What are Wi-Fi 6, 6E, and 7?

Updated

March 3, 2025

These are generations of the Wi-Fi standard, with each new generation offering faster speeds, lower latency (less waiting around), and more efficient calculations under the hood. This means your information travels over the air quicker and more effectively.

Since 2013, we’ve been using Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), which is quite fast, but a lot has changed since. Let’s explore the newer standards that have since come out.

What is Wi-Fi 6?

Released in 2021, Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) is the latest mainstream generation of Wi-Fi. It aims to make your internet faster, more efficient, and better at handling many devices at once. When more devices are talking to your router at the same time, Wi-Fi 6 can handle the load more effectively so that each device is waiting less time for its information.

Compared to older Wi-Fi versions, Wi-Fi 6:

Speeds things up
- The newer the generation, the faster the standard can go
- This is especially true in crowded homes with many connected devices.
Handle the increased workload more smoothly
- Every day, we find ourselves with more Wi-Fi devices than before
- Older routers (using older standards) try their best, but they were made with only “a few devices talking at the same time” in mind
- Even with lots of connected devices in use, Wi-Fi 6 has new technology under the hood to better keep track of where everything is going to get it there faster
Reduced latency and lag
- Lower latency means less buffering or delays in video calls, streaming, and gaming
Improved battery life
- The way Wi-Fi 6 devices communicate to Wi-Fi 6-capable routers is more energy efficient, helping them use less power when connected and last longer

In short, Wi-Fi 6 makes your connection more reliable, faster, and more efficient, especially if you have a busy household with multiple Wi-Fi devices running simultaneously.

What is Wi-Fi 6E?

While Wi-Fi 6E has other technical enhancements, the main way it delivers faster speeds is by using the 6 GHz frequency.

Wi-Fi frequencies

You may know about 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. Let’s touch on what exactly these are.

These are transmission frequencies. The lower the frequency, the slower it can transmit, while higher frequencies carry more data, which means faster speeds. However, higher frequencies can’t travel as far because barriers (like walls, floors, or furniture) can absorb the signal, preventing it from traveling from room to room.

From the late 1990s until around 2010, we used the 2.4 GHz frequency for Wi-Fi. It travels far and usually covers most homes, but its speeds are limited.

Around 2010, we started using dual-band routers supporting 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz.

5 GHz can transmit much faster, but not as far. In most homes, 5 GHz is limited to 2 or 3 rooms from the wireless broadcast point.

Then, in 2020, a new frequency could be used for Wi-Fi: 6 GHz. While it’s even faster, the distance trade-off is even more substantial. In most homes, 6 GHz is limited to 1 or 2 rooms from the wireless broadcast point.

It’s important to note that your device can only connect to one of these at a time. Your TV could be on the 2.4 GHz while your phone is on the 5 GHz, but neither device can connect to both frequencies simultaneously.

What is Wi-Fi 7?

Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) is the upcoming standard expected to gain traction in the coming years.

It is still new! Very few devices support it yet, but it will expand upon previous generations with:

Even faster speed potential
More efficient transmission
Support for transmitting on different frequencies at the same time (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz)

While some routers and devices may support Wi-Fi 7 in beta, this standard is expected to be officially released in 2028.

FAQ

I have a Wi-Fi 6 or 6E router. How do I ensure my device uses the faster 5 GHz or 6 GHz frequencies?

Because distance from the broadcast point plays the biggest role, investing in a mesh router is the easiest way. These blanket your home with more wireless coverage, helping to ensure you’re close enough to achieve a 5 GHz connection everywhere.

Ting offers a Whole-Home Wi-Fi solution using eero mesh routers. With multiple eero nodes, you’re never too far from one. This means you maintain a strong 5 GHz (or sometimes 6 GHz) signal as you move around your home!

I have a mesh router. How do I force a device to use faster frequencies or newer Wi-Fi standards?

The mesh router will handle this for you. They’re smart enough to make all the routing decisions, including:

Which node in your home to connect to (e.g., bedroom, living room, kitchen).
Which frequency to use (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, or 6 GHz if supported).
Which channel within that frequency to minimize interference.
Which generation/standard to connect using.

In general, they’re optimized so each device has the best possible Wi-Fi experience, and they make these decisions on the fly as you move around your home.

If you have a regular (non-mesh) router, look for a "Band Steering" feature to handle this automatically. Otherwise, you may need to manually connect some devices to 2.4 GHz and others to 5 GHz.

I have an older device that won’t connect at all. Why is that?

While routers are backward compatible with older standards, some features are purposefully disabled on newer models, often for security reasons.

Your older device may use an outdated or insecure version of Wi-Fi encryption. WPA2 and WPA3 are the current versions, and some older devices don’t support them.
Your older device may rely on a Wi-Fi standard released before Wi-Fi 4 (from 2009). Many modern routers no longer support anything older than Wi-Fi 4.

I have a mesh router. Why do I only see one Wi-Fi network? I’m used to two or more.

Mesh routers use unified Wi-Fi, meaning there is a single Wi-Fi network. The router handles device steering automatically. You no longer need to manually choose between "Home" and "Home_5" like in older setups.

Most mesh routers also have a setting that temporarily disables newer frequencies. This is useful for pairing smart devices (e.g., bulbs, locks, cameras) that require a 2.4 GHz-only broadcast. Check your manufacturer’s documentation for details.

Do my old devices work on Wi-Fi 6?

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