We’ve all used WiFi before, but understanding exactly how it works can help you get the most out of your Rogers internet service. WiFi (also known as Wireless Internet) is a technology that makes it possible for devices to connect to the Internet wirelessly. Your Rogers modem acts as a wireless hub, making WiFi available in your home. Read on to learn more.
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What is WiFi?
WiFi allows your device to wirelessly connect to the Internet. WiFi uses a device called a wireless router to spread the wireless Internet signal throughout your home or office so that you can connect to it with your devices.
To use WiFi, your device needs to be WiFi-capable. Most laptops, smartphones, tablets, e-readers, and other devices you might take outside of the house are WiFi-ready by default. Desktop computers are often not set up to connect to WiFi by default.
Understanding the difference between wired and wireless internet (WiFi)
For devices with an Ethernet port, you can connect directly to the modem for the extra stability of a hardwired connection, but WiFi gives you the convenience of accessing the internet throughout your home on smartphones, laptops and other devices.
How WiFi works
A wireless router is required to enable WiFi. A wireless router is a device that broadcasts the WiFi signal in your household. The modem that Rogers provides is often referred to as a wireless modem because it functions as a modem that provides wireless router features.
WiFi Internet speeds won't be the same as the speeds you can achieve with a wired connection. Speeds can be slowed further by interference, distance between devices and wireless modems and the number of WiFi connections active in your household. Some older devices may also be limited in the wireless speeds they can reach.
Understanding the difference between WiFi 6 and WiFi 6E technology
Major developments in WiFi technology are grouped into WiFi generations. This helps identify the WiFi capabilities of WiFi equipment such as gateway modems and WiFi devices such as smartphones, laptops and more. WiFi 6 is the world’s latest and most powerful generation of WiFi technology. Also called 802.11ax technology, this WiFi generation includes WiFi 6 and now also WiFi 6E.
For compatible devices, WiFi 6 offers faster WiFi speeds and lower lag for better responsiveness than the previous WiFi 5 generation and is perfect for gaming and video conferencing. It uses the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz radio frequency bands for connectivity.
For compatible devices, WiFi 6E also extends (“E”) WiFi 6 into the new 6 GHz frequency band for true tri-band support. It enables multi-Gigabit speeds over WiFi and even more bandwidth to connect more devices and with less signal interference.
While both are part of the latest generation of WiFi technology, WiFi 6 is more widely used today in smartphones, laptops and other WiFi devices. WiFi 6E is a new emerging technology only compatible with the very latest device models. Check the manufacturer’s specifications for your device to confirm what generation of WiFi technology is supported.
Understanding the difference between WiFi generations
| WiFi generation | WiFi 4 | WiFi 5 | WiFi 6 | |
| Protocole name | 802.11n | 802.11ac | 802.11ax | |
| Radio frequency band used | 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz | 5 GHz | For WiFi 6: 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz | For WiFi 6E: 6 GHz |
| Top speeds for compatible devices (relative to the other WiFi protocols) |
Good | Fast | Faster | Fastest |
| Market adoption (relative to the other WiFi protocols) |
Very common | Increasing adoption | Early adoption | |
Understanding the difference between 5G and 2.4GHz WiFi networks
Depending on your WiFi settings, you may see separate WiFi networks for each of the radio frequencies used by your home WiFi network. If available, connect your device to the WiFi network labelled “5G” at the end of the name. This is not related to cellular 5G connectivity.
For your home WiFi network, this commonly refers to 5 GHz radio frequency which typically offers faster WiFi speeds at closer range to the gateway modem and less signal interference, as compared to the 2.4 GHz radio frequency which offers greater signal range but less speed.
With newer equipment it is more likely that you will only see one WiFi network name as available for connecting devices because they will have band steering technology enabled by default when doing the initial setup. Band steering automatically connects you to the radio frequency band with the strongest signal. To achieve that, all networks need to share the same name. To learn more about dual-band technology, visit Understanding Dual-Band and Band Steering.
If you have an older modem, or have disabled band steering, you may see two separate networks. Learn how to enable or disable band steering by selecting your modem below:
WiFi equipment offered by Rogers
Rogers offers gateway modems to operate both as a modem that connects to Rogers fibre-powered network for internet access, and as a WiFi router that creates a wireless network in your home. You can also add optional hardware called WiFi pods, which work together with the Rogers Xfinity Gateway to extend WiFi coverage.
These modems and WiFi pods offered by Rogers can support the following WiFi technology:
Supports up to WiFi 6E technology:
Supports up to WiFi 6 technology:
Supports up to WiFi 5 technology:
To take full advantage of WiFi technology, you'll need both compatible devices and compatible home WiFi equipment. However, Rogers Xfinity Gateway are reverse-compatible with previous generations of WiFi technology to support a wide range of WiFi devices.
Optimizing your WiFi connection
There are many ways you can optimize your home WiFi connection. Check out How to Optimize your Internet Speed and WiFi and Where to Place your Modem for more information.