Wi-Fi 6 is the latest and greatest in Wi-Fi technology. It’s faster, handles more traffic, saves battery life, reduces interference, improves security, and more.
With so many benefits, it seems like an obvious choice to upgrade, but what about your existing hardware? Does Wi-Fi 6 work with older devices?
Yes
Wi-Fi 6 is backward compatible with all 802.11 standards. If your older devices operate on Wi-Fi 5, Wi-Fi 4, or even older standards, they can still operate on a Wi-Fi 6 network. In fact, Wi-Fi 6 routers and equipment won’t have any trouble at all communicating with the older devices and quarterbacking them very efficiently.
You can mix and match, and it all works just fine.
But Also No
With that said, there are some things to note. Mostly, you need to know that older devices will not enjoy all of the maximum benefits possible with Wi-Fi 6. Generally speaking, older devices won’t run as fast or efficiently. In fact, there are four specific Wi-Fi 6 advantages that will be diminished or entirely missing from older devices on the network.
The first is operating bands. Wi-Fi 6 utilizes 2.4, 5, and 6 GHz bands. That allows it to manage a lot of traffic with minimal interference. The challenge is that older devices can’t connect to the 6 GHz band and may only be able to connect to the 2.4 or 5 GHz band. They’ll still work, but they can’t utilize the full frequency range that Wi-Fi 6 offers.
Speed is a similar story. Wi-Fi 6 offers data rates of up to 9.6 Gbps. If your connected device can’t keep up, effective speeds will be lower.
Security is something else to consider. Wi-Fi 6 utilizes WPA3 encryption. It’s more powerful, but older devices don’t support it. In those cases, Wi-Fi 6 can encrypt via WPA2, but you’re losing security efficacy.
The last major issue is battery life. Wi-Fi 6 is designed with target wake time in mind. This minimizes battery use between transmissions and can dramatically expand battery life for connected devices. But, if the connected device doesn’t use target wake time, then the battery savings are lost.
In the end, Wi-Fi 6 is definitely compatible with older devices, but you are losing performance when you cling to your older hardware.
Additional Learning Center Resources
FAQs
WiFi 6 routers are 100% backwards compatible with WiFi 5 and older WiFi devices.
Can an old device connect to Wi-Fi 6? ›
Yes. Wi-Fi 6 is backward compatible with all 802.11 standards.
Is Wi-Fi 6 better for older devices? ›
A Wi-Fi 6 router will still work with older devices, you just won't enjoy all the benefits listed above. You'll want a fully compatible new router, computer, and phone to really enjoy Wi-Fi 6. Some computers can be upgraded inexpensively with new network cards to become Wi-Fi 6 compatible, but not all of them.
How do I know if my devices are Wi-Fi 6 compatible? ›
To check if your device supports Wi-Fi 6, follow these steps: Review device specifications on the manufacturer's website or user manual. For PCs, inspect network adapter details in the Device Manager. On smartphones/tablets, check network settings for Wi-Fi version information.
What devices can run Wi-Fi 6? ›
Wi-Fi 6 compatible phones
- Huawei P40 and most later models.
- iPhone 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max and most later models.
- Samsung Galaxy S10, S10+, Galaxy Note 10, Galaxy Note 10+, S20 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold 2 and most later models.
- Google Pixel 6 and most later models.
- OnePlus 8, 8 Pro, and most newer models.
Many devices may still work properly on the network using Wi-Fi 6, but not all devices will support the new standard. In other words, some devices connecting to your Wi-Fi 6 network may not experience increased speed and other Wi-Fi 6 benefits, or they may encounter problems connecting.
Is Wi-Fi 6 compatible with 2.4 GHz devices? ›
Only devices that support WiFi 6E can connect to the 6 GHz WiFi, devices that only support WiFi 6 can only use 2.4GHz and 5GHz WiFi.
Is there a downside to Wi-Fi 6? ›
With more WiFi 6 devices hitting the market, users can expect a superior wireless experience. Still, the high cost of WiFi 6 routers and limited compatibility with older devices are drawbacks that need consideration before upgrading.
Is it worth switching to Wi-Fi 6? ›
Well, it's faster. Much faster. It's been reported that WiFi 6 has up to 75% less latency than previous iterations. This means, on a practical level, that you will experience way less lag during your gaming and streaming experiences, and your download and upload speeds will be off the chart.
Does Wi-Fi 6 penetrate walls better? ›
If the device you're using, the Wi-Fi 6, has a bigger distance from the router, Wi-Fi 6 will find it difficult to penetrate the walls better. Hence, you should minimize the distance between the device and the router to ensure faster signals.
Wi-Fi 6 is designed to be backwards compatible with previous standards. That means that the vast majority of Wi-Fi products you have in your home probably work with Wi-Fi 6, even if almost none of them support 802.11ax .
Does Roku support WiFi 6? ›
At this time, no Roku device supports any form of WiFi 6.
Will WiFi 5 devices work with WiFi 6? ›
Most modern devices, including smartphones, laptops, and tablets, are already WiFi 6 compatible. However, if you have older devices that only support WiFi 5, they can still connect to a WiFi 6 network, but they won't be able to take full advantage of the improved speed and performance.
Do I need Wi-Fi 6 devices? ›
If your router's hooked up to multiple laptops, phones, tablets, and smart TVs, you'll definitely benefit from a Wi-Fi 6 connection. Extra Security. Wi-Fi 6's WPA3 security protocol has more advanced data encryption than WPA2, which is one of many ways to prevent router hacking.
What Wi-Fi speed do I need for 6 devices? ›
It's good for 2–4 people and 5–7 devices. A 50 Mbps internet speed can handle 2–3 video streams plus some extra online activity. 100 Mbps—Good for 4–6 people and up to 10 devices. Most families would be amply covered with a 100 Mbps internet connection.
Can an old phone still connect to Wi-Fi? ›
Connect your Android phone to your Wi-Fi.
Swipe down the Android's home screen to show its Notification Tray. Tap the “Wi-Fi” button on the upper portion of the screen to enable its Wi-Fi connectivity. Once its Wi-Fi is switched on, your old Android phone should automatically connect to your Wi-Fi network.
Does Eero Wi-Fi 6 work with older devices? ›
Will the New eero 6 Systems Work With My Existing non-Wi-Fi 6 Compatible Devices? Yes, both eero 6 and eero Pro 6 are backward compatible with most wifi devices making it easy to expand or upgrade existing networks. We do extensive and ongoing testing to ensure backward compatibility for older customer devices.
Can Wi-Fi 6 handle more devices? ›
With WiFi 5, MU-MIMO enables routers to connect with a maximum of four devices simultaneously. With WiFi 6, this number increases to a maximum of eight devices.
How can I connect to Wi-Fi 6? ›
Connect the power adapter from the router to the adjacent wall outlet. Connect the Fiber Jack to the Wi-Fi 6 Router using the ethernet cable. The light on the router may flash yellow or blue as it turns on and connects to the network. The light will turn blue once setup is complete and the router is fully online.
