WiFi-6, also called 802.11ax, is the newest WiFi protocol introduced with new routers that have fast hardware.
New routers that have the new WiFi-6 built-in are now available with many improvements over previous WiFi versions.
Improvements include up to 4X faster data rates, increased capacity, better performance in dense environments, Improved power efficiency, and better latency times.
WPA3, the replacement for WPA2 encryption, is also being introduced giving a much-needed boost to wireless security.
What is WiFi-6 Wireless Protocol?
WiFi-6 is the latest WiFi protocol and the replacement for the older Wireless-AC and Wireless-N protocols.
Originally called 802.11ax, it has been renamed WiFi-6 to give a simpler name in the hopes of making wireless protocols easier to understand.
Older protocols have also been renamed such as WiFi-5 for 802.11AC and WiFi-4 for 802.11N.
Whatever it is called, it is the newest generation of the ever-evolving wireless protocols with better speeds and security than previous versions.
Should You Upgrade Your Router to WiFi-6 Protocol?
If your current WiFi setup is working well for you, there is no need to rush out and get a WiFi-6 router.
802.11AC routers, now called WiFi-5, still work well and may even have a firmware update to get better speeds and security.
In fact, many fast 802.11AC routers had dropped in price and are now a bargain compared to when they were introduced.
For those with an older Wireless-N (802.11n) router, it is likely time to upgrade.
Wireless-N was introduced in 2009, and while at the time a big improvement, it is now very dated except for legacy devices.
New routers are backward compatible, so they will still work with any older devices still being used.
There are many units available, with the ones below our top picks for WiFi-6 routers.
*This post contains affiliate links.
Our Picks for Best WiFi-6 802.11ax Wireless Routers
- NETGEAR Nighthawk AX5400 WiFi 6 Router (RAX50)
- D-Link WiFi 6 Router AX4800
- NETGEAR Nighthawk AX12 (RAX120)
- ASUS RT-AX88U
- ASUS ROG Rapture
- TP-Link AX6000
- VANIN AX1500
- TP-Link WiFi-6 AX3000
The NETGEAR Nighthawk RAX50 is a router that has very fast wireless speeds with WiFi-6 802.11ax protocols.
It has a new design with four movable antennas and the controls in the center.
It can handle up to 20 streaming clients with no issues making it ideal in a busy home or small office.
A nice feature is it can create a single SSID for both 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz frequencies which works seamlessly.
The RAX50 also works well with older legacy devices and even has VPN options.
The AX4800 is a new WiFi-6 router from D-Link that makes many good routers.
It has a lot of built-in features such as voice control with Alexa and Google Assistant.
The AX4800 is a dual-band router with up to 6 simultaneous streams, which makes it a good unit in a busy WiFi environment.
Netgear is known for its WiFi routers with one WiFi-6 version called the Nighthawk RAX120.
It has all the newest WiFi technology and protocols and, like all Netgear routers, will have good support such as Firmware updates.
The processor is a 2.2GHz Quad-core along with 160MHz channel support that can give Gigabit WiFi speeds.
The unit is shaped with wings and has four antennas built into them.
The back has 4 Ethernet and 1 WAN Ports, 2 USB 3.0 along with a power button.
The Nighthawk RAX120 is also backward compatible, so it will work with older devices.
The ASUS RT-AX88U has WiFi-6 (802.11ax) built-in along with many other features.
It has 4 MU-MIMO antennas along with Beamforming.
The RT-AX88U runs a 1.8GHz Quad Core SoC processor with 1GB of RAM.
The back of the unit has a USB 3.1 port, 1 WAN, 8 Gigabit LAN ports, WPS, Reset and Power button.
ASUS uses WRT Firmware for their routers which give them many nice features such as prioritizing usage for a device over others, or running a VPN router using OpenVPN protocol.
The ASUS ROG Rapture is a bit of overkill for most and is a top-end gaming router built for speed with many extra features.
It will lock in 1 of the 15 5GHz WiFi channels which will only be used for gaming and automatically finding the least congested one to use.
The unit is also a whole home WiFi router built to handle many multiple connections simultaneously without slowing down.
It has eight WiFi antennas which are able to give many devices their own antenna for receiving and transmitting data.
It uses a 1.8GHz 64 bit Quad Core CPU and has a 2.5G gaming port.
There is also a built-in dedicated VPN that doesn’t slow down the rest of the router connections when in use.
TP-Link also has a WiFi-6 router called the AX6000.
It has a 1.8GHz 64-bit quad-core processor with 2 co-processors and 1GB of RAM.
The AX6000 has many nice features built-in such as parental controls, active content filtering, real time anti virus protection and more.
The VANIN AX1500 is a good entry router that has the new WiFi-6 AX protocols.
It is dual band, has WPA wireless security, and 4 antennas for WiFi.
While not a top-end router it will be good for those needed a basic unit without braking the bank.
It is a good upgrade from older routers for a home with basic internet and WiFi usage that want to update to the new more secure and faster protocols.
The TP-Link WiFi-6 AX3000 router is built for speed in a busy wireless environment
It has 4 external antennas and a dual-core CPU that makes it able to handle many connections at once.
The back has power, 1 WAN Ethernet port, 4 Ethernet LAN Ports, 1 USB, along with WPS and reset button.
The AX3000 also as many nice features such as parental controls.
Summary
If you are looking for a new router WiFI-6 is currently the best wireless protocols to look for.
The new 802.11ax WiFi-6 protocol has many advantages over previous wireless protocols.
Like all the past versions, each had better speeds and security, making them nice upgrades.
Depending on how busy home or office you have, it may not be necessary to upgrade unless better speed, security, and control are needed.
If you have a WiFi-5 (802.11ac) router waiting for the prices to drop may be a good idea.
For those with the older WiFi-4 (802.11n), router upgrading to a new unit will see a big improvement.
Have you upgraded to WiFi-6? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Which devices are compatible with the AX features?
I recently upgraded my parents WiFi to put in wireless security cameras, increase performance and range. They have an old Motorola WiFi 4 wireless gateway (modem/router combo) for cable internet with Xfinity. I kept it as their modem and added a new TP-Link Archer AX5400 WiFi 6 router. I had already given them a TP-Link range extender to try and improve the signal throughout the house inexpensively. I was a little reluctant to get the TP-Link because they charge a subscription fee for some features that come standard on other routers. My parents don’t really use those features though and already had the TP-Link extender. The AX5400 had good features, mostly good reviews and I figured it’d work more seamlessly with the extender than a different brand especially considering they both use TP-Links Android APP Tether for easy setup. So far I’ve been very happy with the performance and range of the new router. The signal covers their entire property inside and out with good performance. No need for the extender. I’m now considering getting one for myself to replace my old CISCO Linksys WiFi a/b/g/n router. I only get 40Mbps max from my ISP where I live and my current setup works fine for the most part. I would like the increased range, security (WPA3), and ability to handle more connected devices. The number of smart internet devices in my home continue to increase. It seems like a great router so far for most applications including gaming.
None of this helps If your ISP limits you to 80Mbps or 100Mbps. That’s the speed you’ll get, max, since you’re limited by the slowest speed in your signal chain.
You won’t see any faster WiFi speed until you upgrade your ISP’s internet speed, which may not even be possible for awhile if you live somewhere in the Rocky Mountain West or southern US.
Sadly I’ve already tried several of the wifi 6 routers from Netgear… they are not close to working properly yet… ESPECIALLY the RAX80 that for some reason is every website’s top choice. AX band on bricks it up. With it off, the 5ghz sometimes stops working. The router just does not function properly and there are many Netgear users extremely upset with Netgear not acknowledging that their firmware or hardware is not ready for 802.11ax at all. They need to take a step back and actually fix it before I’d recommend any of their wifi 6 line of devices, which hurts to say being somebody who has gone Netgear for years..
Why does every router nowadays need to look like a giant robot spider or a spaceship that would put Star Trek’s spaceship to shame?