enhances Wi-Fi 6's connection speed by 40%.

Wi-Fi 5 routers typically offer a maximum Internet speed of 350 Mbps. In contrast, Wi-Fi 6 routers can deliver maximum Internet speeds of up to 900 Mbps.

2. Wireless Communication Technology with Transmitting and Receiving Antennas

Both Wi-Fi 5 and Wi-Fi 6 use MU-MIMO technology, which allows multiple antennas at both the transmitting and receiving ends. This stabilizes the transmitted signal, increases download speeds, and reduces network disruptions due to obstacles in the data transmission path. The difference lies in Wi-Fi 5's MU-MIMO technology upgrade to 4T4R (4 transmit, 4 receive), enhancing coverage compared to Wi-Fi 4. Wi-Fi 6, on the other hand, upgrades MU-MIMO to 8T8R (8 transmit, 8 receive), significantly increasing device connection range compared to Wi-Fi 5.

3. Frequency Band Access Capability

Both Wi-Fi 5 and Wi-Fi 6 operate on high-frequency bands, but their access capabilities differ. Wi-Fi 5 operates only on the 5 GHz band, while Wi-Fi 6 operates on both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands simultaneously. This broadens the bandwidth used by Wi-Fi 6, facilitating faster information transmission.

With a MU-MIMO 3x3 connection, Wi-Fi 5 devices support a maximum speed of 1,300 Mbps on the 5 GHz band. However, most Wi-Fi 5 devices operate at 867 Mbps. In contrast, thanks to the MU-MIMO (Multi-User - Multiple Input - Multiple Output) 2x2 technology with an 80 MHz channel width, most Wi-Fi 6 devices can transmit data at super-fast speeds up to 1,201 Mbps on the 5 GHz band. High-end Wi-Fi 6 routers with MU-MIMO 3x3 or 4x4 can offer even faster speeds with a 160 MHz channel width. Some PCI Express Wi-Fi 6 cards support AX3000 speeds (2,400 Mbps + 600 Mbps) on the 5 GHz band with a 160 MHz channel width. When deployed in a network, Wi-Fi 6 routers can provide gigabit speeds.

4. Wi-Fi 6 Helps Save Battery for Connected Devices

Wi-Fi 5's major drawback is its power consumption for devices. Wi-Fi 6 addresses this issue with the new "Target Wake Time" (TWT) feature, which conserves battery for connected devices such as laptops and smartphones. This technology manages data transmission and reception times for users in the network. TWT allows the router to negotiate user transmission schedules and enable each user to transmit data at a specified time. Outside of these transmission times, the router and user signals will pause, conserving device power.

5. Wi-Fi 6 is Compatible with a Variety of End Devices

Wi-Fi 5 has low flexibility and nearly exclusively serves personal end devices. Wi-Fi 5 routers typically create a single data stream, communicating with multiple devices sequentially or one at a time. In contrast, Wi-Fi 6 has higher flexibility, compatible with many types of end devices (laptops, smartphones, tablets, desktops...).

Using Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) technology, Wi-Fi 6 routers can allocate larger channel parts to different devices as needed and deliver data to multiple devices simultaneously. This reduces interference, provides effective wireless signals, and improves upload and download speeds when connecting multiple devices to the same router.

6. Wi-Fi 6 Has Better Performance in Crowded Areas

In crowded areas (homes with many connected devices, apartment complexes, shopping malls, airports...), Wi-Fi often weakens or fails to connect. Wi-Fi 5 uses Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) and MU-MIMO 4 streams but still has weak performance. Wi-Fi 6, however, uses new technologies like Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) and 8-stream multi-user, multi-input, multi-output (MU-MIMO). OFDMA, considered an OFDM version for multiple users, increases access point capacity. MU-MIMO allows 8x8 APs to use eight streams for communication, increasing traffic efficiency. Therefore, Wi-Fi 6 performs better than Wi-Fi 5 in crowded areas.

7. Wi-Fi 6 Has Higher Security

Wi-Fi 6 uses WPA 3 security technology and SAE authentication mechanisms. Thus, Wi-Fi 6's data security is higher than Wi-Fi 5, reducing the risks of Brute attacks and mass data decryption. Even if you do not set a password for Wi-Fi 6, data remains protected.

8. Wi-Fi 6 Supports BSS Coloring While Wi-Fi 5 Does Not

Wi-Fi 5 does not support BSS Coloring, whereas Wi-Fi 6 uses Basic Service Set (BSS) Coloring. BSS Coloring allows access points (routers) to use color tags during broadcasting to identify which access point the signal belongs to. This minimizes latency and congestion during data transmission.

Simply put, BSS Coloring works like this: Router A (red tag) and B (yellow tag) broadcast on the same channel. With old technology, both routers would have to pause signal transmission to predict each other's activity. However, BSS Coloring technology in Wi-Fi 6 allows continuous signal transmission with color-coded wave columns from both routers being different.

9. Wi-Fi 5 Has Better Coverage

Wi-Fi 6 performs poorly outdoors and in large spaces. Wi-Fi 5, on the other hand, offers wider coverage and better roaming capabilities.

10. Wi-Fi 6 Provides Increased Power for Connected Wireless Devices

Wi-Fi 6 uses Long-Term Evolution (LTE) mobile radio technology from 4G. This increases capacity, allowing more wireless devices (5G smartphones, IoT sensors, cars...) to connect.

In summary, Wi-Fi 5 and Wi-Fi 6 technologies have many differences. Compared to Wi-Fi 5, Wi-Fi 6 has many advantages. If you need a network in crowded areas, require high data transmission speeds, connect multiple devices, have fast device response times, high security, and want to save battery for connected devices, you should choose Wi-Fi 6.