If internet connections are decent, most people don’t give their Wi-Fi routers a second thought. There’s no reason to worry about a working router, right?
Wrong. An old router can slow down your internet speeds or have trouble handling multiple devices. Slow internet can be extremely frustrating — especially if you’re trying to get work or schoolwork done from home. There are ways to speed up your internet signal, so you can start by trying those tricks.
Beyond speed, you might want to replace your router for other reasons. Wi-Fi 6 routers are a huge upgrade compared to old technology, and contrary to popular belief, they are no longer overly expensive or hard to find. They’re widely available and affordable. There are tons of other reasons you should upgrade to a Wi-Fi 6 router, too. Let’s take a look.
1. Fastest speeds and best range
There is no point in buying a router without Wi-Fi since it will soon be a standard for all routers. The Wi-Fi 6 router is the most up-to-date tech on the market, and it offers significant improvements over current Wi-Fi 5 routers most people are using. Two of those improvements come from the Wi-Fi 6 speeds and range.
These routers offer the fastest speeds and the best range of any on the market, which means you’ll have lightning-fast internet that reaches from one corner of your house to the other, and one end of the yard and back again. The max speed for a Wi-Fi 6 router is 10Gbps, which is a huge improvement compared with max speeds of around 3Gbps for a Wi-Fi 5 router.
Your range will be better, too. Wi-Fi 6 routers offer features like beamforming, which sends Wi-Fi signals directly to users rather than sending them over a broad spectrum. Beamforming works by directing signals on transmitters and receivers to improve transmission speed, which means you’ll get a direct “beam” of Wi-Fi to your device, making your browsing and downloads faster.
Related: Click or tap here for ways to check your internet speed
2. Best performance if you have a household with lots of devices
Wi-Fi 6 routers are also more capable than Wi-Fi 5 routers of handling heavy loads of devices. If you’ve got a house full of people trying to login to online school, work remotely or stream media on their off time, you need to upgrade.
The reason Wi-Fi 6 routers can handle more devices is they use Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) modulation, which allows them to assign channels to each device that’s logged on based on what they need.
If someone in your home uses a ton of signal to stream or download movies, OFDMA determines the right channel for them to be on. If someone else uses Facebook and minimal data, OFDMA will assign them to a channel based on their needs. It’s basically tailoring Wi-Fi needs based on each person’s usage.
3. Ideal for high-def streaming
Love streaming content? Of course you do — we all do now that we’re stuck at home most of the time. If you’re sick of seeing the spinning wheel as videos buffer, you need to invest in a Wi-Fi 6 router. They are ideal for 4K and even 8K UHD streaming. This type of streaming requires a consistent high-speed connection, and that’s precisely what Wi-Fi 6 routers offer.
This is incredibly useful in households with multiple device users, which puts an even greater load on the network. Wi-Fi 6 routers can handle it, thanks to ultra-fast processors, increased memory and radio streams. No more buffering for your household. Sounds awesome!
Related: Fix your Wi-Fi with these 10 ways to get faster speeds
4. Designed for smart homes with lots of Internet of Things gadgets
Nearly everyone has a smart device or two in their homes right now. Whether that’s an Echo smart speaker or a robot vacuum, we’re all jumping on the smart home train. All of these devices require Wi-Fi to work, and that can put a serious strain on your signal.
Not if you’re using a Wi-Fi 6 router, though. They can handle as many as 50 devices or more compared to the average of 10 that Wi-Fi 5 routers could handle. That means you can connect as many smart devices to your Wi-Fi as you want if you upgrade. These routers were designed to handle a hefty number of devices without draining your Wi-Fi.
Upgrade, and you’ll get a smooth streaming experience while your Wi-Fi-connected robot-vac cleans the floors, smart plugs adjust the lights, the smart thermostat keeps your home at the right temp and all of your other smart devices keep your house moving. Who doesn’t want the Wi-Fi enabled help around the home?