Wi-Fi Standards Explained: From Wi-Fi 6 to Wi-Fi 7 in Plain English

Uncategorised | 22 July 2025

Imagine trying to explain to your grandmother in 1995 that someday she’d carry a tiny computer in her pocket that connects wirelessly to the entire world’s knowledge. She’d probably think you’d been reading too much science fiction! Yet here we are, and that “magic” is powered by something called Wi-Fi standards — the invisible rules that let our devices talk to each other through the air.

If you’ve ever felt confused by terms like “Wi-Fi 6,” “802.11ax,” “Wi-Fi 7”, or wondered why your new phone seems faster on the same home network, you’re not alone. The world of Wi-Fi standards can feel like alphabet soup, but it doesn’t have to be. Think of Wi-Fi standards like generations of cars; each new generation is faster, more efficient, and packed with better features than the last. Alternatively, you could call them Wi-Fi generations, really. Wi-Fi 6 vs Wi-Fi 7 is a prime example of just how far this tech has come. 

The Basics Made Simple

Wi-Fi standards are like the rules of the road for wireless internet. They tell your devices how to “speak” to your router and determine how fast that conversation can happen. Each standard has a technical name (like 802.11ax) and a friendly consumer name (like Wi-Fi 6).

802.11 is just the technical family name; think of it as the “Smith family” of Wi-Fi generations. The letters and numbers that follow (like “ax” or “be”) are like different generations of the Smith family, each with their own personalities and capabilities. (Wi-Fi 6 explained this well with its combination of speed and efficiency — Wi-Fi 7 builds on that even further.)

The Great Wi-Fi Naming Makeover: Why We Stopped Using Alphabet Soup

Here’s a fun fact: until 2018, Wi-Fi standards had names that looked like someone spilled alphabet soup on an engineering textbook. We had 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n, 802.11ac, you get the picture. The Wi-Fi Alliance decided to make the naming of Wi-Fi standards more consumer-friendly, so they introduced aliases, “Wi-Fi 4”, “Wi-Fi 5” and “Wi-Fi 6”.

The reason for this change? Simple: regular people don’t want to memorise engineering codes. Saying “Wi-Fi 6” is much easier than “IEEE 802.11ax,” and it immediately tells you that Wi-Fi 6 comes after Wi-Fi 5, just like iPhone 12 comes after iPhone 11. To cut to the chase, the reason for the change comes down to ease of recognition for end consumers.

It’s like how we don’t call cars by their engine specifications, we call them by model names that actually mean something to people.

Wi-Fi 5: The Foundation That Changed Everything

Let’s start our journey with Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), which you probably have in your home right now. Released in 2013, Wi-Fi 5 operates primarily on the 5 GHz frequency band and offers significantly higher data transfer speeds, better network capacity, and enhanced performance in environments with multiple connected devices.

Think of Wi-Fi 5 as the first car that could reliably drive on highways. Previous Wi-Fi was like driving on country roads; it worked, but it wasn’t built for heavy traffic. Wi-Fi 5 introduced several game-changing features:

Speed That Actually Impressed

MU-MIMO: The Traffic Director

The 5 GHz Advantage

Wi-Fi 5 was the first major standard to focus exclusively on the 5 GHz band, abandoning the crowded 2.4 GHz highway. The use of the 5 GHz band provides a freer radio spectrum, resulting in a more stable and faster connection. It’s like having a newly built highway all to yourself while everyone else is stuck in traffic on the old road.

Wi-Fi 6: The Efficiency Revolution

Now we come to Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), and this is where things get really interesting. Wi-Fi 6 was introduced in 2019 with an incredible speed of up to 9.6Gbps, much faster than its predecessor. But here’s the thing, Wi-Fi 6 isn’t just about raw speed. It’s about being smarter.

OFDMA: The Game Changer

The biggest breakthrough in Wi-Fi 6 is something called OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access). OFDMA allows multiple clients to be assigned to different Resource Units in the available spectrum. By doing so, an 80 MHz channel can be split into multiple Resource Units, so that multiple clients receive different types of data over the same spectrum, simultaneously.

Think of traditional Wi-Fi like a single-lane bridge where cars have to cross one at a time. OFDMA is like magically turning that bridge into multiple lanes where different-sized vehicles — motorcycles, cars, trucks — can all cross simultaneously in their own designated spaces.

The Efficiency Dividend 

Wi-Fi 6 employs a multi-user mechanism that allows the 9.6Gbps data rate to be split among multiple devices. More importantly, though the nominal data rate is only 37% better than 802.11ac, the total network speed increases by 300%, making it more efficient and reducing latency by 75%.

It’s like the difference between a regular highway and a smart highway that can dynamically adjust lane sizes based on traffic — suddenly, the same road can handle way more cars moving much more smoothly.

Backward Compatibility Done Right

One beautiful thing about Wi-Fi 6 is that it works with all your old devices. Wi-Fi 6 radios are able to communicate with legacy 802.11a/b/g/n/ac radios. Your grandmother’s old laptop from 2015 will still connect, but the new devices get the benefits of the improved technology.

Wi-Fi 6E: The Express Lane Addition

Wi-Fi 6E isn’t technically a new generation (it’s more like Wi-Fi 6 with a major upgrade. Wi-Fi 6E is like Wi-Fi 6’s cool older sibling)it takes the same foundation and adds access to the spacious 6 GHz band.

The difference between Wi-Fi 6 and 6E is simple: Wi-Fi 6 operates on both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, while Wi-Fi 6E operates on the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz bands.

Think of it like this: if the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands are busy highways, the 6 GHz band is like opening up a brand new superhighway with barely any traffic. The 6 GHz band provides a fresh and broader spectrum, offering up to 1,200 MHz of additional spectrum, which translates to more channels and less congestion.

Wi-Fi 7: The Speed Demon Arrives

And now, ladies and gentlemen, we reach the newest star of the show: Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be). Wi-Fi 7 was recently released in January 2024, and it’s not just an incremental improvement, it’s a massive leap forward.

Wi-Fi 7 explained simply: it offers blazing-fast speeds, reduced latency, and increased capacity across multiple bands. The headline figure? Up to 46Gbps (nearly five times faster than Wi-Fi 6.)

Wi-Fi 7 features include:

• Multi-Link Operation (MLO) for simultaneous use of multiple frequency bands
• 320 MHz channel width (double that of Wi-Fi 6)
• 4096-QAM (quadrupling the data density over Wi-Fi 6)
• Improved performance in high-density device environments

The Numbers Are Staggering

Multi-Link Operation: The True Innovation

The real magic of Wi-Fi 7 isn’t just raw speed — it’s something called Multi-Link Operation (MLO). Wi-Fi 7 introduces MLO, enabling devices to connect to other devices across multiple bands simultaneously for faster, more reliable connections, which Wi-Fi 6 lacks.

Imagine if your phone could use both the regular internet and your mobile data at the same time, automatically switching between them or combining them for the best possible connection. That’s essentially what MLO does with different Wi-Fi bands.

Channel Bonding on Steroids

4K-QAM: Packing More Data

Real-World Performance: What You’ll Actually Experience

Now, let’s get real for a moment. All these impressive numbers are what engineers call “theoretical maximums” — the absolute best-case scenario under perfect conditions. Most real-world Wi-Fi 7 performance may not match the speed numbers you see in marketing materials. That said, devices that support Wi-Fi 7, like smartphones, laptops and tablets, are starting to appear in 2025 with iPhone 16 models already onboard. 

The Reality Check

Device Support: For starters, your devices need to support Wi-Fi 7. If your laptops, phones, or tablets don’t have Wi-Fi 7 chipsets, you won’t experience the full benefits. It’s like having a Ferrari engine but putting it in a golf cart,  the engine is capable of amazing things, but the cart can only go so fast.

Your actual experience depends on several factors:

• Your devices: You need Wi-Fi 7-compatible phones, laptops, and tablets
• Your internet plan: If you’re paying for 100 Mbps internet, Wi-Fi 7’s multi-gigabit speeds won’t help
• Your environment: Walls, floors, and interference still affect wireless signals
• Network congestion: Even Wi-Fi 7 slows down when too many devices compete for bandwidth

Device Availability: The Gradual Rollout

As you’re reading this, in early 2025, just one year after becoming official, there are now more Wi-Fi 7 broadcasters (routers, mesh systems, and access points), in terms of the models being released or announced, than Wi-Fi 6 and 6E combined.

On the device side, things are moving fast: All of Apple’s iPhone 16 models feature Wi-Fi 7 support, and over 1,200 total devices are Wi-Fi 7 capable. However, most devices in people’s homes are still on Wi-Fi 5 or 6. 

At the very least, we’re seeing a rapid rollout of new devices that support Wi-Fi 7, and the best Wi-Fi 7 routers in Australia are already being stocked by major tech retailers. If you’re investing in your next router, now is a great time to consider upgrading. 

The Frequency Bands Explained: 2.4 GHz vs 5 GHz vs 6 GHz

One thing that confuses people is why we have different frequency bands. Think of them like different radio stations — each has its own characteristics:

2.4 GHz: The Old Reliable

• Range: Goes farthest through walls and obstacles
• Speed: Slowest of the three
• Congestion: Very crowded (microwaves, baby monitors, Bluetooth all use this)
• Best for: Smart home devices that don’t need much speed but need to reach far

5 GHz: The Sweet Spot

• Range: Medium range, some trouble with walls
• Speed: Fast enough for most needs
• Congestion: Less crowded than 2.4 GHz
• Best for: Laptops, phones, streaming devices

6 GHz: The New Frontier

• Range: Shortest range, doesn’t like walls
• Speed: Blazingly fast
• Congestion: Almost empty (for now)
• Best for: High-performance devices close to the router

When Should You Upgrade? The Practical Guide

The million-dollar question: should you upgrade your Wi-Fi? Here’s the honest answer:

Stick with Wi-Fi 6 if:

• You upgraded in the last 2-3 years
• Your internet speed is under 500 Mbps
• You don’t have many devices (under 20 connected)
• You mainly browse, email, and stream standard HD video

Consider Wi-Fi 6E if:

• You live in a dense area (apartments, condos) with lots of Wi-Fi interference
• You have a fast internet plan (500+ Mbps)
• You do video conferencing or online gaming
• You want better performance without paying Wi-Fi 7 prices

Jump to Wi-Fi 7 if:

• You have gigabit internet (1000+ Mbps)
• You’re a gamer who cares about every millisecond
• You do 4K/8K streaming or VR
• You have 30+ connected devices
• You’re building a new network and want to future-proof

The Mixed-Device Reality

Most organisations operate in a mixed-device environment, where some devices might still be on Wi-Fi 5 or 6, limiting the efficiency gains offered in Wi-Fi 7. Your network is only as fast as your slowest devices, so upgrading your router won’t magically make your 2019 laptop blazingly fast.

Future-Proofing vs. Present Needs

Here’s some practical wisdom: Buying a WiFi router is an investment in upgrading your home WiFi infrastructure so it’s ready for today’s devices and upcoming gear.

The Smart Approach

Rather than chasing the absolute latest standard, consider your upgrade cycle:

• Routers typically last 5-7 years
• Phones upgrade every 2-4 years
• Laptops upgrade every 4-6 years

If you’re buying a router today that you’ll keep for 5 years, getting Wi-Fi 7 might make sense because your future devices will support it. But if you just want better performance right now, Wi-Fi 6 or 6E might be the sweet spot.

The Bottom Line: What Really Matters

As we wrap up our journey through Wi-Fi land, here’s what your grandmother would want to know:

The Essential Takeaways:

• Wi-Fi standards are like car model years — each generation is better than the last, but you don’t need to upgrade every year
• Wi-Fi 5 is still perfectly fine for most people’s daily internet needs
• Wi-Fi 6 brought the biggest efficiency improvements we’ve seen in years — it’s the sweet spot for most homes today
• Wi-Fi 6E reduces congestion by adding a new, less crowded frequency band
• Wi-Fi 7 is incredibly fast, but requires new devices to see the benefits
• Your internet speed matters more than your Wi-Fi standard for most activities
• Backward compatibility means your old devices will still work with new routers
• Device placement and interference often matter more than which standard you’re using
• Wi-Fi 6 vs Wi-Fi 7 is less about which one is “better” and more about what suits your home

The Honest Truth

The most important thing? A well-positioned router with a strong signal will always outperform a poorly placed cutting-edge router. Sometimes, the best upgrade isn’t a new standard — it’s simply moving your router to a better spot or adding a mesh system to eliminate dead zones.

Wi-Fi standards will keep evolving, just like cars keep getting better. But just as a well-maintained 2020 car will serve you perfectly well in 2025, Wi-Fi 6 will keep your devices happily connected for years to come. The key is choosing what fits your actual needs, not what the marketing materials say you should want.

Ready to optimise your Wi-Fi? Start by understanding what you actually need, test your current performance, and remember — sometimes the best technology is the one that just works reliably day after day.