It is official: Wi-Fi Direct is here, and the nonprofit Wi-Fi Alliance is now certifying products as Wi-Fi Certified Wi-Fi Direct. Alliance members include Apple, Cisco, Intel, and other major tech vendors.
Wi-Fi Direct is an emerging technology meant to meet the growing demand for easy, portable wireless network connectivity. It's peer-to-peer wireless networking, which means that devices such as notebooks, tablets, cameras, and printers can "find" one another and establish wireless connectivity without need of the presence of a wireless router, an access point, or a hotspot.
How is it used? Imagine syncing your mobile device or laptop to a printer, digital photo frame, or TV without connecting to a Wi-Fi network. No worry about SSIDs or passwords to access them.
There are a few key features to know about Wi-Fi Direct:
- Wi-Fi Direct enlists a technology known as "Soft AP": Soft AP, in a nutshell, is software-based access point functionality built into Wi-Fi Direct certified devices. These devices are capable of routing and directing network traffic just like access points and routers.
- Wi-Fi Direct is expected to provide superior connectivity over Bluetooth: Wi-Fi Direct is not just an alternative to Bluetooth connectivity; it delivers a better connection and has greater range than Bluetooth.
- Legacy Wi-Fi devices are supported: If you have one Wi-Fi Direct certified device; that device can connect with 802.11n as well as b and g devices.
- Wi-Fi Direct has built-in security: WPA2 is bundled into this wireless standard and unlike traditional wireless routers and access points, cannot be disabled.
- Applications are a driving factor of this technology: Portable devices will be able to connect to the myriad of applications available without need to connect to a Wi-Fi network.
- Wi-Fi Direct is not the same as ad-hoc networking: The most significant difference between traditional ad-hoc wireless networking (traditional peer-to-peer networking) and Wi-Fi Direct is security. In Windows ad-hoc networks, the highest level of security supported is WEP in mixed client environments (Windows 7 will support WPA2 provided all adapters support it, as well). Wi-Fi Direct, as mentioned, supports WPA2. Another difference, Wi-Fi Direct devices can also simultaneously connect to existing wireless networks. More granular control and better discovery of devices also differentiate Wi-Fi Direct from ad-hoc networking.
- Wi-Fi Direct is not meant to replace traditional wireless networks: Wi-Fi Direct devices may not provide the overall range of a wireless router or AP. There's more flexibility with APs and routers, as they can be placed strategically to provide optimized signal strength. Also, there are security considerations with Wi-Fi Direct; there is a good chance that IT departments with corporate wireless networks may have issues with controlling Wi-Fi Direct devices.
- There are products already Wi-Fi Direct certified: Wi-Fi Direct certified products include Atheros XSPAN® Dual-band 802.11n PCIe Mini Card (AR928x); Broadcom BCM43224; Intel® Centrino® Advanced-N 6200 internal PCIe half mini card; Ralink MIMObility 802.11n Reference Design ; Realtek RTL8192CE-VA4 HM92C00 PCIe mini card. In addition, Cisco and Netgear are rolling out Wi-Fi direct networking devices.