Wi-Fi 6 / Wi-Fi 6th: What are the differences? Should we invest

Wi-Fi 6th will offer a slight gain in speeds (upload/download), but above all the new 6 GHz frequency band will offer the advantage of being alone … for a while. Also, the 6th Wi-Fi compatible devices are rather rare. We must admit that this is a bit normal since the 6 GHz frequency has been open in France only since December 2021. There are of course some PCIe cards

Wifi 6 and 6th: What are it and what are the compatible boxes ?

WiFi 6 and WiFi 6e are the latest wireless connection standards which allow in particular to gain flow but also in comfort thanks to better connectivity. What are the improvements made by these new wireless connection standards compared to previous standards ? Which box should you choose to benefit from it ? We tell you more here !

WiFi 6: that the 6th generation of wireless network brings ?

THE Wifi 6 (802.11AX), deployed since the end of 2019, corresponds to the 6th generation of wireless network. To benefit from the advantages of this wireless network, it is necessary to have a WiFi 6 box and equipment benefiting from WiFi 6 standard.

As a reminder, WiFi is a technology that allows you to connect different devices to the wireless internet network via radio waves. Since its creation in 1997, the WiFi protocol has evolved with different standards to meet the needs of users.

Thus, the 6th generation of wireless network allows you to benefit from a higher speed of 40% compared to the WiFi 5 (802.11AC) Available since 2014 and also offers a larger range than previous standards.

In addition, WiFi 6 offers better performance in terms of connectivity. Thanks to technologies Ofdma And Mu-milo, WiFi 6 is able to serve a large number of devices connected simultaneously, without saturating the network and without slowing performance.

This smart wireless network also offers a Better autonomy of devices via the TWT (Target Wake Time) function. This allows you to automatically indicate to the devices when putting their wifi on standby to save their battery.

The latest WiFi 6th standard

Since December 2021, there has been the new standard WiFi 6th (Extended). WiFi 6e means WiFi 6 extended to the 6 GHz frequency band. This is a new frequency band allowed in France which ensures even more speed and fluidity of use compared to WiFi 6.

To go into details, WiFi 6 uses 2 frequency strips, 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, while the 6th WiFi has 3 frequency bands: 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz and 6 GHz.

Note, the 3rd 6 GHz band is used only by new WiFi 6th compatible equipment. To date, you should know that compatible equipment is still few. Some smartphones, the most recent, have this new standard such as Samsung Galaxy S22 or the Xiaomi 12 smartphone.

What are the advantages of WiFi 6th ?

THE Wifi 6th Tri-band offers even faster flows thanks to the addition of 6 GHz frequency banddedicated. The theoretical flow reachable with this latest generation of wifi and the fiber is to 11 Gb/s.

In practice, with this wireless technology, it is possible to benefit from a connection speed greater than 1 GB/S. Note that the flow with the 6th wifi depends on several factors such as the distance with the Internet box or the equipment used.

Another advantage, thanks to increased resistance in the face of interference from other devices, this new wireless connection standard makes it possible to obtain a Better connection stability.

In addition to improving the quality of your wireless connection, the 6th wifi on a box is also very effective in the management of multiple connections simultaneously. Concretely, this new standard makes it possible to connect even more devices without the clutching the wireless network.

Finally, the 6th wifi also offers a weaker latency, A major asset for 4K, gaming, or even services such as virtual reality or 8K services.

What are the boxes compatible with the 6th wifi ?

The orange supplier is the first to have marketed a box with the 6th WiFi, the Livebox 6 Launched in April 2022. The operator Bouygues Telecom then offered this new wireless standard with its offer Bbox Ultym Fiber and a new version of sound Bbox Fiber WiFi 6 modem. In the Internet box market, the Freebox Delta also now supports the WiFi 6th.

Comparison of WiFi 6th Internet box offers

Livebox Max Fiber	Bbox Ultym Fiber	Freebox Delta
Downspout	Up to 2 Gb/s	Up to 2 Gb/s	Up to 8 Gb/s
Upright	Up to 800 Mb/s	Up to 900 Mb/s	Up to 700 Mb/s
Telephony	Unlimited calls to the fixed and mobiles of France, Europe, USA and Canada	Unlimited calls to fixed and mobiles in France, Europe, Switzerland and to the fixeds of more than 110 countries	Unlimited calls to mobiles in France, USA, China, Canada and Cambodia + to the fixeds of more than 110 destinations
TV	140 TV TV Recording channels Multi-ecrans 300h Replay max for 24 months	180 TV channels 100H TV recorder Salto and Disney more included for 6 months	270 TV channels with TV by Canal + Netflix and video premium included+ channel+ series included for 1 year
Equipment	Livebox 6 UHD 4Kjus UHD TV decoder to 3 WiFi 6 repeaters included 2nd decoder or TV key	Bbox 4K HDR TV decoder Bbox Fiber Wifi 6th Up to 2 WiFi 6 repeaters included	Server Freebox Delta POLYER POP Pop wifi repeater
Price	€ 34.99/month for 12 months then € 54.99	€ 29.99/month for 12 months then € 49.99	€ 39.99/month for 12 months then € 49.99
Commitment	12 months	12 months	Without engagement

Orange Livebox 6: the first WiFi 6th compatible box

In April 2022, Orange launched the Livebox 6 , The first box on the French market compatible with the new WiFi 6th standard.

There Livebox 6 is accessible at Orange with the offer Livebox Max Fiber. This Triple Play box subscription available with the Orange fiber is offered at a price of € 34.99 per month for 12 months then € 54.99 with a 12 -month commitment.

The specifics of the Livebox 6 with the Livebox Max Fiber offer:

• WiFi 6th compatible modem,
• 5 Ethernet ports (1 Ethernet Port 2.5 GB/S + 4 Ethernet Ports 1 GB/S),
• Flow down up to 2 Gb/s and up to 800 Mb/s in update,
• Up to 3 WiFi 6 repeaters included on request.

Bouygues Telecom’s Bbox WiFi 6th

Another box compatible with the new WiFi standard, the Bbox Ultym by Bouygues Telecom. After launching a WiFi 6 modem in January 2020, this FAI has been offering since the end of April 2022, just after the release of the Livebox 6 of Orange, a 6th WiFi compatible box with the optical fiber .

This latest generation of WiFi is available with the Bbox Ultym Fiber billed € 29.99/month subscription for one year then € 49.99/month with a one -year commitment.

The features of the 6th WiFi Bbox Modem with the Bbox Ultym offer:

• Bbox WiFi 6th router,
• 5 Ethernet ports (4 Ethernet ports 1 Gb/s and 1 Ethernet port 10 GB/S),
• Flow down up to 2 Gb/s and up to 900 Mb/s in update,
• Up to 2 WiFi 6 repeaters included on request.

The 6th WiFi on the Freebox Delta of Free

The Internet Access provider Free launched in June 2022, a new version of its Server Freebox Delta With the latest generation of WiFi, WiFi 6th.

The subscription Freebox Delta With POP Player is available at a price of € 39.99 per month for 12 months then € 49.99, without commitment.

The main characteristics of the Freebox Delta:

• Server Freebox Delta Wifi 6th,
• 10g Epon fiber technology with a speed down up to 8 Gb/s and up,
• Server NAS via a 1 TO hard drive available as an option,
• 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports,
• 1 Pop WiFi repeater included.

SFR BOX 8 and 8x WIFI 6 compatible

The operator SFR does not yet offer a box compatible with the latest WiFi 6th standard. Nevertheless, it is possible for this supplier to take advantage of a box that supports the WiFi 6 standard.

With the offer SFR Fiber Power, This operator provides the modem SFR Box 8 WiFi 6 compatible as well as a repeater Smart Wifi 6. This subscription SFR Fiber Displays a theoretical flow down to 2 shared Gb/s and a theoretical amount of speed up to 500 Mb/s. This box package is available from € 26 per month for 12 months then 43 €, with a 12 -month commitment.

SFR also offers its news SFR Box 8x with the offer SFR Premium fiber. This WiFi 6 compatible internet compatible box displays a theoretical speed for download up to 8 Gb/s and up to 1 Gb/s in sending. The SFR Fiber Premium offer is available from € 32 per month for 12 months then € 50, with a 12 -month commitment.

The Red Box WiFi 6

You can also benefit from a WiFi 6 Internet box with the low cost operator Red by SFR and its offer Red Box without engagement. This supplier offers you an optional WiFi 6 box at € 7 per month, the Red Box subscription at € 30 per month with fiber and WiFi 6. With this subscription, the theoretical flow is 2 GB/s for download and 500 Mb/s in sending with optical fiber.

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Wi-Fi 6 / Wi-Fi 6th: What are the differences ? Should we invest ?

While Wi-Fi 6 begins to establish itself as the new standard, the 6th Wi-Fi is more and more talked about. What are the main differences between Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6th ? Should we equip yourself in Wi-Fi 6th ? We invite you to learn more in this file.

Wi-Fi 6 / Wi-Fi 6th

After Wi-Fi 4 and Wi-Fi 5, a new standard stands out for Wi-Fi 6. Also called 802.11AX, it offers theoretical flows from 600 to 9608 MB/s. In fact, it’s a little different. There are several criteria to be taken into consideration and in particular the number of antennas (Mimo, Mu-Mimo, etc.)). Here is a comparative table of the latest generations of Wi-Fi:

Generation

Frequency

Max flows

Year

Compared to previous generations, Wi-Fi 6 is an important evolution. First of all, there are of course the potentially faster connection speeds. Beyond speed, Wi-Fi 6 also decreases latency. However, these gains will depend on several criteria and parameters. The first is of course to have a compatible device. In recent months, we have noticed that more and more devices have been compatible: smartphone, laptop, network card, etc. Then, Wi-Fi 6 offers several options to improve its wireless connection:

• Ofdma(Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access) : Sharing a transmission in order to communicate with several devices simultaneously;
• Obbs (Overlapping Basic Service Sets) : network identification uniquely;
• Beamforming: transmission of a more localized data flow towards the device ..

The OFDMA and the Obbs will offer a better connection, even if the Wi-Fi environment is congested (building for example). Beamforming is not new, but Standard 802.11AX improved it.

In the absolute, the 6th wifi is not much faster … but it mainly brings a new frequency band 6 GHz. By default, the higher the strip, the more important the flow is. However, the higher the band and the lower the scope. Also, the higher the band, the less it passes through the walls. Yes, we are indeed telling you that the 2.4 GHz frequency band is better than 6 GHz to cross the walls of your home. The 2.4 GHz frequency is old and congested. The channels are narrow and numerous interference. The 5 GHz had to solve part of the problem, but it was widely democratized. Result: the 2 are congested. This is where the Wi-Fi 6th and its 6 GHz is in action.

Wi-Fi 6 / Wi-Fi 6th: which one to choose ?

You will understand, Wi-Fi 6 brings a real gain in terms of performance (speeds and latency). However, the latter is confined to frequencies 2.4 and 5 GHz already very congested. If you live in house, with neighbors at a distance, there is a good chance that you are quiet on the 5 GHz. The latter will be ideal for enjoying the best speeds and the 2.4 GHz will help you bring better coverage of your home (and cross the walls). Of course, for better performance, the implementation of a mesh network (MESH) will be an advantage. Today, Wi-Fi 6 is more and more present in our devices. Our smartphones have more and more often Wi-Fi 6. We notice the same thing for laptops and even for fixed PCs with PCIE cards at aggressive prices (or certain high -end motherboards). Regarding operators, Wi-Fi 6 is not new … But it has not really been generalized. Today, the majority of operators offer a Wi-Fi 6 box, but generally on the most expensive offer.

Wi-Fi 6th will offer a slight gain in speeds (upload/download), but above all the new 6 GHz frequency band will offer the advantage of being alone … for a while. Also, the 6th Wi-Fi compatible devices are rather rare. We must admit that this is a bit normal since the 6 GHz frequency has been open in France only since December 2021. There are of course some PCIe cards

Should we invest in a Wi-Fi 6 case (E) ?

Today, Wi-Fi 6 brings a substantial gain … it is a fact. Compatible devices are more and more numerous and the price of Wi-Fi 6 access points has dropped well in recent months. There are Wi-Fi 6 access points at less than 100 €. If you have the choice, take a router/access point with Wi-Fi 6 ! However, you will have to be careful when going to the checkout. Indeed, the number of antennas (and the number of flows managed) is an important criterion. If you take a Wi-Fi 6 router/access point with only 2 antennas, you may be disappointed … especially if you have many connected devices. In some cases, it is better a good Wi-Fi 5 router than a bad Wi-Fi 6 box.

Some examples of an efficient Wi-Fi 6 router:

• Netgear AX8 Nighthawk (up to 6.6 Gb/s)
• Netgear AX12 Nighthawk (up to 10.8 Gb/s)
• TP-Link Archer AX600 (up to 6 Gb/s)

If you have a large area to cover, we recommend that you watch the 6 mesh Wi-Fi packs:

• Netgear Orbi Pro WiFi 6 (pack of 2: up to 6 Gb/s)
• Netgear Orbi WiFi 6 Mesh Ultimate (pack of 2: up to 6 Gb/s)

Beyond the network part (which remains very important), it is also necessary to pay attention to the SOC (processor) on board and the possibilities offered by the routers: VLAN, aggregation, VPN, network protection, etc. You can imagine that a product at 50 € cannot offer the same capacities as a product at 300 €.

Wi-Fi access point (requires a router/box):

• UNIFI 6 long-strangled (up to 3 GB/S)
• Unifi 6 Lite (up to 1.5 Gb/s)

For Wi-Fi 6th, it’s more complicated. First of all, there is a question of cost. Indeed, compatible devices are still rare and relatively expensive for the moment. There are 6th Wi-Fi PCIE cards at less than 50 €. The gain is not huge and according to your configuration (house/apartment, thickness of the walls …), the gain obtained will not necessarily be substantial. However, if you have decided to change your installation and make a few investments, it is sure that it is better to foresee the future now. As we write these lines, only the livebox 6 is 6th Wi-Fi compatible (6 GHz).

Wi-Fi 6 (E) and Multi-Gig

Finally, it will not have escaped you that Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6e offers more efficient flows than the simple network socket 1 GB/S. With the arrival of Multi-Gig Ethernet (2.5 GB/S superior), one can wonder about this need for consistency. Indeed, the high -end operators’ boxes are increasingly offering Internet 2 GB/S connections (or more). NAS manufacturers have gone up a gear on their housing (even if Synology is dragging their feet on the models for individuals).

And you will go to Wi-Fi 6th ? What do you use for your Wi-Fi connection (router, AP, operator box) ?

What a difference between WiFi 6 and WiFi 6th

You can start familiar with WiFi 6 and consider replacing your old phone with the last WiFi 6. WiFi Alliance has announced a new WiFi standard, 6th WiFi in 2020. Depending on the terminology, WiFi 6e seems to be an incremental update of WiFi 6, but you are probably wondering how WiFi 6 and Wifi 6e differ from each other.

Wi-Fi technology 6

WiFi 6 is the new generation standard in WiFi technology designed in response to the growing number of devices around the world. If you have a VR device, several intelligent domestic devices or if you just have a large number of devices in your home, then a WiFi 6 router could be the best choice for you.

WiFi 6 uses both 1024-qam to provide a signal containing more data and a 160 MHz channel to provide a wider channel to make your wifi faster. This means that you can enjoy a virtual reality without stuttering or a 4K streaming and even 8K incredibly lively. Most importantly, technologies such as MU-MIMO and OFDMA generated from WiFi 6 offer a capacity up to 4 times higher and allow more devices to manage more devices. With WiFi 6, you can easily organize home holidays with a network designed to manage all your guests and their devices.

What is WiFi 6th and how does it differ from WiFi 6e ?

In fact, the 6th wifi is identical to WiFi 6 with an addition of “e”, which means “extended” – as in an extensive number of the usable wireless band, the 6 GHz band. In simple terms, WiFi 6e means WiFi 6 extended to the 6 GHz band.

6 GHz is the new frequency band ranging from 5.925 GHz to 7.125 GHz, allowing up to 1,200 MHz of additional spectrum. Unlike the existing bands on which the channels are currently piled up in the limited spectrum, the gang of 6 GHz exists without overlapping or interference. Access to the frequency of 6 GHz provides more bandwidth, faster speeds and lower latency, opening resources for future innovations such as AR/VR, 8K streaming, etc.

How does WiFi 6th make the difference ?

Unlike 2.4 GHz and 5 -GHz bands, the 6 GHz spectrum widely open is only occupied by effective WiFi 6 connections, eliminating frustrations currently caused by overpopulation on many WiFi networks. The channels of the new 6 GHz band would not overlap either, which would considerably reduce the congestion of the.

The 6e WiFi allows 7 additional 160 MHz channels that double the bandwidth and flow, allowing many more simultaneous transmissions to the highest possible speeds. This results in 8K films, AR/VR games and bulky file downloads, all without buffer.

The 6e WiFi offers up to 1,200 MHz of additional spectrum for 6 GHz WiFi, meeting the needs of a constantly increasing use of WiFi. The 1,2 GHz of the contiguous spectrum make more than double the number of routes currently available for the sending and reception of data, considerably increasing the capacity of the network while reducing congestion.

WiFi 6th: Free the full potential of WiFi 6

The opening of the 6 GHz band will change the situation for WiFi 6. WiFi 6 improves performance in terms of network efficiency and capacity. While the advantages of WiFi 6 are not fully used in competition with WiFi 5 transmission (or other radios). The 6 GHz band is available only for WiFi 6 traffic, allowing WiFi 6 to reach its planned potential.