PROPERTY SEARCH
Wi-Fi 6: what is it and what is the difference with 5G?
Internet and cable company Telecable shares everything you need to know about Wi-Fi 6 and 5G
Both Wi-Fi 6 and 5G are the two most current standards for wireless connectivity. So what’s the difference, and which one is better? Should you choose Wi-Fi 6 or 5G?
The first difference is the technology. Wi-Fi 6 requires a router or an access point to connect to the Internet, in addition to a compatible device. On the other hand, 5G is a mobile network and needs a mobile phone or a compatible device, and also mobile network coverage.
Wi-Fi 6 is the most advanced technology for routers at present, and it offers the highest Internet speed and the best quality when connecting from home or office. It allows for simultaneous connection of all your home devices. This is completely different from 5G technology, which refers to mobile networks, and is mainly used to connect to high-speed Internet from anywhere without the need for a router, but it is initially limited to a single mobile device per connection.
Both of these ways of connecting to the Internet are wireless. Nowadays, people rarely go online through a cable connection to the router even when at home. Most often, we connect using wireless networks, and from different devices: mobiles, tablets, computers, etc.
We now have connections with much more stability, quality, and of course speed compared to a few years ago using both Wi-Fi and mobile technologies, and these include Wi-Fi 6 and 5G.
We must bear in mind that Wi-Fi 6 and 5G are very recent technologies, and currently there are not too many compatible devices.
So, what is the difference between Wi-Fi 6 and 5G?
We will consider different aspects and see the main differences:
1. Technology
Wi-Fi 6 requires an access point (router) which allows us to connect to the Internet, and it also requires another device which receives the signal and both devices must be compatible with the Wi-Fi 6 standard. That is, if we have a Wi-Fi 6 network, but the devices do not have this technology, we will not be able to take full advantage of this technology. Nowadays, most devices operate in 2.4GHz and 5GHz. These refer to the frequency or band of the wireless networks. The 5GHz frequency is not to be confused with the 5G technology of the mobile networks.
On the other hand, 5G is the fifth generation of the mobile network connectivity. To make use of it, we need a compatible mobile phone or device, SIM card and 5G mobile network coverage.
2. Speed
With both technologies, the connection speed will depend greatly on external factors, that is, the contracted speed in the case of Wi-Fi 6, and the coverage and model of the device in the case of 5G.
Wi-Fi 6 offers theoretical speeds of 9.6 Gbps and the theoretical maximum speed of 5G is slightly higher, reaching the 10 Gbps mark, but this depends greatly on the deployment of the mobile infrastructure. The data tariffs and plans of the operators also tend to limit its use.
3. Coverage
Here we have an important difference, since with the mobile devices with 5G network we will be able to connect from anywhere as long as there is mobile 5G network coverage, which means that we can move in a far larger territory. Wi-Fi 6, on the other hand, depends on the router signal, and the coverage is more limited as it is restricted to a single home or office, and sometimes even within the home/dwelling there can be areas where the Wi-Fi coverage is not good. However, the connectivity of several devices within the same home network is one of the main advantages of the Wi-Fi 6 technology.
4. Connectivity
There is a big difference as to the connectivity. Wi-Fi 6 is designed to support many devices connected simultaneously, and 5G is for a connection of a single device, even though the connection can be shared or a dual SIM can be used to partly overcome this limitation.
Which one to choose: Wi-Fi 6 or 5G?
First of all, you need to establish what you needed from your connection. If you wish to have coverage to make calls, share data, connect to the Internet, and all this from a mobile phone or tablet, you will need a phone contract with an operator offering 5G mobile network coverage.
However, if you need to provide Internet to a home in order to connect computers, gaming consoles, digital television and other devices, you must have a fibre optic or broadband connection and a 2.4GHz, 5GHZ or Wi-Fi 6 router.
To sum up, we can say both options, which are different, are going to be more and more present in our lives because we will have more compatible devices and a wide range of possibilities to use the Internet.
All the improvements related to reliability and quality will make Wi-Fi 6 the most used technology for home and office connections in the future, because it allows for many devices to be connected simultaneously.
As there are more and more devices connected to a network, it becomes necessary to improve the wireless network. And that is where the Wi-Fi 6 will be essential, and Grupo Telecable in Alicante and Murcia, Spain can offer it to you for the best price.
If you have any questions or doubts, please do not hesitate to contact us at any of our offices, or call 966 196 000, or through our website www.grupotelecable.es or email us at info@grupotelecable.es
