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1 Rookie
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October 23rd, 2024 21:18
XPS Desktops, wireless question
Looking to buy something new but they appear to be Wireless E6. But my area does not handle that. It has to be 5G. Evidently if I buy new I will not be able to use it. Right?
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RoHe
10 Elder
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45.2K Posts
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October 24th, 2024 00:43
Where are you located?
I think you're confusing 5G cell phone network tech with WiFi tech.
A WiFi 6E (802.11ax) card should be backward compatible with a WiFi 4 (802.11n) router, depending on the exact card and router, since both can use the 2.4 and 5 GHz frequencies, and with a WiFi 5 (802.11ac) card using 5 GHz frequency. Only WiFi 6 and 6E can use the 6 GHz frequency.
Read this for more info...
ispalten
4 Operator
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2.4K Posts
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October 24th, 2024 12:05
What are you looking to buy?
What Router do you now have?
How does your Router or other method of getting you ISP service connect to you present device (what is it?)?
Devices will generally see if using wireless only SSID's that they can connect to.
One thing that could stop a connection is the SECURITY setting of the Router. WPA3 if used will generally only work for devices that can see/use 6Ghz bands.
For instance, I have a Wifi 7 router that has 2.4, 5.0, and 6Ghz SSID's. Also provides an MLO (Multi-Link Operation) SSID. I just swapped out a 2018 iPad model for a 2024 one. The old one could NOT use the 6Ghz SSID and was connected to the 5Ghz SSID. New one, although NOT Wifi 7, but it a Wifi 6e device. It saw and connected to the MLO SSID.
Meanwhile, non-Wifi 7 devices all connect to the best SSID, 2.4 or 5Ghz SSID's they can use.
Buying something that has 'better' Wifi capability than you have now sort of 'future proofs' your new purchase so that when you get a new router or faster ISP service you could take advantage of it.