Wlan ax: The most important information about the new Wi-Fi 6

With WLAN ax (Wi-Fi 6), a new WLAN standard is finally back on the market after a long time. In this practical tip, we explain what this means for you and your router.

WLAN ax: What can the new routers do?

The new WLAN standard has the official name 802.11ax. The number is the worldwide WLAN standard, the abbreviation ax stands for the latest version. For the sake of simplicity, it is usually simply referred to as WLAN ax. Since there have been repeated confusions in the past due to the different names, the term Wi-Fi 6 has now been introduced for WLAN ax.

• The predecessor WLAN ac (Wi-Fi 5) was launched in 2013. Above all, the speed has changed with WLAN ax. While WLAN ac transmits a maximum of 1.3 gigabits per second (Gbit / s), WLAN ax can now perform up to 11 Gbit / s. Very large files such as 4K films can be downloaded from the Internet or transferred from A to B within a few seconds.
• The increased speed is achieved through the more efficient use of several antennas in the router. WLAN ac was already able to increase the speed with multiple antennas with MIMO (Multiple Input, Multiple Output). WLAN ax improves the process through MIMO-OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing).
• WLAN ax creates an increase in speed of around 37 percent through general improvements to the standard. This value is quadrupled again by MIMO-OFDM. This is achieved by splitting the signals as soon as several devices access the router at the same time and the delays in transmission are greatly reduced.
• This division of the signals solves another major WLAN problem. Free WiFi hotspots in public places are often overloaded due to simultaneous access by dozens of users. With WLAN ax, significantly more users should find their place in a WLAN.

Upgrade to WLAN ax: does that make sense?

Officially, WLAN ac will only start in 2019. However, the first devices came onto the market at the end of 2018. These include the ASUS RT-AX88U, the Netgear Nighthawk AX8 and the ASUS ROG GT-AX11000.

• However, the early switchover is not worthwhile for most private users. The faster transfer rate brings you very little for downloads from the Internet. In large German cities there is sometimes an Internet speed of 500 Mbit / s, we are still a long way from the possible 11 Gbit / s. WLAN ac is therefore still sufficient.
• You also need the right end devices that support WLAN ax. In the meantime, more and more processors support the new standard. This includes the smartphone processor Snapdragon 835, which you can find, for example, in the Nokia 8 or the LG V30. Intel uses Wi-Fi 6 in all 9th ​​generation desktop processors.
• Like all its predecessors, WiFi ax is of course downwards compatible. This means that all older devices that support WLAN ac, WLAN a, b, g, or n also harmonize with the latest routers, but do not benefit from the improvements.
• Tip: You can always find the best routers in the CHIP router best list.

In the next practical tip we will explain to you exactly how WLAN works.