Shaw Gig WiFi taps into the power of WiFi 6 technology to deliver our fastest speeds and most reliable connection. With the strength and capacity of our Ignite WiFi Gateway (Gen 2 and Gen 3), you can now get gigabit WiFi speeds in your home for simultaneous streaming on even more devices.

This article explains more about WiFi 6 and how you can get Gig WiFi speeds at home.

What is WiFi 6 and WiFi 6E?

WiFi 6 (802.11ax) is the next generation of WiFi tech. The previous standard was WiFi 5 (802.11ac) and before that WiFi 4 (802.11n). Think of this in the same way as how 5G is the next generation of mobile data service after LTE.

  • WiFi 6 comes with many benefits including higher data transfer rates, increased capacity for more devices, improved performance, and improved power efficiency.
  • WiFi 6E is an extended version of WiFi 6 that introduces the 6 GHz band, that can provide even faster speed than the 5 GHz band for devices compatible with it.

Both the Ignite WiFi Gateway (Gen 2 and Gen 3) support the WiFi 6 standard, while the Ignite WiFi Gateway (Gen 3) also supports WiFi 6E.

How do I use Gig WiFi?

If you subscribe to a package that offers one gigabit or faster download speeds and have the  Ignite WiFi Gateway (Gen 2), you can take advantage of the benefits of WiFi 6 to get gigabit WiFi speeds in your home.

Gigabit WiFi speeds are based on total bandwidth shared between all your connected WiFi devices.

Gig WiFi does not require an additional subscription or change to your existing Shaw Internet plan. You must be subscribed to a package that offers one gigabit or faster download speeds to get the Ignite WiFi Gateway (Gen 2)

How does Gig WiFi work?

Using the WiFi 6 technology included with the Ignite WiFi Gateway (Gen 2), your home WiFi network can support speeds over 1 Gbps (gigabit per second) total, shared between all connected WiFi devices in your home.

It's important to note that your total available WiFi speed is shared between all your WiFi devices. Multiple connected devices may use the entire Gig WiFi bandwidth, while a single device may only get a portion of it.

Maximum speed per WiFi device varies and depends on the features of your device. Generally speaking, WiFi 6-capable devices can achieve higher, more consistent transfer speeds over WiFi compared to older devices.

How do I know if my device is WiFi 6-capable?

Many new devices (2019 or later) support WiFi 6 including Apple and Samsung smartphones, and the PlayStation 5. As WiFi 6 is a relatively new technology, devices made before 2019 likely do not support it.

We recommend checking your device specifications from the manufacturer to confirm if it supports WiFi 6. This is usually indicated with "ax" being included in the WiFi details for the device. For example, "WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax".

What if I'm not getting Gig WiFi speeds?

Since Gig WiFi is shared between all your devices, it’s normal for a single device not to get the full 1 gigabit download on a speed test. Devices that are WiFi 6-capable are likely to perform better and testing your overall speed with multiple devices will give the most accurate results.

With that in mind, we recommend the following steps to test your Gig WiFi performance:

  1. Confirm the specifications of your WiFi device and what speeds it is capable of achieving.
    • If you're unsure, please check your device specifications from the manufacturer.
  2. Run a total bandwidth speed test with multiple devices to test your overall WiFi speed.
  3. For more WiFi troubleshooting tips, check out these articles:
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