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  5. Wi-Fi Direct Is Here; Hang On For The Ride: Page 2 of 2
Wireless Infrastructure

Wi-Fi Direct Is Here; Hang On For The Ride: Page 2 of 2

Way back when, the original IEEE 802.11 standard provided for peer-to-peer wireless communication along with the more mainstream access point-based Wi-Fi that has become pervasive. Anyone who has taken a basic wireless networking class has learned about the Independent Basic Service Set (IBSS) which is the technical name for ad-hoc client connectivity. Before the advent of high capacity thumb drives, peer-to-peer wireless might have been used to get files from your machine to the person next to
Lee Badman
November 18, 2010

Depending on the sophistication of the client device, it is permissible by the specification for them to be connected to a secure "real" WLAN and a Wi-Fi Direct network at the same time, so the potential benefits could be quite interesting. Maybe we'll figure out a way to assimilate Wi-Fi Direct into the enterprise, but the expectation is that the new peer-to-peer magic will be primarily a 2.4 GHz venture, given the thorniness of avoiding the likes of radar systems in the 5 GHz band. That's what we all need- more noise makers in the already over-crowded 2.4 GHz band.

At this point, there are only eight Wi-Fi Direct certified devices in the Alliance's roster of compliant wireless hardware. But the names behind those specific models read like a who's who in the wireless market: Atheros, Broadcom, Intel, Marvel and other familiar players. The early list does feature both computer adapters and smartphone chipsets, so the assumption is Wi-Fi Direct very well could prove to be a disruptive technology. Me at home loves the notion, but me at work is bracing for impact.

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