4 Myths About Wi-Fi 6 and Why We must Switch to New Standards

Wi-Fi 6 is here, and devices supporting the new standard are starting to hit store shelves, both off- and online. Wi-Fi 6 promises to bring faster speeds and greater capacity… but there are some skeptics who believe that we aren’t quite ready for Wi-Fi 6 and that its benefits will only be appreciated later rather than sooner.

We disagree. Let's discuss many of the misconceptions about Wi-Fi 6 and why we believe now is a great time to make the switch and start your transition to using the new standard. But first, what exactly is Wi-Fi 6?

Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) is the latest wireless standard, designed to improve the current Wi-Fi standard, 802.11ac. Key benefits of Wi-Fi 6 over previous standards like Wi-Fi  5 (802.11ac) include 4x connected capacity, increased data throughput, and faster speeds, resulting in improved performance. This makes Wi-Fi 6 ideal for supporting smart homes with multiple connected devices, 4K & 8K streaming content, large file downloads & uploads, and gigabit internet speed tiers, giving you a more enjoyable Wi-Fi experience.

Now, let’s discuss some of the common myths that surround Wi-Fi 6:

Myth #1: There aren’t many Wi-Fi 6 devices on the market

Wi-Fi 6 enabled devices are readily available today from laptops on the market using Intel’s 10th-gen chips to the latest and greatest smartphones such as Samsung’s Galaxy S10 & Note 10, and Apple’s iPhone 11. With market movers such as Samsung, Apple, and Intel onboard with Wi-Fi 6, you can expect other industry leaders to recognize the benefits of the latest Wi-Fi technology and launch products with Wi-Fi 6.

Myth #2: Most devices will not work with Wi-Fi 6 routers

Wi-Fi 6 routers are 100% backwards compatible with Wi-Fi 5 and older Wi-Fi devices. While you may not get to experience Wi-Fi  6 from day one, you can make sure that your network is ready for new devices with Wi-Fi  6 sooner than later.

Myth #3: Wi-Fi 6 is blazing fast, but only if you have 50+ devices connected

Like-to-like, Wi-Fi 6 increases the speed for even one device by 40% as compared to Wi-Fi  5. If you get one of the newer laptops built-with Intel’s Gig+ technology, you can instantly double the speeds when matched with the right Wi-Fi 6 router.

Myth #4: There are no advantages of upgrading my router to Wi-Fi 6 right away

If your current router is fairly new, isn’t giving you any issues, and you are happy with it, then it’s certainly best to keep it for now and upgrade when the time is right. If you haven’t upgraded your router in a while, your Wi-Fi is slowing to a crawl, and you keep adding more connected devices, then you may consider a Wi-Fi 6 router to help future proof your home.

When it comes to Wi-Fi, NETGEAR has been an industry leader for over 20 years. The company provides the most innovative, reliable, and cutting-edge networking solutions possible. Being a leader, NETGEAR's suite of Wi-Fi 6 solutions gives access to the most advanced Wi-Fi and are best of routers available in the market.

Below are some added benefits of NETGEAR Nighthawk Wi-Fi 6 routers over an average router:

·         Wi-Fi 6 routers have a faster CPU, so you may see additional speed benefits if you’re on a Gigabit internet plan

·         Wi-Fi 6 provides the fastest real-world speeds and range (2.4 GHz or 5 GHz)

·         Wi-Fi 6 routers are ideal for 4K/8K UHD streaming

·         Wi-Fi 6 Brings Capacity Beyond Belief - It is faster than ever, and offers 4X increased capacity compared to a Wi-Fi 5.

·         Wi-Fi 6 offers upto 12 Wi-Fi streams means more available Wi-Fi bandwidth and less congestion for all the devices on the Wi-Fi network

·         Wi-Fi 6 Works with Existing Wi-Fi Devices - Supports all current Wi-Fi devices and is backward compatible with older devices.

·         Wi-Fi 6 offers a seamless and Consistent Mesh Wi-Fi Coverage- From front door to backyard and in every corner of your home. A dedicated quad-stream Wi-Fi 6 backhaul allows up to four data streams on each band.

·         Wi-Fi 6 provides the highest level of performance in busy multi-device households

Make your Wi-Fi feel young again! Here are some best-in-class NETGEAR Nighthawk suite of Wi-Fi  6 routers you should consider buying for your home or office for better and Faster Wi-Fi coverage - NETGEAR NIGHTHAWK AX4 Wi-Fi 6 Router, NETGEAR NIGHTHAWK TRI-BAND AX12 Wi-Fi 6 Router, NETGEAR ORBI RBK752 TRI-BAND Wi-Fi 6 MESH SYSTEM, NETGEAR ORBI RBK853 TRI-BAND Wi-Fi 6 MESH SYSTEM.