1. Clarification of Commonly Confused Concepts: 5G vs. 5GHz WiFi (WiFi 5)
Core Differences Comparison Table
| Comparison Dimension |
5G (5th Generation Mobile Networks) |
5GHz WiFi (Core Frequency Band of WiFi 5) |
| Technical Nature |
Cellular Mobile Communication Technology (Mobile Signal) |
Wireless Local Area Network Communication (WiFi Standard) |
| Typical Frequency |
850~900MHz、1900~2100MHz、2.6GHz、3.3GHz |
5.1GHz~5.8GHz |
| Dependent Equipment |
Carrier Base Stations + 5G Devices (e.g., Smartphones) |
Wireless Routers + WiFi Devices (e.g., Computers) |
| Coverage Range |
Wide Area (Urban, Outdoor, Mobile Scenarios) |
Local Area (Home, Office, Fixed Small Areas) |
2. Overview of the WiFi Family: Evolution Timeline
Technical Evolution Process
WiFi 5 (802.11ac): Released in 2014, served as the main frequency band of 5GHz, with a maximum single-stream rate of 866Mbps.
WiFi 6 (802.11ax): Released in 2019, supports dual-band 2.4/5GHz, introducing core technologies such as OFDMA and 1024-QAM.
WiFi 6E (802.11ax): Upgraded in 2020, added support for the 6GHz band, addressing congestion issues in older frequency bands.
WiFi 7 (802.11be): Commercialized in 2024, supports triple-band 2.4/5/6GHz, with a maximum rate of up to 30Gbps.
WiFi 8 (802.11bn): The next-generation wireless network technology, currently under standardization, expected to be released in 2028.
3. Core Differences Between WiFi 5, WiFi 6, and WiFi 6E
Key Parameters Comparison Table
| Comparison Dimension |
WiFi5 |
WiFi6 |
WiFi6E |
| Frequency Band |
5GHz |
2.4GHz\5GHz |
2.4GHz\5GHz\6GHz |
| Single-Stream Max Rate |
866Mbps |
1200Mbps |
| Modulation Scheme |
OFDM、256-QAM |
OFDMA、MU-MIMO、1024-QAM |
| Max MIMO |
4T4R |
8T8R |
| Latency Performance |
20-30ms |
Below 10ms |
4. Why Do We Need 6GHz?
4.1 Challenges Facing Existing Frequency Bands
(1) 2.4GHz Band: High density of devices, numerous sources of interference (e.g., Bluetooth devices, microwave ovens, other WiFi equipment), resulting in poor signal stability.
(2) 5GHz Band: A sharp increase in devices supporting this band in recent years (e.g., smartphones, tablets, smart home devices), leading to severe congestion and fluctuating speeds.
4.2 Core Advantages of the New 6GHz Band
(1) Wider Bandwidth: Provides an additional 1200MHz of spectrum, supporting more "high-speed data channels" to meet the demands of high-speed transmission for multiple devices.
(2) Less Interference: As a newly opened band, there are currently fewer devices that support it, resulting in less external interference during signal transmission and higher stability.
(3) Lower Latency: Reduces the probability of signal collisions, making it better suited for scenarios requiring low latency, such as competitive gaming and live streaming.
4.3 Is the Difference Between WiFi 6 and WiFi 6E Just an "E"?
(1) Technical Perspective: The only technical addition in WiFi 6E compared to WiFi 6 is the "support for the 6GHz band"; its core technologies are fundamentally the same as WiFi 6.
(2) Practical Experience: When multiple devices are connected simultaneously, WiFi 6E can "offload" some devices to the 6GHz band, avoiding congestion in the 5GHz band. This results in a speed improvement of 20%-50% compared to standard WiFi 6.
5. Technical Advancements and New Features of WiFi 7
(1) Full Band Support: Supports triple-band operation (2.4GHz + 5GHz + 6GHz), allowing flexible switching based on scenario (2.4GHz for longer range, 6GHz for high-speed transmission).
(2) 320MHz Channel Bandwidth: Compared to WiFi 6's maximum 160MHz bandwidth, WiFi 7 doubles the channel width, enabling single-stream rates of up to 3.6 Gbps.
(3) 4096-QAM: WiFi 7 further increases data "packing density." Compared to the 1024-QAM used in WiFi 6, this provides a 20% speed increase.
(4) 16x16 MU-MIMO:WiFi 7 increases the maximum number of spatial streams from 8 to 16 (i.e., 16T16R).
(5) Multi-Link Operation (MLO): Devices can transmit data simultaneously over multiple frequency bands (e.g., aggregating the 5GHz and 6GHz bands), allowing effective transmission speeds to exceed the limits of a single band.
(6) Preamble Puncturing: If a small portion of a frequency band experiences interference, communication data can skip the interfered segment and continue normal transmission on the remaining clean spectrum, thereby improving interference resistance.
