What is WiFi 5? And is it fast enough?

Introduced in 2021, WiFi 6, also known as 802.11ax, is the sixth generation of wireless networking standards. WiFi 6 supports data rates with a theoretical speed up to 9.6 Gbps and is the current standard for all wireless networks.

If you’re choosing whether to stay with WiFi 5 or move to WiFi 6, it’s important to know more about the differences between WiFi 5 and WiFi 6.
 
Check out a list of six key differences:

• WiFi 5: Operates on the 5 GHz band.
• WiFi 6: Operates on both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands.

• WiFi 5: Offers a maximum theoretical data rate of about 3.5 Gbps.
• WiFi 6: Has a higher maximum theoretical data rate of nearly 9.6 Gbps.

• WiFi 5: Supports up to 80 MHz, with optional support for 160 MHz.
• WiFi 6: Supports 20, 40, 80, and 160 MHz channel bandwidths.

• WiFi 5: Less efficient in handling multiple devices simultaneously.
• WiFi 6: More efficient in high-density environments, effectively managing numerous devices.

• WiFi 5: Has higher latency compared to WiFi 6.
• WiFi 6: Reduces latency significantly, improving response times.

• WiFi 5: Typically uses WPA2 for security.
• WiFi 6: Supports the WPA3 security protocol, providing enhanced security features.

WiFi 6 is a significant improvement over WiFi 5, increasing data throughput, efficiency and capacity, especially in households with many users and multiple connected devices.

Though powerful, WiFi 5 is not as powerful as WiFi 6. Let’s take a look at some of the capabilities of WiFi 5’s speed.

Theoretically, WiFi 5 enables devices to transmit data over the 5GHz wireless frequency band at speeds of up to 3.5 Gbps. However, devices available to the general public are limited by the physical layer (PHY) specifications, which are the standard for modulating and receiving transmissions of WiFi.

 
In an ideal setting, a user may be able to achieve speeds at least up to 430 Mbps with WiFi 5. Regarding performance, two to six users in a household connected to WiFi 5 could:

• Comfortably browse the internet.
• Stream HD videos across multiple devices.
• Play some games online.
• Download files.

 
However, these speeds are dependent on many factors, such as channel configuration, spectrum and range. Your actual speed experience may vary due to network congestion, device performance and the quality of your WiFi connection.

In 2013, WiFi 5 represented a breakthrough in wireless technology — faster speeds, improved efficiency, and better performance across multiple users and multiple connected devices. Let’s look into some of the key benefits of WiFi 5.

Compared to WiFi 4, WiFi 5 offers higher maximum data rates, enabling quicker internet browsing, faster file downloads and smoother streaming experiences.

As WiFi 5 operates exclusively on the 5 GHz frequency band, it experiences less congestion and interference than the 2.4 GHz band, meaning cleaner and more stable connections.

Compared to the maximum of 40 MHz in WiFi 4, WiFi 5 supports channel bandwidths of up to 80 MHz, and optionally 160 MHz, powering faster data transmission rates.

WiFi 5 routers often incorporate beamforming technology, which focuses the WiFi signal towards the connected device, rather than broadcasting it in all directions, improving signal strength and range.

WiFi 5 is backward compatible with previous WiFi standards, including WiFi 4 (802.11n). This ensures that older devices can still connect to a WiFi 5 network, albeit without enjoying the full benefits of the newer standard.

With its higher speeds and greater efficiency than WiFi 4, WiFi 5 is well-suited for high-bandwidth applications like video streaming, online gaming and video conferencing.

Deciding when to upgrade to WiFi 5 depends on several factors related to your current setup, usage needs and the devices you own. Check your hardware’s WiFi compatibility settings and answer the following questions to determine if it’s time to upgrade.

1. Are you unsatisfied with your current network performance?
   If you are experiencing slow speeds, poor coverage or frequent disconnections, upgrading to WiFi 5 will increase your network performance.
2. Are you bringing new devices into the home?
   If you have multiple devices that are compatible with WiFi 5 (like newer smartphones, laptops, or tablets) and you’re noticing network congestion, an upgrade may enhance the efficiency and speed of your network.
3. Is your household usage demanding higher speed?
   If you or others in your network stream HD video, game online, work remotely, or download large files, WiFi 5’s better bandwidth utilization will offer noticeable improvements.
4. Is your home layout creating dead zones?
   WiFi 5 routers provide better coverage than their predecessors and are more effective at handling signals over larger areas and through walls. If your current router struggles to cover your entire home or office, an upgrade will be beneficial.
5. Do you want a future-proofed network?
   If you want your devices and users to benefit from the advances in WiFi technology, then upgrading to WiFi 5 will help to ensure you and your household benefit from the developments by the IEEE.

Before upgrading to WiFi 5, ensure that your primary devices support it. While WiFi 5 routers are backward compatible with older WiFi standards, you’ll only experience the full benefits of WiFi 5 if your devices also support it.

However, if you want to harness the real benefits of WiFi, look into WiFi 6 and beyond. These technologies are specifically designed to handle speeds greater than 1 Gig. Combined with a mesh WiFi system, you’ll have a reliable, high-performing network for your entire household and devices.

WiFi 7 (802.11be) is the latest development of WiFi standards, released by the IEEE in early 2024. WiFi 7 is marked by extremely fast data speeds, diminished latency and improved network performance, delivering an enhanced experience to not only users that require significant bandwidth, but also environments with a high density of users and connected devices.
 
WiFi 7 offers speeds up to 46 Gbps, compared to 9.6 Gbps in WiFi 6 and 6e and 3.5 Gbps in WiFi 5. Though actual speeds experienced by users will differ, WiFi 7 will usher in a new generation of lower-latency XR, AR, VR, video gaming and advanced video-conferencing applications.
 
WiFi 7 will introduce new features such as4K QAM modulation to enable peak speeds, and Multi-Link Operation (MLO) to maintain consistent low latency even in congested environments.
 
As with all other WiFi generations, WiFi 7 will be backward compatible and coexist with legacy devices. However, commercial and enterprise organizations will be the first to benefit, while consumers will have to wait for affordable WiFi 7 enabled devices to come onto the market.

When compared to older WiFi standards, WiFi 5 offers better speed and connectivity. If you have a home internet connection with a few users and a few devices, you may not need an immediate upgrade.

However, if you experience a surge in users, devices, want to expand your network or access Gig+ speeds, consider upgrading to WiFi 6. It’s an established, affordable technology that will improve your home WiFi network overall.
 
No matter your WiFi version or set up, understand your internet needs first and choose the right ISP.