Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6
Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 ® , the industry certification program based on the IEEE 802.11ax standard, provides the capacity, efficiency, coverage, and performance required by users today in the most demanding Wi-Fi ® environments. Emphasizing quality connectivity in locations with hundreds or thousands of connected devices such as stadiums and other public venues, as well as corporate networks utilizing time sensitive, high bandwidth applications, Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 networks ensure each connected device performs at an optimum level. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 devices meet the highest standards for security and interoperability, and enable lower battery consumption, making it a solid choice for any environment, including the Internet of Things (IoT).
Key benefits of Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 technology include:
- Higher data rates
- Increased capacity
- Performance in environments with many connected devices
- Improved power efficiency
Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 provides the foundation for a host of current and emerging uses from streaming ultra high-definition movies, to mission-critical business applications requiring high bandwidth and low latency, to staying connected and productive while traversing large, congested networks in airports and train stations.
Wi-Fi 6E extends Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 into 6 GHz
Wi-Fi operation in the 6 GHz frequency band enables Wi-Fi to continue delivering positive experiences for the most bandwidth intensive applications. Wi-Fi 6E certification as part of Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 offers the features and capabilities of Wi-Fi 6, extended to the 6 GHz band. Several nations around the globe are making the 6 GHz band available for unlicensed use, and Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 provides worldwide interoperability certification for devices in these markets.
Wi-Fi 6E can utilize up to 14 additional 80 MHz channels or seven additional superwide 160 MHz channels in 6 GHz for applications such as high-definition video streaming and virtual reality. Wi-Fi 6E devices leverage these wider channels and additional capacity to deliver greater network performance and support more Wi-Fi users at once, even in very dense and congested environments. Wi-Fi 6E will bring greater technology advancements in Wi-Fi that will introduce new use cases, such as unified communications, cloud computing, and telepresence, and accelerate the next generation connectivity with 5G networks.
Wi-Fi 6E and incumbent devices
Wi-Fi Alliance seeks global harmonization of 6 GHz spectrum so that Wi-Fi devices can perform in 6 GHz spectrum anywhere in the world. To achieve this goal, it is important that Wi-Fi and incumbent devices utilizing the 6 GHz band coexist.
Wi-Fi Alliance is leading the development of specifications and test plans that can help ensure that standard power Wi-Fi devices operate in 6 GHz spectrum under favorable conditions, avoiding interference with incumbent devices. To support this, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) established a requirement for an Automated Frequency Coordination (AFC) system, which is being considered by other regulatory agencies, to ensure consistent experiences with Wi-Fi 6E devices. Wi-Fi Alliance development efforts on this innovative system are ongoing, with the aim of ensuring the worldwide adoption, interoperability, security, and reliability expected of Wi-Fi.
AFC Test Harness is a software platform originally developed by Wi-Fi Alliance to interact with a 6 GHz standard power device using interfaces defined in the AFC System to Device Interface Specification. The AFC Test Harness simulates behavior of an AFC System and is used to automate procedures described in the AFC DUT Compliance Test Plan for 6 GHz standard power devices for compliance with regulatory requirements established by National Regulatory Authorities (NRA). However, Wi-Fi Alliance makes no representation regarding the ability to employ 6 GHz standard power devices that are deemed acceptable using the software and test plan under any NRA; authority for operation may be separately required by the NRA.
For more information on AFC development, download the specification, test plan, reference model, and AFC Test Harness software.
Innovation and performance in challenging environments
The ubiquity of Wi-Fi and its ability to complement other wireless technologies helps bring the promise of connecting everyone and everything, everywhere, closer to reality. Wi-Fi popularity has also created very diverse and densely populated Wi-Fi conditions, requiring technological advances to meet the needs of users. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 delivers improvements and new features that enable Wi-Fi devices to operate efficiently in the most dense and dynamic connectivity settings.
- Orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) effectively shares channels to increase network efficiency and lower latency for both uplink and downlink traffic in high demand environments
- Multi-user multiple input, multiple output (multi-user MIMO) allows more data to be transferred at one time, enabling access points (APs) to concurrently handle more devices
- 160 MHz channel utilization capability increases bandwidth to deliver greater performance with low latency
- Target wake time (TWT) significantly improves network efficiency and device battery life, including IoT devices
- 1024 quadrature amplitude modulation mode (1024-QAM) increases throughput for emerging, bandwidth intensive uses by encoding more data in the same amount of spectrum
- Transmit beamforming enables higher data rates at a given range to increase network capacity
Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 devices bring enhanced performance to emerging applications such as virtual and augmented reality used in e-Learning, telepresence, and healthcare. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 also provides carriers and public Wi-Fi operators with more capabilities to support advanced connectivity in retail, stadiums, and transportation hubs, including a growing array of location-based applications and services.
Wi-Fi Alliance News See All
| Wi-Fi Alliance® advances testing of 6 GHz standard power devices controlled by the Automated Frequency Coordination (AFC) system |
| Wi-Fi® by the numbers: Technology momentum in 2023 |
| Artemis I is the first NASA mission to use Wi-Fi® in lunar orbit |
The Signal Podcast See All
| Episode 41: Wi-Fi 6 delivers seamless connectivity at the Washington Commanders training facility with Mike Zeto of Boingo |
| Episode 40: Wi-Fi 6 is powering the Industrial IoT landscape with Marian Kost of Texas Instruments |
| Episode 35: Ethical data collection over Wi-Fi® brings insight to operators with Nabil Bukhari of Extreme Networks |
Media Coverage See All
| Tech Talk: Wi-Fi 6 poised for mass market IoT – find out WHY and HOW here |
| Wi-Fi 6E is the must-have feature for your next phone — here’s why |
| Connectivity trends: All roads lead to Wi-Fi for 2023 and beyond, says Wi-Fi Alliance |
Product Finder
| Wi-Fi 6E certified products |
| Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 certified products |
Asset Packages (Highlights, Infographic, Quote Card)
- 6 GHz Wi-Fi®: Connecting to the future (2022)
- Generational Wi-Fi® User Guide
- Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6™: Advanced performance Wi-Fi® (2021)
- Generational Wi-Fi® UI Visuals
- Next generation Wi-Fi®: The future of connectivity (2018)
- Advanced Connectivity Era Highlights
- Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6™ Highlights
- Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6™ Features Graphics
- Wi-Fi 6 in Stadiums
- Wi-Fi 6 for Universities
- Wi-Fi 6E Highlights
- Wi-Fi 6 in Healthcare
- Wi-Fi® in Education
- COVID-19 and the Economic Value of Wi-Fi® (2020)
- Wi-Fi 6E: Wi-Fi® in the 6 GHz band (2021)
- Economic Value of Wi-Fi® Highlights
- Global Economic Value of Wi-Fi® (2021-2025)
- Wi-Fi 6E Insights – April 2021
- Wi-Fi 6E Insights – July 2021
- Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ Citywide Deployments in China
- Wi-Fi 6 for China Universities
- AFC Specification and Test Plans
- Wi-Fi 6E Insights – October 2021
- Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ Manufacturing Deployments in China
- Wi-Fi 6E Insights – December 2021
- Wi-Fi 6E Insights – April 2022
- IoT Highlights
- Wi-Fi 6E Insights – July 2022
- Wi-Fi 6E in Education: University of Michigan
- Wi-Fi 6E Insights – November 2022
- Optimizing Home IoT with Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ (2022)
- Wi-Fi® Sustainability Highlights
- Wi-Fi® Affordability Highlights
- Wi-Fi 6E Insights – March 2023
- Infographic — Wi-Fi® by the numbers (2023)
Wi-Fi Alliance Member Publications
| Examining the Security of Wi-Fi 6 and 5G Cisco |
| Multi-User MIMO in Wi-Fi 6 Arista Networks |
| 6GHz Wi-Fi — The Silver Bullet for Addressing the 1000x Data Challenge Using Unlicensed Spectrum Arista Networks |
| A Guide to Wi-Fi 6E – Wi-Fi 6 in the 6 GHz Band Litepoint |
- 6 GHz AFC Resources
- Advanced Connectivity Era
- Countries Enabling Wi-Fi 6E
- Education
- Enterprise
- Healthcare
- Internet of Things
- Miracast
- Operators
- Passpoint
- Security
- Unlicensed Spectrum
- Value of Wi-Fi
- Wi-Fi Agile Multiband
- Wi-Fi Aware
- Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6
- Wi-Fi CERTIFIED ac
- Wi-Fi CERTIFIED HaLow
- Wi-Fi CERTIFIED n
- Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Voice-Enterprise
- Wi-Fi CERTIFIED WiGig
- Wi-Fi CERTIFIED WMM Programs
- Wi-Fi Data Elements
- Wi-Fi Direct
- Wi-Fi Easy Connect
- Wi-Fi EasyMesh
- Wi-Fi Home Design
- Wi-Fi Location
- Wi-Fi Optimized Connectivity
- Wi-Fi Protected Setup
- Wi-Fi QoS Management
- Wi-Fi Vantage
© 2023 Wi-Fi Alliance. All rights reserved.
Wi-Fi ® , the Wi-Fi logo, the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED logo, and other marks are trademarks of Wi-Fi Alliance.
Certification
Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ is an internationally recognized seal of approval for products indicating that they have met industry-agreed standards for interoperability, security, and a range of application specific protocols.
Certification means that a product has been tested in a variety of ways to validate interoperability with other Wi-Fi CERTIFIED equipment operating in the same frequency band.
Wi-Fi CERTIFIED products have undergone rigorous testing by one of three certification paths:
FlexTrack: Tailored to sophisticated product design built from the ground up. FlexTrack allows the most flexible Wi-Fi functionality customization built into components. Testing is completed at an Authorized Test Laboratory (ATL).
QuickTrack: Tailored to products based on components that have already completed full Wi-Fi functionality testing in a Qualified Solution. QuickTrack allows targeted changes to Wi-Fi functionality. Testing can be completed at an ATL or member testing site. Programs for which QuickTrack is available include: Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 ® and Wi-Fi 6E operation, Wi-Fi CERTIFIED ac, Wi-Fi CERTIFIED n, Wi-Fi Agile Multiband ™ , Wi-Fi Data Elements™, Protected Management Frames, WPA2 ™ , WPA3 ™ , Wi-Fi Enhanced Open ™ , Wi-Fi Protected Setup™, and Wi-Fi Direct ® .
Derivative: For copies of a Wi-Fi CERTIFIED device Source Product, such as the same chipset used for multiple laptop models. Members may apply for certification of derivative products without the testing requirement.
Certification is available for a wide range of consumer, enterprise, and operator-specific products, including smartphones, appliances, computers and peripherals, networking infrastructure, and consumer electronics. The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED logo gives consumers confidence that a product will deliver a good user experience. Service providers and enterprise IT managers specify Wi-Fi CERTIFIED to reduce support costs and ensure a product has met industry-agreed requirements.
A company must be a member of Wi-Fi Alliance ® and achieve certification to use the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED logo and Wi-Fi CERTIFIED certification marks.
