Wi-Fi 6 Release 2 promises lower energy use and faster uploads

TL;DR

• Wi-Fi 6 Revision 2 is an update to the current wireless network standard.
• The new version doesn't add frequencies or improve downlink speed.
• Uplink speeds and power management are the main features.

Just like the Wi-Fi 6 release 1, the second revision tries to improve usage in areas with lots of simultaneous devices — traffic density, in the Wi-Fi Alliance (WFA) words. One of the advancements is using multi-user MIMO (multiple-input, multiple-output) for the uplink connection — going from the device to the access point/router/modem.

The main advantages are faster data transfers and lower latencies, which the WFA described as an answer to the increasing demands for file uploads, video conferencing, cloud game streaming, and more devices being connected 24/7 — the organization estimates that two billion Wi-Fi 6 devices will enter the market this year.

Power efficiency

For always-connected devices, the new revision also brings improvements in power management, with new features for low power modes, specially designed for enterprise and IoT use, promising a more efficient energy usage for battery-powered devices.

The new Wi-Fi 6 Release 2 — or Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 Release 2, according to the Wi-Fi Alliance — works on the same currently used frequencies: 2.4, 5, and 6 GHz, but requires certified devices and access points to use the new features. The certification program is already available for interested parties, but the WFA did not announce when we will be able to buy compatible devices.