What’s with all the buzz around Wi-Fi 6E? – Cisco Blogs

If you’re reading this post, chances are you’ve heard about Wi-Fi 6E and the promises the technology holds. I’m here to tell you the promises are real and as Wi-Fi 6E devices come to market, you’ll be able to take advantage of the benefits Wi-Fi 6E has to offer. However, depending on where you are in the world, you may have a bit of delay as it isn’t available everywhere, yet.

Wi-Fi 6E has a lot of the same features and benefits as Wi-Fi 6 but the biggest difference is the newly added 6 GHz band. This now gives us unlicensed Wi-Fi spectrum across the 2.4, 5, and 6 GHz bands; tri-band as its called. Think of 2.4 GHz as your city streets, 5 GHz as your local highway, and 6 GHz as the Autobahn. The 2.4 GHz band is great if you’re not in a hurry, but like city streets it has lots of stops, traffic, and collisions. The 5 GHz band, like a highway, gets you much better speed and latency characteristics but still has a fair amount of traffic and collisions, especially during busy times.

Now, let’s talk about the 6 GHz band and its ability to deliver Autobahn-like speeds (I know its not the perfect analogy but just roll with it). With 6 GHz, you get lightning-fast speeds, less traffic, better reliability, stronger security with WPA3, and ultra-low latency, with virtually no jitter. And because of the band’s size, it can handle many more simultaneous devices with fewer collisions while supporting bandwidth-intensive, low-latency applications such as Webex and Facetime.

As you can see all bands have their unique benefits and we will continue to have a need for the entire unlicensed Wi-Fi spectrum to support different users, applications, and places.

Fun fact: even when combined, the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands carry less total spectrum and channels than the 6 GHz band.

What will Wi-Fi 6E be used for?

We’ll see Wi-Fi 6E being used for a number of tasks. Where it really shines is in its promise of super-fast wireless for:

4k and 8k video conferencing

Imagine ultra-high-definition video conferencing without lag; seeing your customers, partners, and colleagues as they look face-to-face. In today’s hybrid workplace, this is as close as it gets to being in the office. And its possible now, with Wi-Fi 6E devices and networks.

Experience truly wireless XR for seamless collaboration

Picture yourself, completely immersed in a project with colleagues in remote offices. With Wi-Fi 6E, in-person-like collaboration with the freedom of completely wireless XR solutions is a reality. Wireless XR provides the flexibility for workers to move about, a mechanic to get expert visual advice, a surgical robot to be guided remotely, or simply just the experience of gaming without hassle of wires.

Cloud Applications Perform Better

We’ve all been there, we’re in an office space shared with dozens of other devices and the cloud-based apps we rely on to get our job done, are less than responsive. Wi-Fi 6E can increase productivity through delivery of fast and ultra-responsive cloud applications, improving experiences and removing barriers.

Industrial IoT just got a boost

Envision Wi-Fi connected automated guided vehicles and autonomous mobile robots (AGVs and AMRs) buzzing around a warehouse, manufacturing floor, or hospital with the freedom to move about and perform tasks wherever they’re needed. These AGVs and AMRs can pick up and deliver goods to workers on assembly lines, load vehicles, check on patients, and operate in areas that are too hazardous for humans. Add to this Cisco’s industry work with Wireless Time Sensitive Networking and you can see Wi-Fi 6E has the right mix of spectrum and features to drive next generation IoT.

Hybrid Work with more secure encryption

Robust encryption is especially important in hybrid work models. Today, the office is wherever the user is. And because Wi-Fi 6E eliminates legacy security protocols, employees attaching to Wi-Fi 6E networks at café’s, hotels, and other public spaces, with Wi-Fi 6E devices, will have a much more secure connection.

Stay tuned for more on Wi-Fi 6E and don’t forget to check out our other Wi-Fi 6E blog posts here and click here for more information on Wi-Fi 6E with our updated Wi-Fi 6E White Paper.

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