[MrZander]

That seems very high to me. A family of four each has 5 devices connected at the same time?

[tzs]

I'm single and have 11 devices on 2.4 GHz:

  Wireless temperature monitor
  Sync module for some Blink cameras
  2 smart plugs
  Roomba
  5 smart lights
  RPi 3

3 of the smart lights I currently don't need and and so aren't actually connected. That leaves 8 connected 2.4 GHz devices.

On 5 GHz I've got 16 devices:

  Amazon Fire Stick
  iPad
  Printer
  Echo Show
  Apple Watch
  Surface Pro 4
  iMac
  Nintendo Switch
  EV charger
  Mac Studio
  A smart plug
  Google Home Mini
  Echo Dot
  RPi 4
  Kindle
  iPhone

The iMac and the Surface Pro 4 are almost never turned on, and the printer is also most of the time. That leaves 13 regularly connected 5 GHz devices.

That's a total of 21 devices usually connected on my WiFi, right what the article says is average. :-)

[paxys]

Smartphone, laptop, tablet, watch - that's 4 already. And this isn't just counting personal devices. Include TV, streaming stick, game console, printers, bulbs, plugs, speakers, doorbell, security cameras, thermostat and you'll hit that number pretty quick.

[MrZander]

There are 16 devices on my WiFi right now and I would've though I was above average. I have a bunch of weird stuff like 3 Raspberry Pis that most households would not have, but I don't have most of the stuff you listed.

I guess I am less "connected" than the average American. Can't say I feel like I am missing out, though.

[kllrnohj]

Check your network and see how many wifi devices you have. I'm up to 60+ thanks to a handful of IoT devices, smart speakers, etc... It adds up quick.

[drob518]

Most of your mobile devices are doing background tasks. It’s not typically high bandwidth stuff, but they are connected even when you aren’t using them.