下一代无线标准即将到来，它被称为Wi-Fi 6。你听说过这个版本吗？想知道这个版本带来了哪些新功能吗？(Are)你应该是因为 Wi-Fi 6 承诺了一些以前从未见过的功能。
随着互联网用户的数量呈指数增长，对更快的互联网的需求很高。新一代的Wi-Fi就是为满足这一需求而构建的。您会惊讶地发现，Wi-Fi 6 除了速度提升之外还有很多功能。
什么是 WiFi 6 (802.11 ax)？
Wi-Fi 6有一个技术名称——802.11 ax。它是 802.11 ac 版本的后续版本。它只是您的常规 Wi-Fi，但可以更有效地连接到互联网。预计未来所有智能设备都将兼容Wi-Fi 6。
词源(The etymology)
您可能想知道这个版本是否称为 Wi-Fi 6，以前的版本是什么？他们也有名字吗？以前的版本也有名称，但它们对用户不友好。因此(Therefore)，许多人不知道这些名字。然而，在最新版本中，Wi-Fi联盟(Alliance)已经开始提供一个简单的用户友好名称。
注意：各个版本的传统名称如下：802.11n (2009)、802.11ac (2014) 和 802.11ax（即将推出）。现在，每个版本分别使用以下版本名称 - Wi-Fi 4、Wi-Fi 5 和 Wi-Fi 6(Wi-Fi 4, Wi-Fi 5, and Wi-Fi 6)。
Wi-Fi 6 在这里吗？可以开始使用了吗？(Is Wi-Fi 6 here? Can you start using it?)
要充分利用Wi-Fi 6的优势，必须拥有Wi-Fi 6路由器和兼容Wi-Fi 6 的设备。(Wi-Fi 6)思科(Cisco)、华硕(Asus)和TP-Link等品牌已经开始推出Wi-Fi 6路由器。然而，Wi-Fi 6兼容设备尚未在主流市场发布。Samsun Galaxy S10和最新版本的iPhone兼容Wi-Fi 6。预计笔记本电脑和其他智能设备也将很快兼容Wi-Fi 6 。如果您只购买Wi-Fi 6路由器，您仍然可以将其连接到旧设备。但是您不会观察到任何显着变化。
购买 Wi-Fi 6 设备(Purchasing a Wi-Fi 6 device)
在 Wi-Fi联盟(Alliance)启动其认证流程后，您将开始在兼容 Wi-Fi 6 的新设备上看到“Wi-Fi 6 认证”标志。直到今天，我们的设备只有一个“Wi-Fi 认证”标志。必须在规范中寻找版本号。将来，在为您的 Wi-Fi 6 路由器购买设备时，请始终注意“Wi-Fi 6 认证”标志。
到目前为止，对于您的任何设备，这都不是改变游戏规则的更新。因此，最好不要仅仅为了让它们与 Wi-Fi 6 路由器兼容而开始购买新设备。在接下来的日子里，当您开始更换旧设备时，您将开始携带经过 Wi-Fi 6 认证的设备。因此，急于开始更换旧设备是不值得的。
推荐：(Recommended:) 什么是路由器，它是如何工作的？(What is a Router and How does it work?)
但是，您现在可以购买的一件事是Wi-Fi 6路由器。您目前可以看到的一个好处是，如果您可以将更多设备（Wi-Fi 5）连接到新路由器。要获得所有其他好处，请等待兼容Wi-Fi 6 的(Wi-Fi 6)设备进入市场。
Wi-Fi 6 的吸引人之处(Attractive features of Wi-Fi 6 )
如果顶级公司已经发布了兼容Wi-Fi 6的手机，估计其他公司也会效仿，那肯定有很多好处。在这里，我们将看到最新版本的新功能是什么。
1. 更多带宽(1. More bandwidth)
Wi-Fi 6 拥有更宽的通道。80 MHz的Wi-Fi频段翻倍至 160 MHz。这使路由器(router)和您的设备之间的连接速度更快。使用Wi-Fi 6，用户可以轻松下载/上传大文件，舒适地观看8k电影。家中所有智能设备运行流畅，无缓冲。
2. 能源效率(2. Energy efficiency)
目标唤醒时间(Target Wake Time)功能使系统节能。设备可以协商它们保持清醒的时间以及何时发送/接收数据。当您增加设备睡眠时间时，物联网设备(IoT devices)和其他低功耗设备的电池寿命会大大提高。
3.不再与附近其他路由器发生冲突(3. No more conflicts with other routers nearby)
您的无线信号受到附近其他网络的干扰。Wi-Fi 6 的基站服务站(Base Service Station)( BSS ) 是彩色的。帧被标记，以便路由器忽略相邻网络。通过颜色，我们指的是分配给接入点的 0 到 7 之间的值。
4.在人多的地方表现稳定(4. Stable performance in crowded areas)
当我们尝试在拥挤的地方访问Wi-Fi时，我们都经历过速度递减的情况。是时候和这个问题说再见了！Wi-Fi 6中的8X8 MU-MIMO支持上传和下载。在之前的版本之前，MU-MIMO只能用于下载。现在，用户可以从超过 8 个流中进行选择。因此，即使多个用户同时访问路由器，带宽质量也不会明显下降。您可以流式传输、下载甚至玩多人在线游戏，而不会遇到任何问题。
系统如何处理拥塞？(How does the system handle congestion?)
这里我们需要了解一种叫做OFDMA的技术——正交频分多址(OFDMA – Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access)。通过这种方式，Wi-Fi 接入点可以同时与多个设备通话。Wi-Fi 信道分为若干子信道。也就是说，信道被分成更小的频率位置。这些小通道中的每一个都称为资源单元 (RU)(resource unit (RU))。用于各种设备的数据由子信道承载。(Data)OFDMA试图消除延迟问题，这在当今的Wi-Fi场景中很常见。
OFDMA工作灵活。假设有 2 台设备 - 一台 PC 和一部手机连接到该频道。路由器既可以为这些设备分配 2 个不同的资源单元，也可以将每个设备所需的数据分配给多个资源单元。
BSS着色工作的机制称为空间频率重用。这也有助于解决由于多个设备同时连接而导致的拥塞。
为什么有这个功能？(Why this feature?)
Wi-Fi 5 发布时，美国家庭平均拥有大约 5台 Wi-Fi(Wi-Fi)设备。如今，它已增加到近 9 台设备。估计这个数字只会上升。因此，很明显，越来越需要容纳大量的Wi-Fi设备。否则，路由器将无法承担负载。它会很快减速。
请记住，如果您将单个Wi-Fi 6设备连接到Wi-Fi 6路由器，您可能不会注意到速度有任何变化。Wi-Fi 6的主要目标是同时为多个设备提供稳定的连接。
5. 更好的安全性(5. Better security)
我们都清楚WPA3是这十年中的一次重大更新。使用WPA3，黑客很难连续猜测密码。即使他们成功破解了密码，他们得到的信息也可能没有多大用处。截至目前，WPA3在所有 Wi-Fi 设备中都是可选的。但是对于Wi-Fi 6设备来说，WPA 3是必须的，才能获得 Wi-Fi联盟(Alliance)认证。一旦认证计划启动，预计将引入更严格的安全措施。因此，升级到Wi-Fi 6也意味着，您拥有更好的安全性。
另请阅读：(Also Read:) 如何找到我的路由器的 IP 地址？(How to Find My Router’s IP Address?)
6. 减少延迟(6. Reduced latency)
延迟是指数据传输的延迟。虽然延迟本身就是一个问题，但它也会导致其他问题，例如频繁断开连接和更长的加载时间。Wi-Fi 6 比以前的版本更有效地将数据打包成信号。因此，延迟降低了。
7.更快的速度(7. Greater speed )
传输数据的符号称为正交频分复用 ( OFDM )。数据(Data)在子载波之间划分，因此速度更快（快 11%）。因此，覆盖范围也扩大了。由于覆盖范围广，您家中的所有设备，无论放置在何处，都将接收到强信号。
波束成形(Beamforming)
波束成形(Beamforming)是一个过程，如果路由器发现设备面临问题，则将信号集中在特定设备上。虽然所有路由器都执行波束成形，但 Wi-Fi 6 路由器具有更大范围的波束成形。由于这种增强的功能，您家中几乎不会有任何死区。再加上ODFM，您可以在家中的任何地方连接到路由器。
Wi-Fi 6 有多快？(How fast is Wi-Fi 6?)
Wi-Fi 5 的速度为 3.5 Gbps。Wi-Fi 6 提升了几个档次——预期的理论速度为 9.6 Gbps。众所周知，实际使用中达不到理论速度。通常，下载速度为 72 Mbps/ 1最大理论速度的 1%。由于 9.6 Gbps可以在一组联网设备上拆分，每个联网设备的潜在速度都会提高。
关于速度要记住的另一件事是它还取决于其他因素。在有大量设备网络的环境中，可以很容易地观察到速度的变化。在您家的范围内，使用很少的设备，很难注意到差异。Internet 服务提供商(Internet Service Provider)( ISP ) 的速度限制了路由器以最佳速度运行。如果您的速度因您的ISP而变慢，则 Wi-Fi 6 路由器无法解决此问题。
概括(Summary)
- Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) 是下一代无线连接。
- 它为用户提供了很多好处——更宽的通道、支持同时稳定连接多个设备的能力、高速、低功耗设备的更长电池寿命、增强的安全性、低延迟以及不干扰附近网络
- OFDMA和MU-MIMO是 Wi-Fi 6 中使用的两种主要技术。
- 要体验所有好处，用户必须同时拥有 Wi-Fi 6 路由器和 Wi-Fi 6 兼容设备。目前，三星 Galaxy S10(Samsung Galaxy S10)和最新版本的 iPhone 是唯一支持 Wi-Fi 6 的设备。思科(Cisco)、华硕(Asus)、TP-Link和其他一些公司已经发布了 Wi-Fi 6 路由器。
- 仅当您拥有庞大的设备网络时，诸如更改速度之类的好处才显而易见。设备数量少，很难观察到变化。
What is Wi-Fi 6 (802.11 ax)? And how fast it really is?
The next generatіon of wireless standards is almost here, and it іs called Wi-Fi 6. Have уou heard anything about this version? Are you excited to know what new features this version brings? You should be because Wi-Fi 6 promises some never seen beforе featureѕ.
As the number of internet users increases exponentially, there is a high demand for faster internet. The new generation of Wi-Fi is built to cater to this. You will be surprised to know that Wi-Fi 6 has plenty of features other than speed boost.
What is WiFi 6 (802.11 ax)?
Wi-Fi 6 has a technical name – 802.11 ax. It is the successor of version 802.11 ac. It is just your regular Wi-Fi but connects more efficiently to the internet. It is expected that in the future, all smart devices will come with Wi-Fi 6 compatibility.
The etymology
You may wonder if this version is called Wi-Fi 6, what were the previous versions? Were there names for them as well? The previous versions have names too, but they were not user friendly. Therefore, many people were not aware of the names. With the latest version, however, the Wi-Fi Alliance has moved to give a simple user-friendly name.
Note: The traditional names given to the various versions were as follows – 802.11n (2009), 802.11ac (2014), and 802.11ax (upcoming). Now, the following version names are used for each version respectively – Wi-Fi 4, Wi-Fi 5, and Wi-Fi 6.
Is Wi-Fi 6 here? Can you start using it?
To reap the benefits of Wi-Fi 6 to the fullest, one must have a Wi-Fi 6 router and Wi-Fi 6 compatible devices. Brands such as Cisco, Asus, and TP-Link have already started rolling out Wi-Fi 6 routers. However, Wi-Fi 6 compatible devices are yet to be released in the mainstream market. The Samsun Galaxy S10 and the latest versions of the iPhone are Wi-Fi 6 compatible. It is expected that laptops and other smart devices will soon be Wi-Fi 6 compatible too. If you only purchase a Wi-Fi 6 router, you can still connect it to your old devices. But you will not observe any significant change.
Purchasing a Wi-Fi 6 device
After the Wi-Fi Alliance launches its certification process, you will start seeing the ‘Wi-Fi 6 certified’ logo on new devices that are Wi-Fi 6 compatible. Up until today, our devices only had a ‘Wi-Fi Certified’ logo. One had to scout for the version number in the specifications. In the future, always look for the ‘Wi-Fi 6 certified’ logo while buying devices for your Wi-Fi 6 router.
As of now, this is not a game-changing update for any of your devices. Therefore, it is better not to start buying new devices just to make them compatible with a Wi-Fi 6 router. In the coming days, when you start replacing your old devices, you will start bringing Wi-Fi 6 certified devices. So, it is not worth it, to rush up and start replacing your old devices.
Recommended: What is a Router and How does it work?
However, one thing you can buy right now is a Wi-Fi 6 router. One benefit that you can see currently is that if you can connect a greater number of devices (Wi-Fi 5) to your new router. To reap all other benefits, wait for Wi-Fi 6 compatible devices to make their way into the market.
Attractive features of Wi-Fi 6
If top companies have already releasedWi-Fi 6 compatible phones and it is estimated that other companies will follow suit, there has to be a good number of benefits. Here, we shall see what the new features of the latest version are.
1. More bandwidth
Wi-Fi 6 has a wider channel. The Wi-Fi band which was 80 MHz is doubled to 160 MHz. This enables faster connections between the router and your device. With Wi-Fi 6, the user can easily download/upload large files, comfortably watch 8k movies. All the smart devices in the home run smoothly without buffering.
2. Energy efficiency
The Target Wake Time feature makes the system energy efficient. Devices can negotiate for how long they stay awake and when to send/receive data. The battery life of IoT devices and other low-power devices is improved to a great extent when you increase device sleep time.
3. No more conflicts with other routers nearby
Your wireless signal suffers due to interference from other networks nearby. Wi-Fi 6’s Base Service Station (BSS) is colored. Frames are marked so that the router ignores neighboring networks. By color, we are referring to a value between 0 to 7 that is assigned to the access points.
4. Stable performance in crowded areas
We have all experienced the diminishing speed when we try to access Wi-Fi in crowded places. Its time to say goodbye to this issue! The 8X8 MU-MIMO in Wi-Fi 6 works with uploads and downloads. Until the previous version, the MU-MIMO worked only with downloads. Now, users can choose from more than 8 streams. Therefore, even if several users access the router simultaneously, there is no significant drop in bandwidth quality. You can stream, download, and even play multi-player online games without facing any issues.
How does the system handle congestion?
Here we need to know about a technology called OFDMA – Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access. Through this, the Wi-Fi access point can talk with multiple devices simultaneously. The Wi-Fi channel is divided into several subchannels. That is, the channel is split into smaller frequency locations. Each of these small channels is called a resource unit (RU). Data intended for various devices are carried by the subchannels. OFDMA attempts to eliminate the problem of latency, which is common in today’s Wi-Fi scenario.
OFDMA works flexibly. Let us say there are 2 devices – a PC and a phone connecting to the channel. The router can either allocate 2 different resource units to these devices or divide the data required by each device between multiple resource units.
The mechanism by which the BSS coloring works is called spatial frequency reuse. This also helps in resolving congestion due to multiple devices connecting at the same time.
Why this feature?
When Wi-Fi 5 was released, the average US household had about 5 Wi-Fi devices. Today, it has increased to almost 9 devices. It is estimated that the number is only going to rise. So, it is clear that there is a growing need to accommodate a large number of Wi-Fi devices. Otherwise, the router will not be able to take the load. It will slow down quickly.
Keep in mind that, if you connect a single Wi-Fi 6 device to a Wi-Fi 6 router, you may not notice any change in speed. The main objective of Wi-Fi 6 is to provide a stable connection to multiple devices simultaneously.
5. Better security
We all are well aware that WPA3 was a huge update in this decade. With WPA3, hackers have a hard time continuously guessing the passwords. Even if they succeed in cracking the password, the information they get may not be of much use. As of now, WPA3 is optional in all Wi-Fi devices. But for a Wi-Fi 6 device, WPA 3 is a must, to obtain a Wi-Fi Alliance certification. Once the certification program is launched, it is expected that stricter security measures will be introduced. Therefore, upgrading to Wi-Fi 6 also means, you have better security.
Also Read: How to Find My Router’s IP Address?
6. Reduced latency
Latency refers to the delay in data transmission. While latency is an issue in itself, it also causes other problems such as frequent disconnection and greater load time. Wi-Fi 6 packages data into a signal more efficiently than the previous version. Thus, the latency is brought down.
7. Greater speed
The symbol that transmits data is knowns as orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM). Data is divided among sub-carriers so that there is greater speed (it is 11% faster). Due to this, the coverage also widens. All the devices in your home, irrespective of where they are placed will receive strong signals due to the wide coverage area.
Beamforming
Beamforming is a process wherein the router focuses signals on a particular device if it finds that the device is facing issues. While all routers perform beamforming, a Wi-Fi 6 router has a greater range of beamforming. Due to this enhanced capability, there will hardly be any dead zones in your home. This coupled with ODFM makes it possible for you to connect to the router from anywhere in your house.
How fast is Wi-Fi 6?
Wi-Fi 5 had a speed of 3.5 Gbps. Wi-Fi 6 takes it up a few notches – the expected theoretical speed sits at 9.6 Gbps. It is common knowledge that theoretical speeds are not reached in practical use. Typically, the download speed is 72 Mbps/ 1% of the maximum theoretical speed. Since 9.6 Gbps can be split up across a set of networked devices, the potential speed for each connected device rises.
One more thing to remember regarding the speed is that it depends on other factors as well. In an environment where there is a massive network of devices, the change in speed can be observed easily. Within the confines of your home, with few devices, it will be hard to notice the difference. The speed from your Internet Service Provider (ISP) limits the router from functioning at its best speed. If your speed is slow because of your ISP, a Wi-Fi 6 router cannot fix that.
Summary
- Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) is the next generation of wireless connections.
- It provides plenty of benefits to the user – wider channel, the capability to support stable connection to multiple devices simultaneously, high speed, longer battery life for low-power devices, enhanced security, low latency, and no interference with nearby networks
- OFDMA and MU-MIMO are the two main technologies used in Wi-Fi 6.
- To experience all the benefits, the user must have both – a Wi-Fi 6 router and Wi-Fi 6 compatible devices. Currently, Samsung Galaxy S10 and the latest versions of the iPhone are the only devices with support for Wi-Fi 6. Cisco, Asus, TP-Link, and a few other companies have released Wi-Fi 6 routers.
- Benefits such as change are speed is noticeable only if you have a huge network of devices. With a small number of devices, it is hard to observe the change.
