What is WiFi 6 and how fast really is it?

WiFi 6, also known as 802.11ax, is one of the latest versions of wireless technology, designed to improve speed, efficiency, and performance across multiple devices. Unlike older WiFi standards, which can slow down when lots of devices are connected, WiFi 6 is built for households where everything from phones and laptops to smart TVs relies on a strong connection.

This means faster downloads, smoother 4K streaming, reduced lag when gaming, and more dependable performance overall. It also uses smarter technology to share bandwidth efficiently, reduce interference from nearby networks, and keep speeds consistent—even during peak usage.

WiFi 6 uses advanced technology to make wireless internet connections faster, more efficient, and better at handling many devices at once. It builds on the foundations of WiFi 5 with new features that improve how data is sent and received between your devices and your router.  

These features include: 

1. OFDMA

OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access) helps make WiFi 6 networks more efficient and better at handling multiple devices. It means the WiFi network can divide its available bandwidth into smaller pieces called subchannels, which can then be assigned to different devices at the same time.   

OFDMA reduces latency and makes sure every device gets the data it needs without wasting time or bandwidth.

2. Increased Capacity (MU-MIMO)

MU-MIMO (Multi-User, Multiple Input, Multiple Output) helps improve how your router communicates with multiple devices. It works by allowing the router to use multiple antennas to send and receive data streams to several devices simultaneously, giving the router more “hands” to deliver data directly to different devices without having to take turns.   

WiFi 6 improves on MU-MIMO by supporting it for both downlink (data sent from the router to devices) and uplink (data sent from devices back to the router).

3. Battery Efficiency (Target Wake Time - TWT)

Target Wake Time (TWT) helps devices save battery power by scheduling when they connect to the network. Instead of staying connected to WiFi all the time, devices can “sleep” and only wake up when they need to send or receive data.   

This makes TWT especially useful for devices like smartphones, smartwatches, and Internet of Things (IoT) gadgets, such as smart thermostats or security cameras

4. Better Performance in Congestion (BSS Colouring)

BSS (Basic Service Set) Colouring reduces interference and improves the efficiency of wireless networks, especially in crowded areas.  

With BSS Colouring, WiFi 6 assigns a unique "colour" (a small identifier) to each network or access point operating on the same channel. This allows devices to differentiate between their own network and other nearby networks, reducing delays, improving speed, and making the network more efficient in places like flats, offices, and public hotspots.

WiFi 6 is much faster than older WiFi versions, with speeds of up to 3.5Gbps on the 2.4GHz band and up to 9.6Gbps on the 5GHz band. This is more than double the maximum speed of WiFi 5, which has a top speed of 3.5 Gbps on 5GHz.  

WiFi 6 eliminates lag and buffering for an excellent streaming, gaming, and browsing experience across a multitude of devices. Its key advantage isn't just faster peak speeds - it's consistent high-performance speeds to every device on the busy modern network. No more battling for bandwidth!  

Your actual speed will depend on your broadband connectivity, router model, device capabilities, and other factors like distance from the router or wireless interference. Use our broadband speed test to find out your real-time speed.  

When comparing WiFi 6 and WiFi 5, WiFi 6 improves on speed, performance and efficiency. Here’s how the two compare side by side:

For most households, WiFi 6 is definitely worth it, especially if you usually have lots of devices connected at the same time. 

It’s not just about faster speeds. WiFi 6 is designed to deliver a more reliable connection across your home, with less buffering, smoother video calls, and better performance for gaming and streaming. 

Even if some of your devices don’t support WiFi 6 yet, they’ll still connect, and most newer devices already do.

The easiest way to check is by looking at your router. If it supports WiFi 6, it will usually be branded as “WiFi 6” or “802.11ax”.  

Most newer smartphones, laptops, and tablets support WiFi 6, but older devices may not. Using the latest firmware and drivers optimises WiFi 6 performance as well.  

To enjoy the faster speeds of WiFi 6:  

• Your wireless router must be 802.11ax compatible  

• Connected devices like phones and laptops must support WiFi 6.  

By upgrading your router and devices to WiFi 6 together, you can get WiFi 6 benefits of faster speeds, lower latency, and reduced jitter.

Yes! Our Hub 5 and Hub 5x support WiFi 6, delivering faster speeds and more reliable performance across your home.  

We’re gradually rolling out Hub 5 upgrades to selected customers using an older model, like the Hub 3 or Hub 3, at no extra cost, by moving to one of our Gig1 or Gig2 broadband packages. 

Check if you're eligible by signing in to My Virgin Media. If you’re a new customer, check out our gigabit broadband deals to browse all of our WiFi 6 compatible broadband packages!