What is wifi direct. The Wi-Fi Direct function - what it is for and how it is used on Android devices. How the technology works
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If you relatively recently purchased a smartphone or tablet on Android of the latest versions, then you probably met a new item in the wireless network settings - Wi Fi Direct. What is it and what is it for? We answer your questions.
Data exchange at high speed and without the participation of a router
What is WiFi Direct
Wi Fi Direct is a relatively new wireless communication protocol designed to connect two or more devices together without. Simply put, a technology that allows us to combine Android phones and / or tablets into one network without requiring a router.
Technically, this is implemented on Wi-Fi modules, similar to those that provide us with access to the Internet. Accordingly, the technology will support the same wireless standards. The modules operate at a frequency of 2.4 or 5 GHz, but most of them support both modes, so they can work in wireless networks of any standard (802.11 a/b/g/n/).
A reasonable question arises: how does a Wi-Fi connection differ from the Bluetooth technology familiar to us? Here are its main differences:
- higher data transfer rate;
- wider range;
- and most importantly - the ability to connect several devices to each other, and not just two; and for this, only one of them, equipped with a chip that supports Direct, will be enough.
In addition, users do not yet have a common opinion about the security of such connections. The developers claim that Wi Fi Direct is higher than Bluetooth, but in reality it turns out differently. For a home network, there will not be much difference here, but when you turn on a group of devices in a Wi-Fi network, say, in an office, each of them not only creates a separate connection (which significantly clogs the air), but can also serve as a proxy for anyone who connect to it. It turns out that the level of security of the connection at this point remains in question.
How is this technology used?
To use this communication method, you will not need any - all your actions will be no different from the usual Wi-Fi activation:
- Go to the settings of wireless networks, turn on Wi-Fi.
- On the screen that displays a list of available connections, go to the "Wi Fi Direct" tab.
- In the list that appears, select the desired recipient name or several and click "Connect".
Now you can transfer any data via Wi-Fi - music, images, documents - to other devices. Suppose you need to send photos from your phone to your tablet (provided that both gadgets are running Android):
- We go through where the necessary files are located.
- Select one or more images or other materials.
- In the menu we find the item "Send", among the options that appear, select "Wi-Fi Direct".
- Now it remains only to select the receiving device - and the files will be sent to it "over the air".
Conclusion
As you can see, Wi Fi Direct can greatly facilitate the task of communication between devices and data transfer. For example, connecting several tablets or phones to a network can really appeal to fans of online games: they can even play with each other. The main thing is that their devices are within reach of each other.
First, let's answer the question - what is Wi-Fi Direct? Translated from English, it means "direct Wi-Fi". The technology appeared several years ago, and has a lot of drawbacks. It allows you to directly transfer data from one phone or tablet to another under the Android operating system.
Many will start talking about Bluetooth, which can similarly transmit data, but both of these technologies are completely different. Let's take a closer look. Wi-Fi direct can build a wireless network without a router or a router that performs this function. That is, the smartphone begins to act as a router and itself builds a network to which almost any device can connect. But this is ideal - in reality, everything is much more complicated.
In theory, this technology was originally invented to remotely access all devices connected to Wi-Fi Direct and freely transfer data to PCs, Smart TVs, connect to printers and MFPs.
How does it work?
Inside the device there is a special Wi-Fi module. Usually it acts as a receiver, that is, it can receive signals from a Wi-Fi router. But it can be switched to router mode, and then the phone itself builds a network and catches devices with similar technology.
The wavelength range is the same as on a regular home router from 2.4 GHz to 5 GHz. The advantage of the technology is the definition of devices that can transfer videos, photos, movies and other heavy files without obstacles.
There are several differences from bluetooth:
- In Bluetooth technology, packets are transmitted in only one direction - that is, either transmitting or sending. On Wi-Fi, there is the possibility of simultaneous two-way transmission.
- Bluetooth has a slower rate of sending and receiving packets.
- WiFi range is slightly higher.
- Has two types of work:
- Device Discovery - search for devices with a similar function;
- Service Discovery - file transfer.
Security
Unfortunately, this technology is not secure and the connection occurs without encryption and password request - as is done in an access point. But on the other hand, it is usually used to transfer videos, pictures, photos and other non-secret data. Plus, it turns on for a short time, while files are being transferred.
Standards support
It has all the standards of Wi-Fi networks - but so say Support Wi-Fi Direct. In fact, most likely, not all modules support a wide range of standards on which wireless networks operate, which is why not all phones or tablets, even with Wi-Fi Direct, can transmit data to each other. There is a connection, but data is not transmitted. The data transfer rate depends on the supporting standards of the receiving and sending machine.
How to set up or enable
Phones, tablets usually have different versions of Android, while some are typed, and some have bare Android installed. But the principle of operation is the same. Now almost all new, expensive devices have WIFI Direct.
- We go into the settings, for this we look for a gear in the main menu and click on it.
- Next, go to the Wi-Fi or network and Internet settings.
- Turn on Wi-Fi.
- In the settings of this section, you need to find "WI-FI Direct". And just click on it.
- The device search page will appear. Select the one you want and click on it. The connection will take place. If you do not see the desired device, then try re-enabling the function on both phones. If this does not help, then nothing can be done - WIFI Direct works every other time.
- The feature must already be enabled on the second device. We just accept a request to connect a second device.
Now you can transfer data from one device to another.
How to use and transfer files?
- To do this, both smartphones must be turned on and the “Wi-Fi Direct” function must be active on them.
- Go to Photos or File Manager. Next, select any available file, photo, video and click on it. In additional features, you need to find the function "Send".
- Choose our shipping option. The photo, document or video will immediately go to the second device. Swipe the top menu, you will see the sending process.
And now about some problems. So the technology has not been finalized, even if both devices have such a function and you managed to connect, it’s not a fact that it will be possible to transfer data. Personally, I only succeeded once when I transferred photos from identical Samsung S8 phones. But for some reason, with a friend who has another LG smartphone, it was not possible to transfer the photo, although the connection was established. And dancing with a tambourine did not help - no matter how much we tried, the nasty files did not want to be sent.
Having scoured the Internet, I met a lot of people who never managed to transfer data. There is about 50 to 50. So, be prepared that nothing will work out - since the technology is very young and not finalized. On the other hand, it is not clear why they add a semi-working function to the phone.
How to disable?
To do this, just go to the wireless network settings and turn off and then turn on the Wi-Fi. The module will then turn off.
Cons of technology
- Each device that has this feature enabled creates a separate connection. Because of what, there may be interference on a regular Wi-Fi router, which reduces its transmission speed and range. Considering that the technology works with the same 2.4-5 GHz band, this significantly affects the performance of the wireless network. Packets are resent due to interference.
- There is no level of protection, that is, with proper knowledge, you can connect to any device and download information.
- The technology is very energy-consuming, which drains the battery of a smartphone or tablet. For example, Bluetooth has 4 times less power consumption. But this is available, I will introduce Bluetooth version 4.0 and higher.
- The range is higher than that of Bluetooth, which is completely unnecessary, since the transmission takes place in the vicinity of devices. And because of this, security decreases and energy consumption increases.
- Not all devices have this technology, which reduces its popularity.
- And the most important drawback, which was mentioned earlier - as practice has shown, Wi-Fi Direct does not work with all devices, which is a little frustrating. I could still understand if there was a problem connecting a TV or a printer, but smartphones?!
- Laptops and computers with a Wi-Fi module do not support this technology.
Conclusion
To be honest, I was very disappointed in this technology, with a very high potential, it does not work well. It is not clear what the problem is, either in data transfer protocols and software, or in modules. Connection does not occur with all devices, so people still use the good old Bluetooth.
Perhaps the problem lies in the heterogeneity of the version of the Android OS. The fact is that some operating systems are made exclusively for this or that phone. The difference of the software product may affect the data transmission standards.
According to the company WECA, which invented this technology, it will soon be repaired, and on new devices it will work like clockwork.
REQUEST! Dear readers, write your experience of using WiFi Direct below in the comments. Did you manage to convey at least something. And if it's not difficult to specify the name of both devices.
Most likely, you use Wi-Fi every day at home or in a cafe, this technology is used by many people, or Bluetooth (sometimes just a necessary type of connection for a couple of devices). But what if you take the best of them and combine them? It turns out that this is implemented in Wi-Fi Direct. This article will explain what Wi-fi Direct is and how this technology works.
From Wi-Fi to Wi-Fi Direct
Most likely, everyone already knows what Wi-Fi is, if not technical aspects, then at a subconscious level for sure. This wireless communication technology has a wide range of applications, but the most used is Internet access.
Everyday use of Wi-Fi consists of connecting to a router to access the Internet. The router is a physical device that creates an access point, the existence of which can be verified in your smartphone or computer in the list of available connections. When connecting to the network, you need to enter a password and everything is ready, access to the network has been received.
From the history of Wi-Fi Direct
Wireless data transmission of nearby devices, without the use of third-party equipment, is not a novelty for a long time. One of the first and widespread solutions was the introduction of Bluetooth, which appeared in 1998. Bluetooth is a wireless communication standard for connecting peripherals to a computer (wireless mice and keyboards) or telephone (headsets). Such devices do not require fast data transfer. Bluetooth is not a high-speed communication technology by today's standards, and there are connection problems too. Read what Bluetooth is and how it works.
The difference between Wi-Fi and Bluetooth is that this connection is faster and easier to set up. It is because of these qualities that Wi-Fi consists of Wi-Fi Direct - a technology for fast and wireless communication and file transfer between various devices.
The first major company to use Wi-Fi Direct was Intel. The new standard was introduced by them in 2008 in the Centrino 2 platform. Two years later, in October 2010, major players in the network industry market: Marvell, Atheros, Broadcom, Ralink and Realtek, began to release their products. It is quite possible that a Wi-Fi adapter from one of these manufacturers is installed on your computer.
Google's Android OS product received direct support for Wi-Fi Direct from version 4.0, and Xbox one in 2013. The Windows family has supported the standard since Windows 8 on PC.
Wi-Fi Direct, how does it work?
The main idea in the development of Wi-Fi Direct was the ease of setup, the possibility of its support by all types of devices at a data transfer rate equal to the usual Wi-Fi.
It works quite simply: one device is detected by another, in exactly the same way as it detected a wireless network, it connects and the devices are connected. There is no need to adjust visibility, use long numbers, or put up with f issues. Another advantage is the need to support Wi-Fi Direct only one of the connected devices.
When connecting two devices using Wi-Fi Direct, one of them creates an access point, like a router, and the other device connects to it. Features depend on the connected device: you can print to a wireless printer, the photo frame can receive and use photos, send files from your computer to your phone, or play music and movies on your TV. Often, an Android device is used to distribute mobile Internet to other devices, but it will not work to connect to a Wi-Fi network at the same time, because the device is already used as an access point. A positive feature of Wi-Fi Direct is the absence of passwords, the connection is encrypted by WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup).
Now you know what Wi-Fi Direct is, and thanks to its easy installation, long range and high data transfer rate, Wi-Fi Direct has an advantage over Bluetooth in wireless data transmission. Perhaps in the future, Wi-Fi Direct will be able to replace Bluetooth, because it simultaneously eliminates both the extra standard and the hardware inside the device. This technology is newer, and replacing one standard with another can take quite a long time.
Probably every smartphone user at least once faced with a situation where you need to quickly transfer files from one smartphone to another. If you have high-speed Internet access, you can synchronize devices; if you have a laptop and a USB cable, you can transfer files through it. But what if there is neither one nor the other? The obvious answer is to use Bluetooth. That's just not always such a connection provides a sufficiently high speed. What if you need to transfer many files at once?
In this case, you should pay attention to Wi-Fi Direct technology, which is available in many modern smartphones and provides a connection at a speed of about 50 Mb / s.
With this connection, two smartphones create a kind of local network using the same Wi-Fi transmitters, only in this case a router is not required.
The advantage is the high speed typical for high-speed wireless Internet access, and the disadvantage is not very good support from the software, as well as the lack of information on the procedure for creating such a connection.
Let's try to figure out how to transfer several hefty files - 25-40MB each in fifteen seconds. To do this, take the SONY Xperia ZL and Meizu MX2 smartphones in order to show that the technology is universal. I will illustrate the procedure using the example of SONY Xperia ZL.
Procedure:
1. We download any program from the Play Store that supports Wi-Fi Direct, I chose the simplest option - File Commander. I remind you that in most Xperia smartphones this program is installed initially, so it is enough to update it to the latest version, because. earlier versions may not support Wi-Fi Direct. The program must be installed on the smartphone from which the files will be sent.
2. Go to the menu Settings - Wi-Fi.
3. Turn on the switch in the topmost line, then carefully look to see if the smartphone has automatically connected to any network ("Connected" status), if connected - long press on the name of the network and uncheck "Connect automatically" in the menu (after transfer files, you can install it again). After that, turn off Wi-Fi and turn it on again with the switch in the top line. We perform the procedure on both smartphones.
As practice has shown, Wi-Fi Direct often cannot work on smartphones simultaneously with an Internet connection via Wi-Fi.
4. Click on the button with three dots in the lower right corner. Choose Wi-Fi Direct. We perform the procedure on both smartphones.
5. Press the search button in the lower left corner. We do it on both smartphones.
6. After the devices "discover" each other, click on the name of the device on any of the smartphones.
The status "Connected" should appear.
7. We go into File Commander or any similar file manager with technology support, select the files that need to be sent and with a long press on any of the selected files we enter the menu. Select "Send via Wi-Fi Direct".
8. In the list, select the device and click on the icon. If the list is empty, try clicking on the magnifying glass icon in the top right corner.
The file transfer will now begin. I draw your attention to the fact that, unlike Bluetooth, file transfer is carried out in a single package and without additional requests. Only a modest notification appears in the status line of the receiver device showing the degree of completion of the operation. Received files are stored in the internal memory of the device in the "Download" folder.
I was not able to transfer folders in this way, but I was able to transfer 10-15 files at a time, about 30MB each, without any problems. Transferring one such file takes only a couple of seconds.
How to use Wi-Fi Direct on Android is a very common question. The fact is that new technologies are constantly appearing in the world to simplify people's lives. One of them is Wi-Fi Direct. Since this is a relatively new technology, few people know how to use it and what it is for.
What is WiFi Direct
This is a new wireless communication standard that allows you to transfer information between several devices that support this technology. It is worth noting that you do not need an access point (router) to connect and transfer data. In other words, you can connect two or more devices directly. For example, you can connect two Android phones via Wi-Fi if they support this technology.
It is worth noting that this function is supported by almost every modern tablet and smartphone with Android OS. Of course, if we are talking about a budget gadget, then such functions may be absent.
And you don't need to configure anything.
Devices detect each other automatically. In addition to the gadgets we are used to, such as laptops, smartphones, tablets, and so on, using Wi-Fi Direct, you can also connect printers, scanners, Smart TVs, digital photo frames, DVD players, etc.
The main thing is that the device is equipped with this function.
Now you know what is Wi-Fi Direct on Android phone. Now we can move on to the question of how this standard works.
How the technology works
It is immediately worth noting that the data transfer rate with a direct connection can reach 200-250 Mbps. In this case, the radius of action with line of sight is 200 meters and about 50-100 meters in buildings. Also, the level of security of such a communication channel deserves special attention.
To work with this standard, the device must be equipped with the appropriate chip. They are of several types:
- Operation in the 2.4 GHz band.
- In the 5 GHz band.
- Working in both ranges.
Wi-Fi Direct on Android has some very useful features. For example, Device Discovery, as well as Service Discovery. They allow smartphones and tablets (and other devices) to find each other and create a network between them. In this case, everything happens without your participation.
Moreover, these functions allow you to get information about the capabilities of each gadget on the network. For example, when you want to transfer a video from your tablet to another device, only those devices that can receive and play this file will be displayed in the list of connected devices.
The developers claim that this standard creates a fairly secure communication channel. However, in fact this is not the case. As long as we are talking about home use, there is no threat to personal data. But the situation is different if you use such a function in the office. Here, many users can join the network. Any Wi-Fi Direct for Windows can act as a proxy, and such a computer will receive all information about any device on the network.
Setting up Wi-Fi Direct on Android devices
To set up Wi-Fi Direct on Android, go to your Wi-Fi settings and turn on the adapter.
You will automatically be redirected to the search page for devices that also support this feature. It should be noted that it should also be enabled on other gadgets.
Once your smartphone finds the desired connection, simply select it and confirm the connection. Further devices will be united in one network (like Bluetooth). Now you can transfer files or broadcast sound and image to other devices. Nothing else needs to be configured.
How to transfer files from an Android tablet using Wi-Fi Direct
To begin, enable this function on both the transmitter and receiver and connect them as described above. Then open the file manager on the sending device and find the desired file.
Hold your finger on it until the menu appears. Select "Send via". Next, select the appropriate option (in our case it is Wi-Fi Direct).
As you can see, everything is very simple and clear. Absolutely everyone can handle it. At the same time, as mentioned above, every modern Android tablet supports Wi-Fi Direct technology.
There is a Wi-Fi Direct app for Android - installing such a program will make using the new communication standard on your phone or tablet easier and more convenient.
In addition to simple data transfer, users can connect devices such as printers, TVs, an audio system, and so on through this standard. It is important that these devices are equipped with the appropriate chip.
Disadvantages of Wi-Fi Direct
Like any other technology, this wireless communication standard has its drawbacks:
- Ether clogging. The fact is that when organizing a regular network, all gadgets are connected to one access point. But in the case of Wi-Fi Direct, many separate connections are created. Moreover, participants can be both people (users of tablets, smartphones, laptops, and so on) and gadgets - printers, scanners, TVs, etc. As a result, there can be several tens or even hundreds of networks in one multi-storey building. Because of this, a real mess is created on the air. In this case, the networks cannot be controlled. This, in turn, affects the data transfer rate.
- As mentioned above, weak level of protection when it comes to connecting in office and public buildings.
- Energy intensity. On the one hand, this feature is very useful and allows you to transfer large files at high speed. This also reduces the amount of time it takes to transfer information. But such a speed requires a significant expenditure of energy.
And considering how much this will affect the autonomy of the gadget, it should be understood that you should not get carried away with this function. Smartphones and tablets run out of battery rather quickly. It should be noted that Bluetooth consumes much less electricity.
- Long range. It would seem that this is an advantage. On the one hand, it is. But on the other hand, attackers can take advantage of this. In addition, given that in this way we litter the air, such a range becomes more of a negative than a positive quality.
- And finally, it is worth remembering that in order to use this function appropriate chip required. Of course, modern phones are equipped with both adapters (Wi-Fi and Wi-Di). But there are still quite a lot of devices that do not support this technology.
So now you know how to connect Android to Android via Wi-Fi directly. Despite the existing shortcomings, this connection is still widespread. And although it will not replace Bluetooth, its useful features simplify some tasks.
Wi-Fi Direct on Android: Video