Side-by-Side Comparison
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi 5 vs. Wi-Fi 6E
Comparing 2 standards across 15 specifications. 15 key differences identified.
Comparing:
Wi-Fi 5
Wi-Fi 6E
Wi-Fi 5 (IEEE 802.11ac) was ratified in 2013, operating exclusively in the 5 GHz band. It introduced 80 MHz and 160 MHz channel bonding, 256-QAM modulation, and multi-user MIMO (MU-MIMO) downlink, reaching theoretical maximum data rates up to 6.93 Gbps.
Wi-Fi 6E is an extension of the IEEE 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) standard into the unlicensed 6 GHz frequency band (5.925–7.125 GHz). It provides up to 1,200 MHz of additional contiguous spectrum, unlocking 14 extra 80 MHz or 7 extra 160 MHz channels completely free from legacy interference and radar DFS restrictions.
Specification Comparison Table
15 Parameters| Parameter / Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
|
IEEE Standard
|
IEEE 802.11ac-2013 | IEEE 802.11ax-2021 (6 GHz Extension) |
|
Wi-Fi Generation
|
Wi-Fi 5 | Wi-Fi 6E |
|
Frequency Bands
|
5 GHz only (2.4 GHz uses 802.11n) | 6 GHz (5.925 to 7.125 GHz in US; 5.945 to 6.425 GHz in EU) |
|
Max Theoretical PHY Rate
|
6.93 Gbps | 9.6 Gbps |
|
Ratification Year
|
2013 (Wave 1) / 2016 (Wave 2) | — |
|
Max Channel Width
|
160 MHz | — |
|
Typical Client PHY Rate (2x2)
|
866.7 Mbps | — |
|
Max Spatial Streams (MIMO)
|
8x8 (Wave 2) | — |
|
Multi-User MIMO
|
Downlink Only (DL MU-MIMO in Wave 2) | — |
|
Modulation Standard
|
256-QAM | — |
|
Available 6 GHz Spectrum (US)
|
— | 1200 MHz |
|
Available 6 GHz Spectrum (EU)
|
— | 480 MHz |
|
160 MHz Non-Overlapping Channels
|
— | Up to 7 (in 1200 MHz domains) |
|
DFS Radar Avoidance Requirement
|
— | None (Zero DFS in 6 GHz) |
|
Legacy Device Interference
|
— | None (6 GHz-only devices allowed) |