| WiFi4 | WiFi5 | WiFi6 | WiFi6e | WiFi7 | ||
| Agreement | 802.11n | 802.11ac | 802.11ax | 802.11be | ||
| Wave1 | Wave2 | |||||
| Year | 2009 | 2013 | 2016 | 2018 | 2020 | 2024 |
| Frequency Band | 2.4GHz,5GHz | 5GHz | 2.4GHz,5GHz | 2.4GHz,5GHz,6GHz | 2.4GHz,5GHz,6GHz | |
| Maximum Bandwidth | 40MHz | 80MHz | 160MHz | 320MHz | ||
| Highest Modulation | 64QAM | 256QAM | 1024QAM | 4096QAM | ||
| Single-stream Bandwidth | 150Mbps | 433Mbps | 867Mbps | 1200Mbps | 2.88Gbps | |
| Maximum Bandwidth | 600Mbps | 3466Mbps | 6933Mbps | 9.6Gbps | 10Gbps | 46Gbps |
| Maximum Spatial Flow | 4×4 | 8×8 | 8×8 | 8×8 | 16×16 | |
| MU-MIMO | N/A | N/A | Downlink | Uplink, Downlink | Uplink, Downlink | Uplink, Downlink |
| OFDMA | N/A | N/A | N/A | Uplink, Downlink | Uplink, Downlink | Uplink, Downlink |
WiFi 4(IEEE 802.11n)
Speed:
The theoretical maximum transmission speed can reach 600Mbps, but in actual use, affected by a variety of factors, the general speed will be lower than this value. It uses MIMO (Multiple-Input, Multiple-Output) technology to send and receive data simultaneously through multiple antennas, which is a speed improvement over the previous standard.
Frequency band:
Operates in the 2.4GHz band, which has a relatively long signal travel distance but also has more interference. Because many household devices (such as Bluetooth devices, microwave ovens, etc.) also use the 2.4GHz frequency band, it is easy to produce signal interference, which affects the stability and speed of WiFi.
Application scenario:
It is suitable for general household Internet needs, such as browsing the web, sending and receiving emails, and other basic network activities. For small offices or home environments where the number of devices is low and the network speed requirements are not particularly high, WiFi 4 can provide basic network connectivity.
WiFi 5(IEEE 802.11ac)
Speed:
The theoretical maximum transfer speed can reach 6.93Gbps, which is a significant improvement over WiFi 4. This is mainly due to a wider channel bandwidth (up to 160MHz) and higher-order modulation, which enables more data to be transmitted per unit of time.
Frequency Band:
Both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands are supported. The advantage of the 5GHz band is that it has less interference, provides a cleaner signal environment, and has higher bandwidth for higher transmission speeds. However, the 5GHz band has a shorter signal propagation distance than the 2.4GHz band, and its ability to penetrate walls is weaker.
Application scenarios:
Suitable for scenarios that require high network speed and stability, such as HD video streaming, online games, and large file downloads. In a home, if multiple devices are connected to WiFi at the same time and high-bandwidth activities are required, WiFi 5 is better suitable. For example, if several people are watching 4K video in different rooms or playing a large online game at the same time, WiFi 5 can provide a relatively smooth experience.
WiFi 6(IEEE 802.11ax)
Speed:
The theoretical maximum transfer speed can reach 9.6Gbps. It introduces OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access) technology, which can divide the wireless channel into multiple sub-channels, enabling multiple devices to transmit data at the same time, improving the efficiency and speed of the network. In addition, WiFi 6 uses higher-order modulation methods (such as 1024 - QAM) to further improve data transmission capabilities.
Frequency bands:
The 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands are also supported. Compared with WiFi 5, WiFi 6 is more efficient in the use of frequency bands, especially in complex environments with multi-device connections, which can better allocate resources and reduce interference.
Application scenario:
Ideal for smart home environments and high-density network access scenarios. With the mass popularity of smart home devices, WiFi 6 can easily cope with the simultaneous connection of many devices, such as smart speakers, smart cameras, smart lamps, smart door locks, and other dozens or even dozens of devices at the same time, and ensure that each device can get a stable network connection. WiFi 6 can also provide efficient network services in corporate office environments or crowded places such as conference rooms and restaurants.
WiFi 6E
Speed:
Similar to WiFi 6, the theoretical maximum transfer speed can reach around 9.6Gbps. The performance improvement is not mainly in the speed itself, but in the band expansion.
Frequency band:
On the basis of WiFi 6, the 6GHz band has been added. This band has more spectrum resources and wider channels, which can provide more channels to transmit data, further reducing interference. The 6GHz band can be divided into multiple contiguous 160MHz channels, which is advantageous for applications that require ultra-high bandwidth.
Application Scenarios:
Ideal for bandwidth-hungry scenarios such as professional virtual reality (VR)/augmented reality (AR) applications, real-time transmission of 8K video, and wireless backhaul connectivity. In some enterprise environments or high-end home entertainment scenarios with high network quality requirements, WiFi 6E can give full play to its frequency band advantages to provide a better network experience.
WiFi 7(IEEE 802.11be)
Speed:
Theoretical maximum transfer speeds of 30-40Gbps are expected, a huge leap from the previous standard. This is mainly achieved by introducing new technologies such as 320MHz channel bandwidth, 4096 - QAM modulation, etc.
Frequency Bands:
The 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands will continue to be supported and optimized for utilization. By working together in multiple frequency bands, it can better adapt to different application scenarios and device requirements.
Application scenarios:
Future-oriented ultra-high-speed and ultra-low-latency network application scenarios. For example, support for multiple 8K video streams simultaneously, ultra-high-speed cloud gaming services, and ultra-efficient connectivity for large-scale IoT devices. In industrial automation, smart transportation, and more, WiFi 7 is also expected to play an important role, enabling high-speed, reliable communication between devices.
