Wi-Fi 6E, the latest advancement in Wi-Fi technology, offers several benefits when enabled on your iPhone or Mac, but it can also cause problems. This article explains what Wi-Fi 6E is, which Apple devices support it, and how to turn it off if you encounter issues.
What is Wi-Fi 6E?
Wi-Fi 6 operates on the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, while Wi-Fi 6E also works over the 6GHz band for increased bandwidth. Wi-Fi 6E offers faster wireless speeds, lower latency, and less signal interference, so long as a supported device is connected to a Wi-Fi 6E router, which are available from brands like TP-Link, Asus, and Netgear.
Wi-Fi 6E can handle more simultaneous connections without a decrease in performance, making it ideal for environments with many connected devices, such as smart homes and modern offices.
Does My Apple Device Support Wi-Fi 6E?
As Wi-Fi 6E is relatively new, not all devices support it yet. This means you might not be able to take full advantage of its features if other devices in your network are not Wi-Fi 6E compatible. Apple devices that support the standard are as follows:
Using Wi-Fi 6E Networks
To use a Wi-Fi 6E network with an Apple device, you need a Wi-Fi 6E router that also has its 2.4GHz or 5GHz bands enabled. For the best Wi-Fi performance, Apple recommends using a single network name across the router's 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands. Otherwise, your Apple device will identify the network as having "limited compatibility," and the overall experience with some activities over the network might not be as expected.
Disabling Wi-Fi 6E Networks
The 6 GHz frequency band can have a shorter range and less ability to penetrate walls and other obstacles compared to the lower 2.4 GHz band. This might require more strategic placement of routers or the use of range extenders in larger spaces. Additionally, if your Mac is experiencing the "limited connectivity" issues described above, it may potentially lead to increased power consumption on your Mac, which could impact battery life.
Fortunately, if you experience any issues with a Wi-Fi 6E network, you can turn off Wi-Fi 6E mode for that network, and your Apple device will no longer use that network's 6GHz band.
On Mac
On iPhone and iPad
Source: Macrumors