WiFi 6 (802.11 ax) has come through with nothing but promises of better, faster, stronger connections. Which is true, but mostly for public spaces. Still, WiFi 6 routers for the home are starting to hit the shelves. Should you buy one?

Well, take this into account first: While WiFi 6 is likely to relieve all of our WiFi-woes in public spaces like airports, other public transportation hubs and stadiums, it’s not likely to fix much within the home. At least not yet.

On average, a WiFi 6 router costs about $100-$150 more than a WiFi 5 (802.11 ac) router. Most devices that we use now won’t even work with WiFi 6 unless they have a WiFi 6 (11ax) chip. That means all of the following devices would need their own WiFi 6 chip:

• Streaming devices
• Smartphones
• Tablets
• Wireless headphones
• Laptops
• Printers
• Voice assistants
• Other smart home technologies like smart lights to smart thermostats and more.

Wow, that would add up quickly.

So, then what is the answer to getting up to speed with WiFi 6? Unfortunately, unless you want to shell out a ton of money right now, the answer is patience. Sigh.

The widespread adoption of WiFi 6 in residential homes is projected to take at least three years or more. We should start seeing more adoption of WiFi 6 chips by 2023.

Yes, WiFi 6 does have a lot of benefits for users that are in highly trafficked, public spaces. As far as investing in a WiFi 6 router for your home? Maybe wait.