Summary
- Upgrade to Wi-Fi 6 for better handling of congestion in crowded areas, offering faster speeds and better performance overall.
- Check your internet speed needs - Wi-Fi 6 routers can provide faster performance for gigabit speeds compared to Wi-Fi 5 models.
- Ensure Wi-Fi security - opt for routers with WPA-3 security for better protection, and choose a router with ongoing software updates.
The upgrade to Wi-Fi 6 is about more than just speed. It incorporates technology that’s better at handling congestion and multiple devices at once. For many people, 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) routers deliver more than enough speed to browse, stream, and download in ideal conditions. However, they struggle in areas with a lot of congestion, like apartment buildings. That being said, not all Wi-Fi 5 routers are created equal with some of the later models integrating some of the tech often associated with Wi-Fi 6, like 160MHz support.
Avoid congestion
While some of these features made it into high-end Wi-Fi 5 routers, Wi-Fi 6 routers generally bring technology which enables them to work around congestion. You can get congestion from a few different sources, but if you live in an apartment building or otherwise close to your neighbors, their routers could be the biggest source.
Even though there are multiple Wi-Fi channels available, newer and faster routers take up more of them than older tech so for the most part, at 5GHz, you’re using either 5.2GHz or 5.8GHz. With neighbors around, it’s not uncommon to see multiple routers using the same spectrum for their connections, which can lead to lower speeds for everyone.
Tech like OFDMA and 1024-QAM can help your connection work around this interference to keep your speeds high. A lot of mid-range Wi-Fi 6 routers also adopted 160MHz support at 5GHz which can give you some extra headroom to obtain the most speed possible from your connection. For example, a common 80MHz Wi-Fi 6 connection offers up to 1201Mbps, while 160MHz takes that up to 2402Mbps in a router like the Asus RT-AX57. While you’ll likely never see that full speed on either connection, having the extra capacity can get you a lot closer to gigabit speeds in a congested area.
Wi-Fi 6E can help you dodge congestion in another way by using the much more vacant 6GHz frequency. At 6GHz, there are multiple 160MHz channels available, so even in a congested area, there’s a good chance you can find an empty 6GHz channel. That being said, only Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7 devices will be able to use this 6GHz space, which many people don’t have yet.
How fast is your internet?
When it comes to internet speed, most people will be totally happy with around 100Mbps for browsing, streaming, and even downloading. If you’ve got a large family, or just download a lot of large files like video games, you might want a faster internet connection, such as 1Gbps. Getting gigabit speeds over Wi-Fi can be tough, especially on older Wi-Fi 5 routers where the most common connections top out at 867Mbps. A handful of Wi-Fi 5 routers do offer plenty of speed for this, with 3x3 MIMO and 4x4MIMO connections offering 1300Mbps and 1733Mbps respectively, but you would need a high-end client to access these speeds.
Most Wi-Fi 6 clients, for example, support 1201Mbps at minimum. If you’re looking to get as much of your gigabit connection over Wi-Fi as possible, upgrading to a Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 6E router with 160MHz support for 2402Mbps gives you enough headroom to achieve those speeds.
Keep your Wi-Fi secure
While Wi-Fi has continued to get more secure through the years, it’s still not perfect, so you’ll want a router with WPA-2 at minimum these days. WPA-2 is fairly common in Wi-Fi 5 routers, but some older routers lack the tech. The older your Wi-Fi security protocol, the easier it is for a bad actor to get access to your network by monitoring your wireless signal to gain access. WPA-3 in newer Wi-Fi 6 routers is much more secure and would be an immediate improvement to your home network security.
Another security concern is your router’s software. Over time, security flaws can be discovered in routers, and it’s up to the manufacturer to release updates to combat them. Unfortunately, however, this support doesn’t go on forever and there’s a good chance your Wi-Fi 5 router isn’t getting updates anymore; whereas a newer Wi-Fi 6 router, especially one from a reputable brand, is still getting regular updates.
How to pick your next router
Routers aren’t a one-size-fits-all solution, so you want to make sure you’re getting one with enough power for your needs. If you’ve only got a couple of people in the house, a budget router could be all you need with AX1800 or AX3000 speeds. If you’ve got a lot of people in the house, a faster AX5400 or faster router will be able to keep up with multiple connections better. If you have a large home with extenders, it’s a good time to consider upgrading to a mesh system for a more consistent experience.
You’ll also want to make sure you're configuring your new router properly to get the most speed out of it by enabling options like OFDMA and 160MHz, which are sometimes off by default to maximize compatibility.
