Windows 11 WiFi Dual Station: How to Use
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Key notes
- Qualcomm and Valve have entered into a collaboration to improve latency in gaming.
- The Wi-Fi Dual Station utilizes two streams to deliver a higher gaming experience.
- Users need to upgrade to Windows 11 and have the Qualcomm chip.
If there is something all gamers can agree on is that lag kills the mood of the game. Sometimes it can be due to packet loss or other Internet connection issues.
In case of experiencing any of these issues, there is some good news for you. Wi-Fi Dual Station is a new Windows 11 feature that is a development from a Valve and Qualcomm collaboration.
It reduces latency up to four times more compared to existing connections. Windows 11 has features that promise to give gamers an exciting experience and improve performance.
AutoHDR and DirectStorage are just some of the top features. However, their appetite for RAM could make users hold off on upgrading to Windows 11.
All these issues seem to have a solution with Wi-Fi Dual Station. Its addition to the OS could help enhance the performance of Wi-Fi gaming on laptops. So, how does it work?
How can I use the new Wi-Fi Dual Station?
NOTE
1. Get a device with the Qualcomm FastConnect Wi-Fi chip
The Wi-Fi Dual Station will only work and make its way to Windows 11 gaming PCs because it supports Wi-Fi 6, the fastest available Wi-Fi speed in the industry.
This will allow the devices to use the 6 GHz frequency as other frequencies will be occupied by other devices. The Wi-Fi 6 expands the Wi-Fi capacity and doubles the pathway for sending and receiving data.
2. Build a Wi-Fi Dual Station environment
The integration between game server, game, router, and device needs to support Wi-Fi Dual Station, and the list, at the moment, only includes Windows 11 supported devices.
The Wi-Fi Dual Station utilizes your network 2.4 and 5GHz bands to provide ethernet-like capabilities on a wireless connection to improve gaming performance.
So, not only your device has to be prepared with a FastConnect chip but the router must be also compatible with the technology and the server you connect to must also allow the technology.
What are the Qualcomm chips that support Wi-Fi Dual Station?
If you want a device that supports Wi-Fi Dual Station, you must look for the following Qualcomm chips in the configuration of the PC.
| Products | Standards | Wi-Fi bands | Qualcomm aptX audio playback support |
|---|---|---|---|
| FastConnect 6200 SoC | Wi-Fi 6-ready, 802.11ac Wave 2, 802.11a/b/g, 802.11n | 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz | — |
| FastConnect 6700 SoC | Wi-Fi 6E, Wi-Fi 6802.11ax, 802.11ac Wave 2, 802.11a/b/g, 802.11n | 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz | Qualcomm aptX Voice, Qualcomm aptX Adaptive |
| FastConnect 6800 SoC | Wi-Fi 6802.11ac Wave 2, 802.11a/b/g, 802.11n | 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz | Qualcomm aptX Audio, Qualcomm aptX Voice, Qualcomm aptX Adaptive |
| FastConnect 6900 SoC | Wi-Fi 6E, Wi-Fi 6, 802.11ax, 802.11ac Wave 2, 802.11a/b/g, 802.11n, 802.11i | 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz | Qualcomm aptX Voice, Qualcomm aptX Adaptive |
Apart from the obvious increase in communication and transfer speeds, the new Wi-Fi Dual Station technology comes with up to 4X decrease in latency.
It’s useless to say that latency plays a huge role in online multiplayer games so that’s a clear sign that we can say goodbye to LAN parties and say hello to Wi-Fi parties.
And if you might have noticed, these chips come with another new technology called Qualcomm aptX that will work with Bluetooth antennas to enhance wireless audio quality.
This gimmick offers advanced modulation and coding optimization to get better audio communication at both ends of the wireless devices.
There are also clear indications in Qualcomm’s overview of the technology that the FastConnect chips can also be embedded in mobile devices and even VR goggles.
So, get ready for faster connection and crisp communication in MMOs over Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
Can’t wait to try the new Wi-Fi Dual Station in gaming? Let us know in the comments section below.
