New standard allows you to wirelessly connect gadgets without a router

By Andrew Nusca | Oct 15, 2009 |

A new wireless connection standard will allow any Wi-Fi-enabled gadget to connect wirelessly with another without having to go through a wireless router.

Expected in mid-2010, Wi-Fi Direct will automatically detect and connect a Wi-Fi-enabled device to another within a 300 foot range, including laptops, cameras, televisions and printers.

It’s the future of connectivity between our various electronic devices — and it may just put Bluetooth out to pasture.

The Wi-Fi Alliance, which includes major tech corporations such as Intel, Microsoft, Apple, Sony, Dell and Cisco (maker of Linksys routers), says the technology will provide the same speed and range as traditional Wi-Fi, except now it’s with a peer-to-peer connection.

That means Wi-Fi will be a lot more pervasive — and it won’t be nearly as hard to find a hotspot.

The next problem: how do you secure it all?

 
Reply to Story

SmartPlanet TalkbackShare your ideas and expertise on this topic

Subscribe to this discussion via RSS

  •  
    1

    love2helpu

    10/15/09 | Report as spam

    Until then. . .

    In the meantime - I'm enjoying my Netgear Rangmax WNDR3700
    router. It has been great for my office. We are all getting our
    information so much faster!!

  •  
    2

    ben2025@...

    10/16/09 | Report as spam

    RE: New standard allows you to wirelessly connect gadgets without a router

    lets make it even easier for hackers. We will need even more software, ad ware, virus protection and now need it on our TVs, cameras, printers, maybe even the house.

  •  
    3

    Hobyx

    10/16/09 | Report as spam

    If common sense security is built in

    then this would be a big boost for national free wi-fi and opens up a huge
    potential for killer apps.

  •  
    4

    JohnMcGrew@...

    10/16/09 | Report as spam

    This sounds more like a new security nightmare to me.

    At least a router gives me a chance to lock things down at a central
    location. But soon every device is going to have to fend for itself
    against every other device, foreign and domestic?

  •  
    5

    AsadHamdani

    10/17/09 | Report as spam

    RE: New standard allows you to wirelessly connect gadgets without a router

    Don't we already have a Wi-Fi Ad-Hoc connection? That's more or less the same I think. And if the Wi-Fi Direct is eminent then the securing the devices might be similar to bluetooth.

The following tags are supported in Smartplanet comments:
<b></b> <i></i> <u></u> <pre></pre>

Leave a Reply

  1. Name: You are currently: a Guest |
advertisement

Quick Poll

advertisement

Larry Dignan

Larry Dignan is Editor in Chief of ZDNet and SmartPlanet as well as Editorial Director of ZDNet's sister site TechRepublic. He was most recently Executive Editor of News and Blogs at ZDNet. Prior to that he was executive news editor at eWeek and news editor at Baseline. He also served as the East Coast news editor and finance editor at CNET News.com. Larry has covered the technology and financial services industry since 1995, publishing articles in WallStreetWeek.com, Inter@ctive Week, The New York Times, and Financial Planning magazine. He's a graduate of the Columbia School of Journalism and the University of Delaware.

For daily updates, follow Larry on Twitter.

Larry Dignan

Larry Dignan has nothing to disclose. He doesn't hold investments in the technology companies he covers.

Andrew Nusca

Andrew J. Nusca is an associate editor for ZDNet and SmartPlanet. As a journalist based in New York City, he has written for Popular Mechanics and Men's Vogue and his byline has appeared in New York magazine, The Huffington Post, New York Daily News, Editor & Publisher, New York Press and many others. He also writes The Editorialiste, a media criticism blog.

He is a New York University graduate and former news editor and columnist of the Washington Square News. He is a graduate of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. He has been named "Howard Kurtz, Jr." by film critic John Lichman despite having no relation to him. A native of Philadelphia, he lives in New York with his fiancée and his cat, Spats.

Follow him on Twitter

Andrew Nusca

Andrew J. Nusca does not hold any investments in the technology companies he covers.
Smart Takes is a regular digest of the day's news headlines viewed through a SmartPlanet lens, offering an editor's take on breaking stories and opinion from around the Web and highlighting information that will make you smarter.