What You Need to Know About Wi-Fi 6

Enter the Next Generation of Wireless Internet
Wi-Fi 6, also known as 802.11ax, is “the latest step in a nonstop journey of innovation.”1 It builds on the strengths of the preceding Wi-Fi 5 to improve efficiency, flexibility, and scalability. Thanks to its radical improvements upon previous Wi-Fi iterations, we can expect to see Wi-Fi 6 rapidly become the standard across all types of internet devices – from computers to mobile devices to game systems and more.

As many would expect, Wi-Fi 6 enables internet-based machines to move in an expansive direction – enabling greater capacity for more and faster devices, denser internet environments, and a fluid network connection. “It will also provide a more predictable performance for advanced applications such as 4K or 8K video, high-density high-definition collaboration apps, all-wireless offices, and the Internet of Things (IoT).”¹

Wi-Fi 6 and 5G are built from the same foundation with a shared vision for the future of internet technology – to support the constantly developing applications, use cases, and scale of IoT. Both support higher data rates, increased network capacity, and the ability to connect more users and devices simultaneously. Hand in hand, these emerging technologies will create exciting opportunities in manufacturing, education, healthcare, energy, virtual and augmented reality, and much more!

Faster and More Efficient
Wi-Fi 6 is simply faster than its predecessors. With both higher data rates and peak gigabit speeds, Wi-Fi 6 eclipses the theoretical max speed of Wi-Fi 5 at 9.6 Gbps, as compared to Wi-Fi 5’s 3.5 Gbps.² Keep in mind that these theoretical maximums are rarely ever achieved on a singular device – but rather serves to represent capacity for faster speeds across multiple devices.

A single device is estimated to achieve up to 40% faster data transfer on Wi-Fi 6, as compared to Wi-Fi 5. Additionally, Wi-Fi 6 enables lower battery consumption in devices which are Wi-Fi 6 network compatible. Not only is low battery consumption useful to the average user but may also be a critical factor in developing IoT and moving in the direction of a more convenient and interconnected world.

Designed as a Future-Proof Upgrade
At the onset of Wi-Fi 5 in 2014, the average US household had five Wi-Fi devices on it. Now with Wi-Fi 6, the average home has upwards of ten, and is expected to quickly exceed fifty Wi-Fi devices per household in the years to come.

Simultaneously connecting tons of devices has a huge impact on network efficiency and Wi-Fi 5 struggles to communicate with too many moving pieces at once. Wi-Fi 6 remedies this by introducing some new technologies which enable effective communication with many more devices. Thanks to the improved medium access control (MAC) control signaling, Wi-Fi 6 has greater capacity, reduced latency, and can more effectively support many devices at once.³

Where to Begin Using Wi-Fi 6
In order to use Wi-Fi 6, you will need access to both a Wi-Fi 6 router and a device which supports it. There are not yet many routers which support Wi-Fi 6, but many are currently in development. OPPO released our 5G and Wi-Fi 6-compatible CPE Omni just this year. With OPPO 5G CPE Omni, you can insert a 5G SIM card to convert 5G signals into incredibly potent Wi-Fi 6 signals. It provides a stable high-speed network for your home or office and also supports BLE and ZigBee, which enables you to connect and control all wireless devices from one mainframe.

Which devices might benefit from such a robust 5G + Wi-Fi 6 network? Your OPPO Find X2 phone certainly does! OPPO Find X2 and Find X2 Pro support Wi-Fi 6 and adopts dual-antenna and dual-frequency Wi-Fi, which gives you network connection priority under many circumstances. Having the adaptability to switch between multiple network frequencies enables the user to avoid network congestion while multiple users are simultaneously connected.

Wi-Fi 6 is rapidly becoming the network standard and brings many exciting new internet technology developments alongside it. If you want to learn more – follow OPPO and our mission to create a brighter, more interconnected future – follow us on our social media channels below!

¹“What Is Wi-Fi 6? - Next-Generation Wi-Fi.” Cisco, Cisco, 8 Apr. 2020, www.cisco.com/c/en_hk/products/wireless/what-is-wi-fi-6.html?POSITION=SEM.
²Kastrenakes, Jacob. “Wi-Fi 6: Is It Really That Much Faster?” The Verge, The Verge, 21 Feb. 2019, www.theverge.com/2019/2/21/18232026/wi-fi-6-speed-explained-router-wifi-how-does-work.
³Charles, Daniel. “The Benefits of Wi-Fi 6 – and What You'll Need to Support It.” Belden, 30 Apr. 2020, www.belden.com/blog/smart-building/the-benefits-of-wi-fi-6-and-what-youll-need-to-support-it.