A new Wi-Fi technology known as “Wi-Fi Direct” is gearing up for the holiday season.
The Wi-Fi consortium has brought its members heads together and is coming up with a new standard – and that standard is called “Wi-Fi Direct”. They say it will allow wireless devices to connect and work together without an access point or Internet connection.
This Wi-Fi Direct standard will allow users to print, synchronize files and share data all on the fly. Compatible wireless devices will include notebooks, netbooks, smart phones and tablets. The new certified products will still be able to connect to a non-Wi-Fi Direct product. What that means is that Wi-Fi Direct certified devices can connect one-to-one or to many, and not all connected products need to be Wi-Fi Direct certified. Therefore, one Wi-Fi Direct enabled device can connect to legacy Wi-Fi certified devices.
“Connecting Wi-Fi Direct-certified devices are easy and simple, in many cases only requiring the push of a button. Moreover, all Wi-Fi Direct connections are protected by WPA2TM, the latest Wi-Fi security technology,” the Wi-Fi Alliance said on its website.
How does this all come together? Like when most technologies get rolled out, other technology industries that collaborate and support each other jump on the bandwagon. Cisco and Netgear will be rolling out new Wi-Fi direct networking devices, and chip and technology companies such as Broadcom, Intel, Ralink, Realtek and Atheros are also supporting Wi-Fi Direct.
Wi-Fi Direct’s embedded “Soft AP” will direct and route network traffic over Bluetooth for a more simplified and seamless connection when necessary. The difference between the old technology and the new is it will have broader range and better connection, just like access points and routers. Due to the widespread adoption of Wi-Fi in smaller devices, the need for working spur-of-the-moment networking has grown. Wi-Fi Direct will enable wireless devices to share resources, and it is now possible to find printers, cameras, scanners and many other common devices with Wi-Fi, like USB.
The Wi-Fi consortium came together because the process of adding Wi-Fi to smaller devices has accelerated and they wanted a universal capability to address the increasing need.
Even more exciting news is that this new technology may be available by this holiday season.
Jeff Gasner is with CPR-Cell Phone repair. The leader in Cell Phone Repair and iPod Repair offering cell phone repair services nationwide. Visit http://www.chicagocellrepair.com.
