Short answer: these features are ways for a router to share its radio between devices more efficiently, or to get more out of its signal. They only help devices that support them, and the efficiency features matter most when several devices are busy at once. Our advice is to leave them on their default settings and switch one off only to test a specific problem.
The features at a glance
| Feature | What it does | Listed with |
|---|---|---|
| MU-MIMO | Lets the router send data to more than one device at the same time | Wi-Fi 5 (second wave) and Wi-Fi 6 |
| Transmit beamforming | Raises data rates at a given range | Wi-Fi 6 feature list |
| OFDMA | Splits a channel so several devices share one transmission | Wi-Fi 6 |
| Target wake time (TWT) | Schedules when devices wake to talk to the router | Wi-Fi 6 |
| Multi-RU | Gives one device several slices of a channel at once | Wi-Fi 7 |
The Wi-Fi Alliance describes OFDMA as sharing channels “to increase network efficiency and lower latency”, says multi-user MIMO lets an access point handle more devices at once, and says transmit beamforming “enables higher data rates at a given range”. It describes target wake time as improving network efficiency and device battery life, and lists all four among Wi-Fi 6 features.
MU-MIMO is older than Wi-Fi 6. Intel’s protocol reference lists it as a new feature of the second wave of Wi-Fi 5, after a first wave that served one device at a time, and lists it again for Wi-Fi 6.
Wi-Fi 7 extends OFDMA. Juniper describes OFDMA as splitting a channel into small pieces called resource units; with Wi-Fi 7, one device can be given several of them. The Wi-Fi Alliance says this makes scheduling the spectrum more flexible. Juniper also describes preamble puncturing, another Wi-Fi 7-era term on spec sheets, as “in theory, a way to be able to use wider channels in the presence of interference.” For how these fit into each generation, see Wi-Fi standards explained; for Wi-Fi 7’s multi-link operation, see Wi-Fi 7 explained.
Your devices decide whether they help
Every one of these features works between the router and a particular device. A device only gains from the features it supports itself. Support can’t be assumed even within one generation: Juniper notes that giving one device several resource units was optional on Wi-Fi 6, so devices may or may not understand it. To check what your own devices support, see which Wi-Fi your device supports.
Should you turn them on?
Apple’s router recommendations don’t mention MU-MIMO or beamforming at all. On WMM (Wi-Fi Multimedia) and radio mode, Apple’s advice is to leave them enabled: keep WMM on, because disabling it can affect the performance and reliability of devices on the network, and set the radio mode to All, because it’s usually best to enable every mode the router offers.
The switches usually sit on an advanced or professional wireless settings page; see how to log in to your router.
Reading a feature list when buying
Use the feature list as a compatibility check, not a speed promise. A router that lists MU-MIMO and OFDMA is telling you it supports features the Wi-Fi Alliance lists for Wi-Fi 6. In our view, the Wi-Fi generation, how many devices you run at once and what those devices support matter more than any single feature name. The numbers in a name like AX3000 are explained in router speed ratings explained, and the bigger buying decisions are in how to choose a Wi-Fi router.