Treat this like the glossary at the end of Dune. If you’ve seen a word or term that confuses you, we’ve defined it here.
Wi-Fi 6 vs Wi-Fi 6E: Wi-Fi 6E is currently the second-fastest standard for wireless home Internet. It’s like the 4K TV of resolutions. By comparison, Wi-Fi 6 is old 1080p, and the newer Wi-Fi 7 is 8K ( in that everyone wants it, no one needs it). In short, Wi-Fi 6E is faster and wider than Wi-FI 6. It enables more devices to be active on a network—and each of them will experience less buffering when streaming.
Mesh: A mesh network is a system of multiple connected routers that speak to one another to provide a reliable signal throughout your living space. You need a mesh router to set up a mesh network of devices. A mesh network can set up with as few as two routers, and can support a great deal more than that, depending on your router of choice.
Frequency Bands: Typically, routers have two frequency bands. There’s a 2.4 GHz band, which sends data farther at lower speeds, and a 5 GHz band that has faster speeds at shorter range. Tri- and Quad-band routers are built to give you more avenues for your devices to connect, allowing you to multi-task without worrying about bandwidth. Think of them as extra lanes on the highway.
Modems: If you’re starting from square one with home Internet, you will need a modem in addition to a router. The router is what connects your devices to your network. The modem is what gets you online.
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