Wi-Fi Alliance wants to simplify the numbering and use numbers instead of "802.11ac"

If you've ever bought a Wi-Fi router, you probably had to read through all that gibberish to figure out what it was, like 802.11ac or a/b/g/n. But now, Wi-Fi will have numeric version numbers, so you can easily tell if you're getting the latest version.

In the past, Wi-Fi versions were identified by a letter or a pair of letters specified by the wireless standard. The current version is 802.11ac, and previous versions were 802.11n, 802.11g, 802.11a, and 802.11b. These symbols are not understood by everyone, so the Wi-Fi Alliance decided to make a change.

All those complicated code names will be replaced, and the Wi-Fi currently known as 802.11ac will be called Wi-Fi 5 (because it is the fifth generation). And it may make more sense to name each generation of Wi-Fi like this:

• Wi-Fi 1: 802.11b (1999)
• Wi-Fi 2: 802.11a (1999)
• Wi-Fi 3: 802.11g (2003)
• Wi-Fi 4: 802.11n (2009)
• Wi-Fi 5: 802.11ac (2014)

So if the two versions of Wi-Fi work together, you don't need to think about whether ac is better than n, just look at the numbers. Wi-Fi 5 is a higher version than Wi-Fi 4, so Wi-Fi 5 is better.

The Wi-Fi Alliance even wants to extend this branding beyond hardware. So in the future, when your phone or laptop connects to Wi-Fi, your device will tell you which version of Wi-Fi you are connected to. That is, if there are two Wi-Fis that can be connected, one will show 4 and the other will show 5, and you will be able to choose the newer and faster Wi-Fi.

If you've been paying attention to router developments over the past year, you'll know that a new generation of Wi-Fi is coming, one that promises faster speeds and the ability to handle multiple devices connected at once. This new version of Wi-Fi was supposed to be called 802.11ax, but it will now have a simpler name: Wi-Fi 6.

The Wi-Fi Alliance claims that it expects all major companies to adopt this method of representing versions with numbers and cancel the traditional letter versions. Since the Wi-Fi Alliance represents almost all major companies that make products with Wi-Fi functions, its actions usually represent industry trends. Therefore, it is very likely that technology companies are implementing this change and will start to publicize it.

It’s likely that consumers will be a little confused as they adjust to the new name. It’s also likely that people will be confused by the letters used for Wi-Fi and the sudden switch to numbers. And it has to be said that if the new iPhone advertises support for 802.11ax instead of Wi-Fi 6, this branding effort will go down the drain.

“Wi-Fi Alliance anticipates that this terminology will be widely adopted,” said Kevin Robinson, president of marketing at the Wi-Fi Alliance. “While it is unlikely that widespread use of this nomenclature will occur immediately, the industry will gradually move toward this nomenclature, and ultimately both consumers and the industry will benefit.”