A Wi-Fi network, due in large part to its attendant frequencies
and equipment, has a comparatively much shorter range than cellular
networks using commercial towers to transmit radio signals.
12 I ICT TODAY
6 GHz Backhaul
Most internet service providers install modems at the
edge of the home where cable or optical fiber enters the
house, but this is not the best place for a router to deliver
Wi-Fi to the entire home. Oftentimes, either operators
or consumers will install two or more WAPs in order
to achieve consistent speeds throughout the domicile.
These WAPs need to communicate with one another,
especially in a mesh system, in order to relay data to and
from devices and the operator’s network. The connection
between WAPs in this system is called a backhaul, and the
faster it is, the faster devices will connect through this
chain to the internet.
Dedicated Services
Some of the biggest winners from the developments
in Wi-Fi 6E will be applications, such as virtual reality
(VR), augmented reality (AR), telemedicine, and
tele-education. Each of these is incredibly bandwidth
intensive and requires extremely low latency. The Wi-Fi
6E’s ability to control congestion and boost the physical
layer’s throughput makes it particularly well-suited for
enabling the growth and mainstream adoption of these
applications and others like them.
General Improvements in Existing Experiences
A rising tide of new spectrum lifts all connected
experiences. As 6 GHz channels are carved out for
specific devices or applications, such as set-tops, tablets,
and streaming 8K video, they will arrive without the
buffering, latency, time outs, adaptive bit rate (ABR)
image quality adjustments, and many other
compromises associated with today’s Wi-Fi.
LEAD APPLICATIONS
The advantages of speed, latency, and reliability make
Wi-Fi 6E purpose-built for a number of demanding
applications:
Wire Replacement
Ever since Wi-Fi took the place of a wired Ethernet
connection, it has struggled to deliver comparable
performance. If the connection is to work and work well,
a cable has always been a simple solution. However, Wi-Fi
6E narrows the gap so closely that the differences between
wired and wireless are almost negligible. It makes Wi-Fi
6E a particularly good candidate for applications in which
running wires through existing structures can be both
costly and inconvenient.