New iPad Pro Includes Special Mode to Turn Off Wi-Fi 6E

[MacRumors]

The new iPad Pro models announced last week are the first Apple devices to support Wi-Fi 6E, which uses the 6GHz band to enable faster and more reliable Wi-Fi connectivity. In a new support document, Apple explains how the feature works.

To create a Wi-Fi 6E network, Apple says you need a Wi-Fi 6E router that also has its 2.4GHz or 5GHz bands enabled. For the best Wi-Fi performance, Apple recommends using a single network name across the router's 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands. Otherwise, the iPad Pro identifies the network as having "limited compatibility," with Apple warning that the "overall experience with some activities over the network might not be as expected."

If you experience any issues with a Wi-Fi 6E network, Apple says you can turn off Wi-Fi 6E mode for that network, and the iPad Pro will no longer use that network's 6GHz band. To do so, open the Settings app, tap on Wi-Fi, tap on the name of the network you are connected to, tap on Wi-Fi 6E Mode and toggle it off. However, Apple says this setting appears only for Wi-Fi 6E networks that use a single network name for all bands.

The new iPad Pro was released today and also features the M2 chip, new hover functionality for the Apple Pencil, ProRes video recording, and Bluetooth 5.3.

Article Link: New iPad Pro Includes Special Mode to Turn Off Wi-Fi 6E

 

[exoticSpice]

Oh nice

 

[t0rqx]

Disclaimer before WIFI6Gate. Yep. Beta-hardware.

 

[appleguy123]

I wonder if the VR headset might require 6E in the M2 iPad Pro and that’s the actual new feature of this device, it’s just not ready to be announced yet.

 

[BobSc]

Oh nice

so 6e doesn't work well. i'll wait for 6F.

 

[PauloSera]

I wonder if the VR headset might require 6E in the M2 iPad Pro and that’s the actual new feature of this device, it’s just not ready to be announced yet.

The VR headset already has niche appeal, the rumored cost will further shrink that market. Now you want to shrink it even further to people with 6E networks?

How would you even sell it?

 

[belvdr]

so 6e doesn't work well. i'll wait for 6F.

Where do you get that from?

 

[Macintosh Quadra 840av]

Looking forward to them adding this to add devices. With 1Gbit fiber at home, there's plenty to go around.

 

[Macintosh Quadra 840av]

I wonder if the VR headset might require 6E in the M2 iPad Pro and that’s the actual new feature of this device, it’s just not ready to be announced yet.

Highly doubtful. Why would a headset also require a new M2 iPad Pro to work? That'd make it super limited.

Wifi 6E is overkill for what most have in terms of home internet. Only those with fiber need such to maximize it.

There's not going to be a requirement for the VR to work, to also have a fiber connection.

 

[falkon-engine]

so 6e doesn't work well. i'll wait for 6F.

Next iteration of Wi-Fi is Wi-Fi 7 aka 802.11be. 320 MHz channels in the 6 GHz band, multi link operation (using all 3 frequencies simultaneously to help lower latency), etc.

 

[MakeAppleAwesomeAgain]

They wouldn't have to explain anything if they'd still make AirPort routers. I'll be the first to buy if they'd ever start making routers again.

 

[falkon-engine]

Why does apple recommend using the same SSID for the different frequencies? I’ve found that it is best to have separate SSIDs for each band…

 

[kalafalas]

Glad I got a regular Wi-Fi 6 router. I’ll wait for Wi-Fi 7 to upgrade again.

 

[belvdr]

They wouldn't have to explain anything if they'd still make AirPort routers. I'll be the first to buy if they'd ever start making routers again.

They most certainly would, and in more detail, since they would be selling networking gear.

 

[belvdr]

Why does apple recommend using the same SSID for the different frequencies? I’ve found that it is best to have separate SSIDs for each band…

I've never done that. With the same SSID, my system roams to the other frequency without dropping.

 

[DHagan4755]

That doesn't sound like the old Steve motto of "it just works."

 

[kalafalas]

Why does apple recommend using the same SSID for the different frequencies? I’ve found that it is best to have separate SSIDs for each band…

I want more details on “overall experience with some activities over the network might not be as expected.” With separate bands. I’m so curious what they mean by that, and why it doesn’t apply to have separate 2.4ghz and 5ghz on routers that don’t support 6E

 

[LogicalApex]

For the best Wi-Fi performance, Apple recommends using a single network name across the router's 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands. Otherwise, the iPad Pro identifies the network as having "limited compatibility," with Apple warning that the "overall experience with some activities over the network might not be as expected."

Well that’ s going to cause some headaches!

WiFi 6E Requires WPA3 and can’t support mixed mode authentication across all bands for that SSID. So lots of legacy devices won’t like that…

You’d need an access point capable of multiple SSDs across all bands to properly segment it. That’s a shame.

 

[belvdr]

That doesn't sound like the old Steve motto of "it just works."

Hasn't been that way for a long time.

 

[kalafalas]

I've never done that. With the same SSID, my system roams to the other frequency without dropping.

What router do you have? I have a netgear, and im wondering if it’s better to use the routers “smart connect” feature or to manually set the SSID’s as the same and let the devices roam themselves

 

[darngooddesign]

Dear Apple, please start making Airport Basestations again.

 

[LogicalApex]

I want more details on “overall experience with some activities over the network might not be as expected.” With separate bands. I’m so curious what they mean by that, and why it doesn’t apply to have separate 2.4ghz and 5ghz on routers that don’t support 6E

My educated guess…

WiFi 6E being on the 6Ghz band will have less range than the 5Ghz and 2.4Ghz bands. As a result, consumer routers may only allow limited 6E range. To prevent users from losing connectivity as they move around Apple is going to dynamically walk between frequencies as signal fades for them. So they need the SSID to be the same to facilitate this roaming.

 

[falkon-engine]

I want more details on “overall experience with some activities over the network might not be as expected.” With separate bands. I’m so curious what they mean by that, and why it doesn’t apply to have separate 2.4ghz and 5ghz on routers that don’t support 6E

I think it's because 6 Ghz has less range than the 5 Ghz band, and much less range than the 2.4 Ghz band. Signal propagation is inversely correlated to the frequency. So the lower the frequency, the longer the radio wave, and the more easy it is for the signal to propagate through obstructions such as a wall. So perhaps Apple is concerned that if you're on the 6 Ghz band, the RSSI levels may drop to low values depending on how far you are away from the router, and they have some kind of intelligence to roam/handoff to a different frequency to maintain a good connection with the router. Will be interesting to test this.

 

[belvdr]

What router do you have? I have a netgear, and im wondering if it’s better to use the routers “smart connect” feature or to manually set the SSID’s as the same and let the devices roam themselves

Google Nest

 

[jezbd1997]

Why does apple recommend using the same SSID for the different frequencies? I’ve found that it is best to have separate SSIDs for each band…

yeah i don’t know it’s a question i always ask myself too.
unless the ap itself is smart and diverts it to 5ghz, the algorithm for ios and mac is junk. it might or might not hang onto the 2.4ghz band forever unless you’re right next to the ap. extremely frustrating…
i haven’t got issues with google nest wifi doing the smarts itself it always diverts devices to 5ghz as soon as possible