5G vs Wi-Fi 6: which is better?

5G and Wi-Fi 6 are the newest wireless connectivity technologies on the block. They’re both remarkable advances that will greatly enhance connectivity for consumers and businesses.

But which is the better technology?

What’s the difference between 5G and Wi-Fi 6?

5G and Wi-Fi 6 are both wireless networks, but by design, they’re immensely different due to the environments they focus on.

5G is the latest cellular network – a wide area network (WAN) used indoors and outdoors and primarily designed for long-distance communication.

Wi-Fi 6 is the newest generation of Wi-Fi, and it’s used primarily indoors—inside homes and workplaces.

How have these wireless technologies improved?

Both 5G and Wi-Fi 6 provide increased speeds and capacity, plus lower latency, compared to their previous versions.

What does this mean in terms of performance? 5G will be able to connect more devices, transmit more data, deliver faster connectivity, and provide significantly enhanced user experiences.

Wi-Fi 6 boasts similarly impressive improvements, delivering 4x higher capacity and 75% lower latency than the previous version. With its speed and security, there won’t be a need for the webs of computer cables that come with traditional LANs anymore.

Is 5G better than Wi-Fi 6 for home networking?

Wi-Fi has long been the go-to technology for connecting devices in the home. But 5G private networks are a viable alternative.

Private networks give you more control over your connectivity than Wi-Fi, while boosting both security and coverage, all at a fixed cost. They essentially work as LANs for home connectivity, or concentrated areas with lots of devices like shopping centres.

Is 5G more reliable than Wi-Fi 6?

5G uses macro cells and licensed spectrum, which faces far less interference than unlicensed spectrum. This usually translates to higher levels of reliability.

Wi-Fi 6 has also made leaps and bounds in reliability, but for certain projects, segmenting a specific private network on a licensed spectrum may be a better option.

How 5G and Wi-Fi 6 integrate with IoT

With such exciting advances in both technologies, they’re both among the best options for connecting large IoT device suites.

As for which is most suited to your needs, that depends on your project. But with both offering improved capacity, faster speeds, and lower latency, data can be shared and communicated more quickly and reliably via IoT.

How exactly do 5G and Wi-Fi complement each other?

Ultimately, the primary purposes of these technologies haven’t changed, but their respective advancements have made it possible for their functionalities to overlap.

Although their origins of purpose may differ, Wi-Fi and 5G offer many complementary functionalities. Comparing them is natural but pitting them against one another may be counterintuitive.

Wi-Fi and 5G can even be used simultaneously. For instance, a connected car could offer Wi-Fi for users’ devices, while the car connects to a 5G cellular network.

Long may the productive comparisons continue, but for the sake of optimised growth and new network innovations, the focus should be on how 5G and Wi-Fi 6 can work together. That’s how our communication and connectivity capabilities can be enhanced even further.

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