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Most current devices and routers run Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac). The Wi-Fi Alliance has now decided to rename it. The next generation of wireless technology was previously known as Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax). The main objective of this renaming is to make the standard easier to and understand and remember. Wi-Fi basically offers faster wireless speeds. It was designed to deliver a much better Wi-Fi performance in a messy environment of devices. The Wi-Fi Alliance is a non-profit overseer of the Wi-Fi world and they will roll out Wi-Fi 6 during last quarter of 2019.
It is noteworthy that a certification program was announced in January. The program was held to ensure that Wi-Fi 6 labeled devices meet the appropriate specified standards. This certification program is expected to begin in the 3rd quarter of 2019. There are already Wi-Fi 6 routers in the market and most of them still labeled 802.11ax. Some of these routers support Wi-Fi 6 including TP-Link’s Archer AX6000, Netgear Nighthawk AX4 and AX8, and the Asus RT-AX88U. These early devices are based on the draft standard of Wi-Fi 6. It means these devices may miss out on some features that fully certified Wi-Fi 6 devices are required to carry.
You can expect an increase in both supporting routers and client hardware after the official launch of Wi-Fi 6. All of those devices will be certified to the entirely finalized Wi-Fi 6 standard. The new standard will operate over 2.4GHz and 5GHz with more frequency bands in the future. It will be faster than its predecessor as Wi-Fi 5 has the only 5GHz. Wi-Fi 6 boosts peak speeds by 37% compared to Wi-Fi 5 in theoretical terms using a single device. The prices of the above-mentioned routers would provide an idea for your new Wi-Fi 6 device. The Archer AX6000 Wi-Fi 6 router of TP-Link is currently available at $350. The RT-AX88U of Asus at $325, Nighthawk AX8 of Netgear at $300, and AX4 is available at $200.
