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Upgrading to 802.11ax vs 802.11ac Which Wi-Fi Standard is Better

September 15, 2021

Upgrading to 802.11ax vs 802.11ac Which Wi-Fi Standard is Better

Are you tired of the snail-paced internet speeds? Are you looking for an upgrade, but unsure of which Wi-Fi standard to choose from? Look no further! Our team at Flare Compare has conducted a thorough comparison between the two most popular Wi-Fi standards - 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) and 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5).

Speed and Range

It's no secret that we all want faster Wi-Fi. The latest and greatest 802.11ax standard promises to deliver just that. Wi-Fi 6 boasts speeds of up to 9.6 Gbps, which is more than double that of the Wi-Fi 5 standard. However, it's important to note that this speed is theoretical and in real-world scenarios, you're unlikely to achieve such high speeds.

Most importantly, Wi-Fi 6 can handle more connected devices at once. That means no more slow-downs, even if your whole family wants to connect their devices at the same time.

As for range, both standards have similar coverage areas in terms of distance, but Wi-Fi 6 is better at penetrating through walls and other physical barriers.

Efficiency and Battery Life

802.11ax has introduced a few advancements that make it more efficient than Wi-Fi 5. It uses OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access) to divide channels into smaller sub-channels, allowing for better management of multiple devices. Additionally, it uses MU-MIMO (Multi-User Multiple Input Multiple Output), which allows for simultaneous data transmission to multiple devices, making sure everyone is getting equal access.

All these features add up to a more efficient Wi-Fi experience, resulting in improved battery life for your devices.

Cost

As with most new technology, Wi-Fi 6 comes at a premium. The demanding hardware requirements of Wi-Fi 6 mean that routers and other devices can cost more than their Wi-Fi 5 counterparts. That being said, the cost of Wi-Fi 6 hardware is dropping each day, and soon it will be the new standard.

Conclusion

There's no right or wrong choice between 802.11ax and 802.11ac. Both standards offer significant improvements over their predecessors, but Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) is the clear winner in terms of speed, efficiency, and future proofing your wireless network. If you're in the market for a new router, we suggest you opt for a Wi-Fi 6 router when possible.

Thanks for reading! If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact us.

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