WiFi 6: a smooth and fast wireless Internet connection

Ideal for browsing the Internet without consuming mobile data, WiFi is the main short-range wireless communication network. Created in 1999 by the Wi-Fi Alliance, in just over twenty years of existence there are more than 16.4 billion devices using this technology worldwide.

Today, a new technology, referred to as WiFi 6, is beginning to establish itself as the standard for wireless connections. Don’t panic if this term is foreign to you or if you are not aware of all the features of this latest update: we explain everything below.

What is a WiFi network?

To understand what WiFi 6 is, it is first necessary to know more about WiFi technology in general.

A WiFi network is a set of wireless communication protocols allowing to connect several devices (laptops or desktop computers, smartphones, printers, etc.) to the Internet. This technology uses radio waves to broadcast information over the Internet and link all compatible devices.

For example, when searching the Internet from a computer connected to the WiFi network, the computer’s wireless network adapter converts the data into a radio signal.

This signal is then transmitted, via a WiFi antenna, to the Internet modem, also known as an access point. The modem will then process the received radio signal to transform the information into data packets which will then be sent as requests over the Internet via the Ethernet connection. Once the modem receives the response to the submitted request, it will proceed in the reverse direction to transmit the requested data to the device that submitted the original request.

However, although WiFi waves can transmit data at an increasingly high speed, thanks to the evolution of standards, this connection method is still limited in terms of range, i.e. the coverage radius. This is one of the areas where the new WiFi 6 technology brings improvements.

WiFi 6, an innovative technology

WiFi 6 is the latest wireless network standard to be launched in 2019 and certified by WiFi-Alliance, the organisation responsible for setting the technical standards for WiFi technology.

First of all, WiFi 6 offers a considerable improvement in data flow rates and better performance than the previous version. Indeed, WiFi 5 offered a maximum bandwidth of 3.4 Gbit/s while WiFi 6 can, in theory, increase this bandwidth to more than 10 Gbit/s, which contributes to boost the average speed of connections.

In addition, the difference with the previous standard is also an improved signal range, as it optimises the use of the 2.4 GHz bandwidth. Conclusion: with WiFi 6, there is better WiFi coverage throughout the home.

This new generation standard also has an optimised management capacity for « shared » WiFi networks thanks to two associated technologies:

– OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access) which allows the WiFi channel to be split when communicating with multiple devices, thus avoiding band congestion.

– Mu-MIMO (Multi-User Multiple-Input Multiple-Output) ensures that all devices connected to the WiFi can communicate with the router simultaneously. In other words, WiFi 6 can handle a large number of simultaneously connected devices without slowing down performance.

What are the benefits of WiFi 6?

This new wireless networking technology brings many benefits to allow you to fully enjoy your Internet connection at home.

More efficient and faster

Thanks to a combination of innovative technologies, WiFi 6 is much more powerful. The speed is, in fact, 40% higher than the old standard. The data flow is even increased by a factor of four in high-density public places, where many devices are connected simultaneously, such as airports, stadiums or shopping centres.

More devices connected simultaneously

This technology is also beneficial for your family connection: it boosts the performance of your Internet connection, especially if you have many connected devices or if several people in the home share the same connection.

WiFi 6 is therefore synonymous with stability and speed, an advantage that will please gamers and fans of online series.

More environmentally friendly

Last but not least, WiFi 6 is also more environmentally friendly as it extends the battery life of connected devices. It may seem surprising, but this new standard has the specific feature of improving the autonomy of connected devices (smartphones, tablets, etc.) thanks to the Target Wake Time (TWT) function.

This means that this smart WiFi can tell your devices when to put their WiFi to standby to save battery power.

More safety

The 6th generation of WiFi uses the WPA3 security protocol to encrypt your wireless connection. Your data is thus secure. This protocol protects your network from external threats and makes data theft (i.e. of your passwords) almost impossible. You can browse with complete peace of mind.

Compatible connected devices

It is important to note that you must have a WiFi 6 compatible device to enjoy all the benefits of this new standard. This is not the case for all smartphones, computers and other connected objects. Usually, smartphones released from 2019 onwards are compatible.

But rest assured, if you have a WiFi 4 or WiFi 5 device, you benefit from the backwards compatibility of WiFi 6 which still guarantees data security and better battery management for your devices.

Enjoy WiFi 6 with Eltrona’s fibre offers

Eltrona is equipped with an ultra high-speed Internet network using WiFi 6 technology. All FRITZ!Box routers offered by Eltrona are perfectly networkable and compatible with WiFi 6.

Modems offered by Eltrona

FRITZ!Box 6660

FRITZ!Box 6690

A WiFi network adapted to your home

Pour vous aider à concevoir un réseau domestique de qualité, Eltrona a créé le Diagnostic WiFi at Home. Ce service vous fournit des conseils d’expert pour concevoir une infrastructure idéale, et ainsi profiter du signal WiFi 6 dans toute la maison afin de répondre parfaitement aux habitudes de chaque membre de votre foyer.

En associant une connexion Internet fibre Eltrona à très haut débit allant jusqu’à 1 Gbit/s à un routeur WiFi 6, vous vous assurez un Internet sans fil plus rapide et sécurisé qui préservera l’autonomie et la consommation d’énergie de vos appareils. Il ne vous reste plus qu’à choisir l’offre Eltrona qui correspond à vos besoins et toutes les conditions seront réunies pour vous permettre de bénéficier d’une connexion Internet ultra-performante.