Connect with Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi 6, the new generation of Wi-Fi technology, is here, and it's found its way into our phones, laptops, tablets, and other devices – but what is it, and how can you take advantage of it here in Australia?
Formerly called 802.11ax, Wi-Fi 6 can – at least in theory – hit a maximum speed of 9.6 gigabits per second (Gbps), compared to the 3.5Gbps of Wi-Fi 5. In Australia, however, most households aren’t likely to see speeds higher than around 100 megabits per second (Mbps) due to limitations of the NBN.
Instead, the big draw of Wi-Fi 6 is the ability to connect more devices to a single network without impacting speeds thanks to technologies such as MU-MIMO, which allows a Router to communicate with up to eight devices at the same time, and OFDMA, which can deliver data to multiple devices in the one transmission.
This means faster speeds for online gaming; better connectivity for smart home devices such as networked speakers, smart appliances, security systems; and smart lighting; and – importantly, with the mushrooming number of streaming services like Netflix, Stan, Disney+, and Amazon Prime – the ability to stream more 4K content simultaneously.
There are now plenty of Routers and Wi-Fi Mesh Systems available on the market from manufacturers such as D-Link, Asus, Amazon etc, as well as Adapters that can give desktop PCs Wi-Fi 6 capability.
The two big rivals, D-Link and Netgear, each have their own Wi-Fi 6 Mesh Systems: D-Link’s COVR-X1873, which features Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa voice control as well as Smart Roaming and Smart Steering, comes in a three-pack for $549, while a three-pack of Netgear’s Orbi range starts at $599.