Comparative Performance Evaluation of Real-Time Traffic on Wi-Fi Standards: 802.11ax vs. 802.11ac

This paper presents a comparative analysis of Wi-Fi 6 (IEEE 802.11ax) and Wi-Fi 5 (IEEE 802.11ac) standards, focusing on their performance in assisting Voice over IP (VoIP) applications. The study is conducted using a controlled laboratory environment, where key performance metrics such as delay, jitter, and packet loss ratio are measured. The results indicate that Wi- Fi 6 significantly surpasses Wi-Fi 5 in terms of all evaluated metrics, making it a superior selection for real-time communication applications. However, while these results confirm the expected advantages of Wi-Fi 6, this study also explores the challenges associated with its implementation in practical scenarios. The findings are compared with existing literature to provide a comprehensive understanding of the implications of adopting Wi- Fi 6.0 for VoIP services.