What is the difference between the SuperPod with WiFi 6 and SuperPod with WiFi 6E?

What's the difference between the SuperPod with WiFi 6 and SuperPod with WiFi 6E?

WiFi 6E is the newest WiFi standard, extending the transformative features of WiFi 6 into the 6GHz spectrum. This means more capacity than ever before to support bandwidth-hungry devices like video streaming sticks, gaming consoles, virtual reality headsets, and Internet of Things (IoT) equipment.

There are other differences between the SuperPods, for a complete breakdown of technical specifications, please visit the tech specs page.

What is special about WiFi 6E?

The main difference is the addition of that 6GHz band. WiFi 6E operates in the 6GHz band as well as the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands that WiFi 5 uses. What difference does this make? Let’s use a traffic analogy:  if the 2.4GHz band is a one-lane highway and the 5GHz band is a three-lane interstate, picture the 6GHz band as a new seven-lane superhighway, and only 6E devices get access to the fast lane.

WiFi 6E supports up to fourteen 80MHz channels or seven 160 MHz channels. More available channels mean a more available spectrum for client and backhaul connections and less overlap between networks in crowded areas like apartment complexes or offices. And support for an even wider range of connected devices, enabling ample room for your network to grow as our devices continue to become smarter. 

What’s unique about the SuperPod with WiFi 6E?

We've listed the benefits of the new SuperPods to help you figure out if it’s time to upgrade. If you want to upgrade to 6E, we recommend you upgrade all SuperPods on your network to fully benefit from all that WiFi 6E has to offer.

• The more devices there are, the more need there is for intelligent steering. To fully realize the powerful promise of WiFi 6E, it must be paired with a platform (like Plume) that can intelligently monitor and optimize home networks in real-time to utilize the full spectrum for both devices and backhaul. The unique, adaptive WiFi technology from the Plume Cloud is what sets SuperPods with WiFi 6E apart from competitors: they can intelligently steer devices across the expanded WiFi 6E spectrum both quickly and efficiently for a seamless experience.
• Faster performance for bandwidth-hungry, 6E devices. If you already own 6E-compatible devices or you’re planning to start upgrading, you’ll need to upgrade to SuperPods with WiFi 6E to get their best performance. While your new devices will work just fine with earlier generation SuperPods, only those with WiFi 6E can support the full potential of 6E-enabled devices.  
• Near-zero channel interference. Interference can really slow down your WiFi performance. But with intelligent steering from the Plume Cloud along with access to the 6 GHz band, your network can operate with relatively no interference from nearby channels. 

Can I add a SuperPod with WiFi 6E to my existing SuperPods?

All Plume pods are designed to work together to extend WiFi coverage throughout your home, although if you want to upgrade to 6E, we recommend you upgrade all SuperPods on your network to fully benefit from all that WiFi 6E has to offer. 

• Upgrading all of your existing pods to the SuperPod with WiFi 6E ensures you get 6 GHz coverage for WiFi 6E capable devices everywhere in your home. 
• The 6 GHz band is not just limited to client connections. 6 GHz can be used for the backhaul connections between SuperPods with WiFi 6E, providing performance improvements to the entire network.  
• The 6 GHz band of the SuperPod with WiFi 6E requires the use of WPA3.  Since not every pod is WPA3 capable, the coverage of this SSID will be limited to areas with compatible pods.