WIFI 6 adapter on WIFI 5

[kapone32]

The question I have is will adding a WIFI 6 adapter (Intel AX200) to a WIFI 5 network provide any tangible benefits? Or do you need to have a WIFI 6 router to see the benefits over the previous gen (9260).

 

[EarthDog]

This depends on your network speeds really. Do you have enough bandwidth to saturate 5? If not, 6 wont be helpful in that regard.

What are Wi-Fi 5, Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E? The Wi-Fi generations explained

The different flavours of Wi-Fi have long had complicated names but, in an attempt to remove confusion, the Wi-Fi Alliance has renamed the versions.

www.google.com

 

[Jetster]

You need the router and enough traffic before you see benefits

"For starters, Wi-Fi 6 routers will be able to pack more information into each signal they send, which means they'll be able to communicate with devices faster and more efficiently. In addition, Wi-Fi 6 access points will be able to divy up each individual signal between multiple recipient devices, servicing all of them with a single transmission like a delivery truck driver with multiple stops on her route"

That's my understanding

 

[kapone32]

This depends on your network speeds really. Do you have enough bandwidth to saturate 5? If not, 6 wont be helpful in that regard.

What are Wi-Fi 5, Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E? The Wi-Fi generations explained

The different flavours of Wi-Fi have long had complicated names but, in an attempt to remove confusion, the Wi-Fi Alliance has renamed the versions.

www.google.com

I have the fastest available speed for my ISP. When the tech came in to do it he basically teamed 2 data lines. According to data I have looked at the maximum download speed is 60Mb/s. Maybe someone who is more familiar with Canadian fibre networks can help out?

 

[Deleted member 158293]

These Intel AX200 cards can be had for cheap, but the few good Wi-Fi 6 (ax) routers so far are anything but cheap. I'm still waiting for a decently priced AX router also, in the meantime they're great AC cards.

 

[kapone32]

You need the router and enough traffic before you see benefits

"For starters, Wi-Fi 6 routers will be able to pack more information into each signal they send, which means they'll be able to communicate with devices faster and more efficiently. In addition, Wi-Fi 6 access points will be able to divy up each individual signal between multiple recipient devices, servicing all of them with a single transmission like a delivery truck driver with multiple stops on her route"

That's my understanding

This is partly why I started this thread I have read reviews on Amazon for the AX200 and some people are saying that they saw speed improvements over the 9260 on WIFI 5. I made a sale yesterday so I am planning on getting a PCI_E adapter and a AX200 and see what happens without a WIFI 6 router. They are 2 expensive right now...well the Asus ones anyway.

 

[EarthDog]

I have the fastest available speed for my ISP. When the tech came in to do it he basically teamed 2 data lines. According to data I have looked at the maximum download speed is 60Mb/s. Maybe someone who is more familiar with Canadian fibre networks can help out?

Let's be clear.......... 60 Mbps or 60 MB/s????

Either way, you aren't saturating 5....

 

[kapone32]

Let's be clear.......... 60 Mbps or 60 MB/s????

Either way, you aren't saturating 5....

60 MB/s

Let's be clear.......... 60 Mbps or 60 MB/s????

Either way, you aren't saturating 5....

I know that the speeds are theoretical. Right now I get 7.3 MB/s using an Asus 1900 router and adapter. I just want to see if using the AX200 improves that.

 

[Jetster]

Still you need both Router and NIC

What is Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), and why do we need it?

Wi-Fi 6 is the latest wireless standard that is designed for dense deployments like stadiums and offices, but an even faster standard, Wi-Fi 6E, is enabling emerging technologies like virtual reality and 4K/8K video

www.networkworld.com

 

[kapone32]

Still you need both Router and NIC

I post my results on this thread. I just bought the AX200 for $31 and a $19 PCI_E Card. Total spend was $50. I have stated already that I am getting 7.3 MB/s with my current setup. That will serve as the benchmark.

 

[kapone32]

Ok the products are out for delivery from Amazon. I am excited to investigate the pros and cons!!!

 

[kapone32]

Sorry everyone it has been awhile since I looked at this post. The Intel AX200 WiFI adapter does improve on things;

1. I saw the highest download speed of 8.1 Mb/s downloading a Steam game.
2. I was able to download an EPIC game at the same time at around 1.5 MB/s
3. While doing that I was watching a soccer game on DAZN at 1080P
4. I also had a Youtube video running at same time at 1080P.

In a nutshell you will get some of the benefits of WIFI 6 just using an adapter but I do believe adding a WIFI 6 router would see speed improvements (Well you would still be held back by your ISP modem).

 

[delshay]

Not sure if it applies to this product, but just to make users aware, if you have Bluetooth enabled, you will not get the benefit of both antenna working on the Wi-Fi network. Spent days trying to figure out why one of the Wi-Fi antenna port is not working, only to find out if Bluetooth is enable you will looses the signal on "Antenna 2" which is shared antenna port with Bluetooth.

"Antenna 1" is WI-Fi only (not shared)

So to get the benefit of both antennas on the WI-FI network, you have to disable Bluetooth.

Model: Intel 8265 connected via PCI-e slot (my card)

So i think it applies to all Intel Wi-Fi cards. It go's to show i should read the instructions first. With all the messing around with the card, i found fantastic way to set-up the antennas when dealing with weak signals .

 

[delshay]

TECHNICAL QUESTION:

Is it possible to monitor signal quality for each antenna? ie some PCI-e cards can have upto four antennas. Windows does show a single signal quality, but how do you know how each antenna is performing.