WiFi 6 and WiFi 6E: What the 6 GHz Extension Changes

The WiFi Alliance announced WiFi 6E in 2020, just as many users were becoming familiar with WiFi 6 and considering compatible phones. Despite the new name, the key change is straightforward: WiFi 6E extends WiFi 6 into an additional frequency band.

What WiFi 6 Provides

WiFi 6 was developed to accommodate growing numbers of connected devices. A WiFi 6 router may suit households with VR equipment, numerous smart home products, or many other devices sharing the network.

Its 1024-QAM encoding carries more data in each signal, while a 160 MHz Channel provides a wider path for transmission. Together, these capabilities support smoother VR and vivid 4K or even 8K streaming.

MU-MIMO and OFDMA also give WiFi 6 up to 4x larger capacity, helping it serve more devices—including guests' devices during a house party.

What WiFi 6E Adds

The E stands for Extended: WiFi 6E retains WiFi 6's technology while adding access to the 6 GHz band.

This band spans 5.925 GHz to 7.125 GHz and supplies up to 1,200 MHz of additional spectrum. Unlike existing bands with channels crowded into limited space, it provides spectrum without overlap or interference. The resulting bandwidth, higher speeds, and lower latency create room for uses such as AR/VR and 8K streaming, as well as future innovations.

How the Extra Spectrum Helps

Whereas 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz are crowded, the newly available 6 GHz spectrum carries only efficient WiFi 6 connections. Its non-overlapping channels substantially reduce congestion and the frustrations caused by overcrowded networks.

WiFi 6E adds 7 additional 160 MHz channels that double bandwidth and throughput, allowing more simultaneous transmissions at the highest possible speeds. This supports buffer-free 8K movies, AR/VR gaming, and large file downloads.

The additional 1,200 MHz—1.2 GHz of contiguous spectrum—more than doubles the pathways available for sending and receiving data. That increases network capacity while easing congestion as WiFi demand grows.

Giving WiFi 6 More Room to Perform

WiFi 6 improves network efficiency and capacity, but competing transmissions from WiFi 5 or other radios prevent those advantages from being fully realized. Because the 6 GHz band is reserved for WiFi 6 traffic, it allows the technology to deliver its intended potential.