Wifi 6 - The New Tech Firing up the Restaurants Industry

What is Wifi 6?

In today's world driven by technology, information about anything and everything is available within easy reach. Whether you need to know the cost of kale in your neighborhood or in China; if you want to dig up trending plant-based meat recipes; or simply uncover the latest kitchen hacks, you are only a few clicks away from oceans of information.

Unsurprisingly, the quantity of data consumed today is staggering. A Statista report expects data produced, captured, replicated, and consumed at the global level to cross 180 zettabytes by 2025 (one zettabyte is roughly equal to a trillion gigabytes).

People browse the internet wherever they go, and restaurants are no exception. Whether they're waiting their turn in a queue at a quick service restaurant, or sitting down to a meal at a full service restaurant, people are on their phones, tablets, or laptops. If anything, post-COVID, with remote work still an option, more and more people have started to use restaurants as make-shift offices. This has made food service businesses realize that there's nothing to be done but provide customers with the carrot they seek -- a great Wifi connection.

Wifi (wireless fidelity) is a wireless network protocol that's based on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers' (IEEE) 802.11 family of standards. Wifi happens to be the trademark of Wifi Alliance, the global tech-industry body overseeing Wifi implementation.

Wifi 6 is the sixth generation of Wifi technology that lets digital devices located close to each other exchange data through radio waves. Wifi 6 refers to the 802.11ax standard of the IEEE, used to provide local area networking of digital devices and internet connectivity.

Wifi 6 offers substantially higher speeds than preceding Wifi versions. However, the matter isn't simply about speed. The impact of Wifi 6 on the food industry is more nuanced. It supports a host of devices, like smartphones, desktops, laptops, and tablets, in a high-density digital environment, ensuring that all devices run at high speed, and internet connectivity doesn't falter when an increasing number of gadgets start to demand data.

Wifi 6 uses the 2.4 GHz as well as the 5 GHz band for data transmission, and hence, supports a better throughput than Wifi 5, which only works on the 5 GHz band. Wifi 6 also covers a bigger area, improves battery life by 50%, increases network capacity fourfold, and doubles bandwidth, compared to the earlier iterations of Wifi.

What are the Features of a Wifi 6 Network?

The defining feature of Wifi 6 is its 9.6 Gbps data transmission speed over more than one channel. This is a significant advancement over Wifi 5, which offers a top speed of 3.5 Gbps. However, these speeds exist more on paper. In reality, local networks are unlikely to ever need to hit such breakneck speed. This is borne out by the fact that the usual speed at which data is downloaded in the United States is 72 Mbps, which is not even 1% of the theoretical speed of Wifi 6.

It is also important to note that the high-speed data transmission supported by Wifi 6 is not targeted at a single device, but services an entire network of devices. This ensures that a restaurant business -- whether fine dining, fast food/quick service, casual dining, or fast casual -- can power its own devices with a fast and stable internet connection just as well as those of its customers, enabling all to function at peak efficiency.

Unlike older versions, Wifi 6 routers are not overwhelmed by data requests from several digital devices. Therefore, though the gross speeds of Wifi-6-enabled devices may not exactly exceed those supported by older technology, Wifi 6 stands out for making sure none of the connected devices slow down even in a dense environment, and are able to cruise along at a steady speed. Wifi 6 routers are able to 'talk' to several devices simultaneously, dispatch data to numerous devices in a single broadcast, and help devices schedule check-ins with routers.

Another feature of Wifi 6 is that it lets wireless and wired signals reach parity. This may liberate more users from the trouble of becoming hardwired to the modem. Many users still connect to network switches or routers directly through Ethernet cables instead of wirelessly. Wifi 6 bridges the gap between wireless and wired connectivity.

Furthermore, Wifi 6 also affords considerable data security. It supports a security protocol called WPA3, which increases privacy in open networks. WPA3 makes life difficult for hackers looking to crack passcodes. It also makes certain pieces of data useless even if hackers manage to lay their hands on them. WPA3 makes the security configuration of headless Internet of Things (IoT) devices simple and makes personal networks highly cyber secure. It offers greater secure password encryption and helps meet the cybersecurity needs of government, industrial, and defense sectors.

What are the Components of a Wifi 6 Network?

Let's now look at what helps Wifi 6 function quickly and intelligently, increasing network capacity and efficiency in the process.

1. Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA)-
It allows a router to communicate through a single transmission with several devices, without having to keep those devices waiting for their turn to receive data. With the help of the OFDMA technology, a wireless channel is divided into subcarriers, and the subcarriers, in turn, are broken up into even more minute resource units. These small units of bandwidth can then be distributed among multiple devices, and separate packets of data are bundled into one simultaneous transmission. OFDMA is especially useful in high-density digital environments like restaurants, and airports, and for application of low bandwidth.

2. Multi User Multiple Input Multiple Output (MU-MIMO)-
It complements OFDMA. MU-MIMO allows Wifi access points to transmit eight streams of data simultaneously using separate antennae. Wifi 5, on the other hand, supported only four data streams. MU-MIMO can be understood better with a transport analogy. Let's say a single-lane highway runs from an access point to a collection of endpoints. MU-MIMO helps seven more lanes of traffic to be opened, resulting in lesser congestion and greater operational efficiency. An access point, in this regard, is a sub-device existing within a local area network that offers a location, in addition to the router, for devices to establish a connection. This allows even more devices to be brought into the network.

3. Overlapping Basic Service Sets (OBSS)-
It helps reduce network congestion by enabling the access point to assign 'color' to a network for uniquely identifying it, and distinguishing traffic/interference on the channel. Efficient network identification by OBSS, however, allows Wifi-6-enabled devices to ignore traffic from other networks and go ahead with its transmission. This allows frictionless transmission on crowded networks.

4. Beamforming-
With the help of this technology, a router is able to determine the place where the device seeking data is located, and transmit a highly localized stream of data in its direction. By avoiding vague data transmission in all directions, beamforming ensures the efficiency of broadcast. It makes data transmission focused and effective, helping improve the reliability and speed of the connection.

5. Target Wait Time (TWT)-
This allows access points and Wifi clients to pre-negotiate the time of future communication, allowing device radio signals to remain inactive. So a specific period may be fixed for individual gadgets to hook up to the wireless network. TWT ensures that battery life and network efficiency can be improved.

6. 1024-QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation mode)-
This is a radio frequency modulation enhancement that increases Wifi 6 throughput speeds by up to 25% by modifying the phase and amplitude of the radio signals. This technology helps improve spectral efficiency by packing a greater amount of data into each broadcast.

How Can Better Internet Help the Restaurants Industry?

The way Real Time data transmitted over wireless networks boost industrial operations is an important aspect of Industry 4.0, which is the latest stage of the Industrial Revolution. Wifi 6, in this regard, facilitates the adoption and assimilation of Industry 4.0.

For a tech-savvy generation that is always keen to share their personal experiences and memories on social media channels like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, a good internet connection on the premises of the restaurant adds to the overall dining experience. A fast and stable internet connection will enable customers of a restaurant to quickly upload images of plated food and beverages and share reviews on social media. This serves as free and powerful advertising for a restaurant. Tagging restaurants on social media allows them to attract an even greater number of eyeballs. It also lets customers interact with a restaurant in a personalized manner.

Setting up business locations with Google Maps makes restaurants more discoverable.

Food Businesses have no other option but to be more active in the digital space today, following the onslaught of Covid. During the pandemic, many restaurants adopted online/mobile ordering and delivery, including integration with third-party apps, and ordering through QR codes. A strong internet connection became essential to maintaining points of sale and other restaurant management software. These tech-assisted solutions continue to be used today, even more actively than before in both old and new food service setups, reinforcing the internet's role in the food service industry more solidly.

Indeed a strong internet presence allows food services to be easily detected by customers. They can advertise themselves and their products, and look to attract customers with discounts, deals, and loyalty programs.

A robust internet connection also allows restaurants to accept payments online through mobile banking, internet banking, and through credit/debit cards. Customers can use the Wifi offered by restaurants to make payments through mobile wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay. These cashless modes of payment have gained currency in the wake of the pandemic.

How Should Restaurant Owners Prepare for a Wifi Transition?

Before switching to Wifi 6, you have to consider if your router will be able to support this new and advanced Wifi 6 version. A Wifi 6-enabled router will allow you to make a seamless switch to the new wireless network protocol effortlessly.

Although Wifi 6 is compatible with older Wifi 5 devices, only devices that can truly leverage the advanced facilities offered by Wifi 6 will do it justice. This is all the more pertinent because Wifi 6 promises to become the standard in the years to come.

Before making a Wifi transition, bear in mind that deployment of the new technology should not disrupt the flow of business. Normal operations shouldn't be stalled, resulting in a loss of revenue and goodwill, and wasted employee time. Don't forget to conduct maintenance checks of your systems after major technology modifications are done, to ensure that all systems operate at optimal capacity.

You also need a detailed project plan that addresses issues like whether the project should be taken care of in-house, by a third-party entity, or partly in-house and partly by a third-party partner; what the project budget must be; whether old systems should be removed and new systems installed in-house or by third-party service providers, and how the technology transition ought to be effected to prevent business disruption.

Can a Small Business Afford a Wifi 6 System?

Wifi 6 promises to be the harbinger of a new era in wireless networking with a data transmission speed (at least theoretically) of up to 9.6 Gbps, improved battery life as far as client devices are concerned, increased client capacity, tighter security, and heightened efficiency. Small businesses can certainly afford the Wifi 6 technology. Wifi 6 routers can be bought in different configurations, and small businesses can take advantage of budget routers that come for as little as $70.

Before selecting a Wifi 6-enabled router, pause for a while to determine your reason for upgrading to an advanced wireless network protocol. Calculate how far your coverage area extends, and the number of clients who would be using your network. If you are in the restaurant industry , you would need to determine how many customers would connect to your network by analyzing your sales figures and customer traffic and building demand forecasts from there. This will allow small businesses to choose their Wifi 6 equipment judiciously, without needing to splurge on top-of-the-line devices.

3 Best Wifi Companies for Restaurants

1. Verizon Business Fios-
This is one of the best Wifi service providers for medium and small businesses. Speeds offered by the internet plans vary from 100 Mbps to 940 Mbps. It offers a reliable internet connection and quality customer service. Verizon also provides a number of sophisticated products to enhance Wifi range and connectivity. It also offers a guest Wifi service. Money and time can be saved with the help of the Verizon Solutions Bundles, offering dedicated broadband connectivity, along with a reliable 24/7 service and no cap on data usage.

2. Comcast Business-
It offers one of the fastest connections among Wifi service providers with a 1 Gbps, or 1,000 Mbps plan. Apart from this plan offering 'Blazing Speed', it offers over a million Wifi hotspots. Other than the 'Blazing Speed' package, Comcast Business provides speeds ranging from 35 Mbps to 600 Mbps. Comcast also offers round-the-clock support and no data caps. You can bundle Comcast Business Internet with your available business phone service to create a strong connectivity suite. Your connection can be secured with Comcast Business SecurityEdge. Comcast Business Wifi Pro offers flexible wireless and internet solutions for small businesses.

3. Frontier-
Its next-generation Wifi 6E router allows customers and employees to stay connected to low latency and fast internet. Low latency, in this regard, refers to the ability of networks and computing systems to respond without much delay. Wifi 6E is essentially Wifi 6 extended to a frequency band of 6 GHz, which makes room for an additional spectrum of up to 1,200 MHz, and helps clear network congestion. The Frontier Fiber 2 Gbps connection offers very high and equal upload and download speeds. Frontier runs on a fully fiber-optic network. Fiber internet, in this regard, refers to an internet service that is carried to your home/office/store by a high-speed fiber-optic network of cables. That internet can then be wirelessly used by Wifi-enabled devices. Frontier also comes with a multi-device security feature that lets you protect up to 35 devices against cyberattacks. It also does away with data caps.