Wi-Fi 6 brought with it several new features to increase wireless performance compared with Wi-Fi 5. Those include orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing access, which enables routers and devices to use bandwidth more efficiently; target wait time, which reduces power consumption and saves device battery life; and increased speed and range.
As wireless vendor Netgear notes in a post on its site, Wi-Fi 6E builds on these features and includes support for up to 14 80MHz channels or seven 160 MHz channels. More available channels mean more available spectrum for Wi-Fi service “and less overlap between networks in crowded areas like apartment complexes or offices”.
Another technical difference between Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E is that 6E does not require dynamic frequency selection channels. “Unlike 160MHz channels in the 5GHz wireless band, devices operating in 6GHz don’t share the spectrum with radar devices or TV stations,” according to Netgear. “As a result, people who cannot take advantage of 160MHz channels because they live near places like airports or TV stations can benefit from vacant 160MHz channels.”
Wi-Fi 6E also has mandatory Wi-Fi Protected Access 3 security controls, which is the highest Wi-Fi Alliance security certification. “WPA3 provides the latest in security and authentication protocols. As a result, 6GHz Wi-Fi traffic is more secure than ever, and 6GHz networks are more difficult to hack,” Neatgear states.
