If you were to look at the difference’s on the packaging between a WiFi 6 router (802.11ax) and a WiFi 5 router (802.11ac) then you would probably say that there isn’t much difference if you were looking at the numbers. The improvement in speed in the 6-year gap between the two hasn’t shifted much, in fact, the advertised speeds on these devices look like they have only doubled and according to Moore’s Law, we should have seen at least a 6x in this amount of time so what gives?
What has happened is we have seen almost a 10x improvement but only a 2x on the numbers. The advertised speeds have always been a maximum theoretical speed and these have never been achievable so we are seeing a shift toward using more realistic numbers and there is some secret sauce in the background working its magic.
Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) is a truly amazing feature that is new and makes WiFi 6 routers the best choice for anyone looking for a faster and more reliable internet connection. This technology allows routers to divide their available bandwidth into smaller sub-channels, which can then be allocated to multiple devices simultaneously. This results in several key benefits that make WiFi 6 routers a great choice for homes, businesses, and other organizations.
One of the main advantages of OFDMA is that it allows for more efficient use of the available bandwidth. In previous generations of WiFi technology, a single device would take up the entire channel when it was communicating with the router. This meant that other devices in the area would have to wait their turn to use the network. With OFDMA, however, multiple devices can share the same channel, which means that everyone can access the network at the same time, without any delays or interruptions.
Let’s put this into perspective. Imagine you’re trying to stream a movie on your tablet, while your spouse is trying to work on their laptop, and your kids are trying to play an online game on their gaming console. With an older router, you would all have to take turns, which would result in buffering and delays for everyone. But with a WiFi 6 router that has OFDMA, all of your devices can connect to the network at the same time, and everyone can enjoy a smooth and seamless experience.
Another benefit of OFDMA is that it reduces the amount of congestion on the network. This is because the sub-channels that are created by the technology are much smaller than the channels used in previous generations of WiFi. This means that there are more channels available to devices, which helps to spread out the traffic, reducing the chances of congestion. This is especially important for crowded areas, such as apartment buildings, dormitories, and office buildings, where there are many devices trying to connect to the same network.
OFDMA also helps to improve the overall performance of the network. By allowing multiple devices to share the same channel, it ensures that there is always a steady stream of data flowing to and from each device. This results in faster speeds, lower latency, and improved reliability. This is especially important for online gaming, where every millisecond counts, and for streaming high-definition video content, where buffering can be a real issue.
OFDMA feature also allows for better power management. This is because the router can control how much power each device is using, which helps to conserve energy and extend the battery life of mobile devices. This is especially important for people who are always on the go and need their devices to last as long as possible.
Think of a WiFi 5 router as being a 4-lane highway and each WiFi device has packages that get delivered in their own truck. Ideally, each WiFi device gets its own lane but what happens when you add more than 4 devices to your network? When you add your IoT devices, cell phones, tablets, laptops, smart TVs & game consoles these lanes get pretty congested. So when 1 device slows down in a lane it affects all the traffic behind it and it becomes a cascading effect resulting in buffering and a bad connection. Sometimes it isn’t your partner trying to stream a movie that slows your network down it’s that fact you have 12 other IoT devices all waiting their turn.
Think of a WiFi 6 router as being a 6-lane railway that can stack carriages behind one another. The theoretical transfer speed may be similar because things are traveling at the same speed but you can move many more packages with fewer gaps.
So if you haven’t figured it out yet, OFDMA is a highly beneficial feature in WiFi 6, very handy if you have a few devices in your home or office. It allows for more efficient use of the available bandwidth, reduces congestion, improves performance, and better power management. This is why OFDMA is considered the best feature in WiFi 6 routers. If you’re looking for a faster and more reliable internet connection, a WiFi 6 router with OFDMA is the way to go. It will change the way you experience the internet and make your life more connected, more efficient and more enjoyable.
