Wi-Fi 6, which is also called 802.11ax, can support multiple devices on one network easier than Wi-Fi 5.1 If you have five devices, your spouse has three, you have a couple smart TVs in your house and both of your kids have a phone, laptop, and tablet, then Wi-Fi 6 is better for supporting all of those connections at once. If you know that your Wi-Fi is slow because you have so many devices on your network, then upgrading will help. On the flip-side, most households work totally fine on a Wi-Fi 5 router.2 Even with all the devices of your tech-savvy family, you might be fine with the Wi-Fi router you have. If you’re experiencing problems with your internet, the culprit could be a slower-than-optimal internet connection or even a networking problem or a virus. You’ll also want to consider how old your Wi-Fi 5 router is. Wi-Fi 5 came out in 2014, so your router could be six years old or only two years old. Let’s say you have a Wi-Fi 5 router that you purchased and installed in 2018. Most Wi-Fi routers last about five years.3 If everything’s working fine, then you’ve still got time before you need to update your router. Another big difference is speed. Wi-Fi 6 can reach up to 9.6 Gbps.4 This is a lot faster than Wi-Fi 5, which can only reach 3.5 Gbps.4 Your Netflix movies will stream faster, your download speed will be faster, and you’ll have an easier time gaming when using Wi-Fi 6. All of that said, if you’re wondering if you should upgrade to the Wi-Fi 6, the answer is it depends. If you aren’t having problems with your Wi-Fi 5, then upgrading is more of a luxury than a necessity.
