WiFi Standards Explained: 802.11ac vs WiFi 6

When shopping for networking equipment, you've likely encountered terms like 802.11ac, WiFi 5, WiFi 6, and AX1800. These technical specifications can be confusing, yet understanding them is crucial for making informed purchasing decisions. This guide demystifies WiFi standards, explaining what each generation offers and how to choose equipment that matches your needs.

A Brief History of WiFi Standards

WiFi technology has evolved significantly since its introduction in 1997. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) develops these standards under the 802.11 designation, with letters indicating different generations. In 2018, the WiFi Alliance introduced simplified naming (WiFi 4, 5, 6) to make these standards more consumer-friendly.

Each generation has brought improvements in speed, range, and efficiency. Understanding this evolution helps explain why newer standards cost more and whether upgrading makes sense for your situation.

Understanding WiFi 5 (802.11ac)

WiFi 5, officially known as 802.11ac, became the dominant standard in the mid-2010s and remains widely used today. It introduced several important improvements over WiFi 4, making it the first truly high-speed wireless standard for home use.

Key Features of WiFi 5

WiFi 5 operates exclusively on the 5GHz frequency band, offering faster speeds but shorter range compared to the 2.4GHz band used by earlier standards. It introduced wider channel bandwidths of up to 160MHz, allowing more data to be transmitted simultaneously. Multi-User MIMO (MU-MIMO) technology enabled routers to communicate with multiple devices at once, improving performance in homes with many connected devices.

Most WiFi 5 devices are "dual-band," meaning they also support 2.4GHz for backward compatibility. This allows older devices to connect while newer devices benefit from 5GHz speeds.

WiFi 5 Speed Ratings

You'll often see WiFi 5 devices labelled with ratings like AC1200, AC1900, or AC2600. These numbers represent the combined theoretical maximum speeds across all bands. An AC1200 device, for example, might offer 300 Mbps on 2.4GHz and 900 Mbps on 5GHz. Remember that real-world speeds are typically 50-70% of these theoretical maximums.

The Leap to WiFi 6 (802.11ax)

WiFi 6 represents the current mainstream standard, offering significant improvements over WiFi 5, particularly in congested environments with many devices. Rather than simply increasing maximum speeds, WiFi 6 focused on efficiency and real-world performance.

Key Improvements in WiFi 6

Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) is perhaps WiFi 6's most significant improvement. This technology allows a single transmission to carry data for multiple devices simultaneously, dramatically improving efficiency when many devices are connected. In a typical Australian home with smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, and IoT devices, this translates to more consistent performance for everyone.

Target Wake Time (TWT) helps battery-powered devices conserve energy by scheduling when they wake up to communicate with the router. This is particularly beneficial for smart home devices that need to maintain connections without constantly draining batteries.

WiFi 6 also introduced 1024-QAM encoding, which packs more data into each transmission compared to WiFi 5's 256-QAM. This contributes to the theoretical 40% speed increase over WiFi 5 under ideal conditions.

WiFi 6E: Expanding into New Territory

WiFi 6E isn't a new generation but rather an extension of WiFi 6 into the 6GHz frequency band. This additional spectrum provides more channels and less interference, as only WiFi 6E devices can use it. The 6GHz band offers excellent speeds for compatible devices but has limited range and poor wall penetration.

For most Australian homes, WiFi 6E's benefits are currently limited because few devices support it. However, as more smartphones, laptops, and other devices gain 6GHz capability, WiFi 6E equipment will become increasingly valuable.

Decoding Speed Ratings

Modern WiFi equipment uses standardised naming that indicates both the generation and speed class:

WiFi 5 Ratings

• AC1200: Entry-level, suitable for small homes and basic use
• AC1750-AC1900: Mid-range, good for most households
• AC2600-AC3000: High-end, ideal for demanding users and larger homes

WiFi 6 Ratings

• AX1500-AX1800: Entry-level WiFi 6, affordable upgrade from WiFi 5
• AX3000-AX4200: Mid-range, good balance of performance and price
• AX5400-AX6000: High-end, for power users and smart homes
• AX11000+: Premium tri-band devices for maximum performance

Backward Compatibility Explained

One of WiFi's strengths is backward compatibility. A WiFi 6 router or extender will work with WiFi 5 and WiFi 4 devices, and vice versa. However, devices will only connect at the highest standard they both support. If you connect a WiFi 4 laptop to a WiFi 6 router, the connection uses WiFi 4 protocols.

This means upgrading your router or extender provides immediate benefits to compatible devices while maintaining connectivity for older equipment. Over time, as you replace devices, more of your network will operate at the newer standard.

What About NBN Speeds?

Many Australians wonder whether WiFi 6 matters when their NBN connection is the limiting factor. It's a valid question. If your NBN plan provides 50 Mbps, even a basic WiFi 5 extender can deliver that speed wirelessly. The benefits of WiFi 6 in this scenario relate more to efficiency with multiple devices than raw speed.

However, as NBN upgrades continue and more Australians access faster plans, having WiFi 6 equipment ensures your wireless network won't become a bottleneck. It's also worth noting that internal network transfers, like streaming from a NAS or backing up to a network drive, benefit from faster WiFi regardless of your internet speed.

Making Your Decision

For most Australian households in 2025, WiFi 6 offers the best balance of performance, future-proofing, and value. WiFi 5 equipment remains a budget-friendly option for simpler setups or extending coverage to low-priority areas. WiFi 6E is currently only worthwhile for tech enthusiasts with compatible devices.

When choosing an extender, match it to your router's capabilities. Pairing a WiFi 6 extender with a WiFi 5 router provides no benefit, as the connection between them will be limited to WiFi 5 speeds. Similarly, a high-end AX6000 extender won't help if your router only supports AC1200.

Understanding these standards empowers you to make informed decisions and avoid overpaying for capabilities you won't use while ensuring you don't underbuy and limit your network's potential.