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Should I wait for Wi-Fi 6 smart bulbs?

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    Should I wait for Wi-Fi 6 smart bulbs?

    I've just purchased a new Wi-Fi 6 router ([TP-Link Archer AX6000) and am planning on getting a few smart bulbs (around 6 to 10 bulbs). The bulbs I'm interested in (YeeLight) are not ZigBee bulbs but rather connect directly to wifi. These bulbs are not wifi 6 capable (Fairly certain not wifi 5 capable either). I am not interested in the Zigbee options for the simple fact that they are not available for purchase in my country right now.

    My question is: Will connecting these bulbs slow down my networking/online experience, as I understand they cannot take advantage of OFDMA? I already have a wifi 6 capable phone and laptop, and those will be the only other devices connected to the router at most times. If it would significantly slow things down for me, then I would just wait until wifi 6 bulbs start rolling out.https://myip.kim/ https://birthdaywishes.onl/ https://elecpay.in/tneb/


    Grateful for any advice you can give.

    #2
    I don't think there is any benefit to WiFi 6 in a light bulb. Light bulbs don't need that much bandwidth to operate. It is not like you are streaming a movie to a light bulb.

    WiFi 6 is not so much about speed increase. If is more about capacity increase and efficiency increase. The more devices that connect to you WiFi the harder it is for the WiFi AP to handle all that traffic. If having non-WiFi 6 devices on a WiFi 6 router would slow things down the WiFi 6 router would be useless. Most devices are not WiFi 6 for now and might never be.

    I can't see any benefit of WiFi 6 in a light bulb that is so compelling that I would wait for who knows how ling it will take for manufacturers to ramp up production. Will manufactures switch to WiFi 6? Probably at some time, but this will most likely be because they want to market some new tech that will lure the average consumer into purchasing the products because it has the latest and greatest. At some time non-WiFi 6 chip sets will not be produced so the switch is inevitable, but by that time WiFi 7 or WiFi 8 will be out and the cycle will repeat.

    Just my humble opinion.

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      #3
      Just like WiFi 5 (802.11ac) WiFi6 (802.11ax) is built on and supports previous standards. The network will not be slowed down by slower devices, each device will connect and operate at its own best speed. A bulb requires such scant amounts of data and brief periods of communication it could work fine at even the earliest standard. While it has a higher theoretical bandwidth, WiFi 6 is more about handling crowded bands and device proliferation than it is about speed.
      HS4 Pro, 4.2.19.0 Windows 10 pro, Supermicro LP Xeon

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