Wi-Fi 6 supports new applications on existing Wireless LAN (WLAN) infrastructure. From a connectivity perspective, Wi-Fi 6 offers the best online experience yet. Previously, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) referred to the latest generation Wi-Fi standard as 802.11ax. Wi-Fi 6 is part of a revised naming scheme developed by the Wi-Fi Alliance to make it simpler for consumers to recognize which of the IEEE 802.11 standards each Wi-Fi device supports. The new naming system identifies Wi-Fi generations by a numerical sequence which correspond to major advancements in Wi-Fi. That means 802.11ax is Wi-Fi 6, 802.11ac is now Wi-Fi 5, and 802.11n is Wi-Fi 4.
Wi-Fi devices may also depend on a user interface icon to display a Wi-Fi signal indicator and a numerical representation of the connection. When a device displays a signal indicator icon accompanied by the number 6, indicating a Wi-Fi 6 connection, users will know that the device is using the latest version of Wi-Fi.
Wi-Fi 6 brings multi-gigabit speeds four times as fast as previous versions, and performs well in dense environments including stadiums, concert halls and other public venues. Top improvements include:
Wi-Fi 6 is on a faster rollout out than 5G with migration taking place in phases. Samsung has introduced its new Galaxy S10 series, the world’s first smartphone platform operating on the Wi-Fi 6 standard. Also, vendors like ASUS, Cisco, D-Link, Huawei, Netgear and TP-Link already have Wi-Fi 6 access point merchandise available, showing strong market potential.
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