What does wifi direct mean on a phone? Modern communication technology between Wi-Fi Direct devices

Everyone already knows what Wi-Fi is, how it works and how to use it. After all, Wi-Fi is the main way phones and other mobile devices connect to the Internet. But, in the characteristics of some gadgets you can find such an option as Wi-Fi Direct, information about which is not so widespread. In this article we will talk about what Wi-Fi Direct is, what it is used for in phones, and how to enable and use it.

Wi-Fi Direct is a standard built on Wi-Fi that allows Wi-Fi devices to share data without using a Wi-Fi access point or router. This means that two Wi-Fi Direct-enabled phones can connect and exchange data even where there is no Wi-Fi network. Before the advent of Wi-Fi Direct, this was not possible; Wi-Fi-enabled devices required a Wi-Fi network.

According to the logic of its operation, Wi-Fi Direct is very similar to Bluetooth. After all, in order to connect two devices via Bluetooth, you do not need any routers, access points or other additional devices that will service the wireless connection. You simply turn on Bluetooth, search and pair the devices. Wi-Fi Direct works about the same way.

At the same time, Wi-Fi Direct retains most of the advantages of conventional Wi-Fi networks, so it compares favorably with Bluetooth. Compared to Bluetooth, Wi-Fi Direct technology provides: higher data transfer speeds, longer range, and the ability to connect more than two devices at the same time.

The Wi-Fi Direct standard is being developed by a group of companies called WECA (Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance). This is an alliance of wireless device manufacturers that develops Wi-Fi network standards (IEEE 802.11 specifications).

What is Wi-Fi Direct for?

Wi-Fi Direct can be used to connect any devices that support this technology and need to exchange information. For example, Wi-Fi Direct can be used for:

• Connections between two phones;
• Printer connections;
• Keyboard or mouse connections;
• Connecting a TV or projector;
• Connecting a camera or video camera;

How to enable Wi-Fi Direct on your phone

In order to enable Wi-Fi Direct on a phone with the Android 8.1 operating system, you need to open the settings, go to the “Network and Internet - Wi-Fi” section, turn on regular Wi-Fi there and go to the “Wi-Fi Settings” subsection.

And go to “Wi-Fi Direct”.

This will start searching for other devices that support Wi-Fi Direct.

The computerization of everyday life has introduced the technical terms Wi-Fi and bluetooth into everyday life. Nowadays, even people who are far from computer technology have an idea about devices that support Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. They help connect multiple devices to the Internet and wirelessly exchange data.

Today we will talk about one of these technologies.

What is Wi-Fi Direct?

Wi-Fi Direct combines the benefits of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Wi-Fi wireless technology, mostly used for Internet access, is, unlike Bluetooth, high-speed. Another advantage is easier setup. Wi-Fi Direct, unlike Wi-Fi, specializes not in Internet access, but in wireless data transfer between devices without a router. The number of such devices in most cases is not necessarily limited to two. Please note that you cannot use a Wi-Fi Direct access point to connect to a Wi-Fi network at the same time.

Wi-Fi Direct transfers data an order of magnitude faster than Bluetooth. When connecting via Wi-Fi Direct, unlike Bluetooth, you do not need to think about whether the connected device is in sight. The established connection is encrypted using the Wi-Fi Protected Setup standard and does not require password protection.

Support for Wi-Fi Direct by a particular device is physically realized by the presence of a special chip in it. Since the technology is new, this chip is present only in Smart TVs and the most modern smartphones and tablets. The Windows operating system supports Wi-Fi Direct starting from version 8, and Google Android OS from version 4.0.

Connecting a TV to a mobile device via Wi-Fi Direct

This connection is convenient, for example, for transferring and watching video files from a smartphone or tablet on a TV. Another option is to remotely control your TV. Obviously, the connected devices must support Wi-Fi Direct. The connection initiator sends a communication invitation to the selected device from the list of detected ones. All that remains is for him to confirm the connection. As a rule, mains-powered or stationary devices are selected as the “master” device.

As an example, let's look at the specific steps to establish a connection between an LG Smart TV and an HTC One V smartphone.

1. In the “Wireless Connections and Networks” section of your smartphone settings, click the “More” button.
2. In the Wi-Fi Direct tab that appears, click OK. The message “Wi-Fi Direct is enabled” should appear.
3. In the TV settings, go to the “Network” tab.
4. In the list of networks that appears, select Wi-Fi Direct.
5. In the pop-up window, move the switch to the “On” position.
6. After detecting your Android device, answer “Yes” to the “Request connection” question. In the same window, check the box next to “Connect automatically without prompting” to speed up subsequent connections.
7. Once your phone is connected, it will prompt you to press OK to accept the request from the TV. After this click, a message will appear on the TV indicating that the connection with the Android device has been established.

As you can see, setting up a connection via Wi-Fi Direct is very simple and accessible to any user.

Applications and prospects of Wi-Fi Direct

Using Wi-Fi Direct technology, it is convenient to transfer files from your computer to your smartphone, watch videos and play music on your TV. It is expected that this interface will be equipped not only with laptops, tablets and smartphones, but also with printers, mice, headsets, digital and video cameras, and game consoles.

Fans of Wi-Fi Direct predict the complete displacement of Bluetooth in the near future. Yes, wireless data transmission using this technology is significantly superior to Bluetooth in terms of speed, range and ease of deployment. But Wi-Fi Direct is not without its drawbacks. These include high power consumption, which can quickly drain the smartphone. True, recently there has been development of energy-saving modes for use specifically in Wi-Fi Direct.

Another drawback is the possible mutual interference with intensive use of Wi-Fi Direct in an apartment building. From this point of view, it is much more convenient to use this technology in a country house or country house.

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 many disadvantages. 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 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 have access to all devices connected to Wi-Fi Direct and seamlessly transfer data to PCs, Smart TVs, and connect to printers and MFPs.

How does it work?

There is a special Wi-Fi module inside the device. 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 wave range is the same as on a regular home router from 2.4 GHz to 5 GHz. The advantage of the technology is the identification of devices that are capable of transmitting videos, photographs, films 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 transmission or sending. Wi-Fi allows simultaneous two-way transmission.
• Bluetooth has a lower speed of sending and receiving packets.
• Wi-Fi 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 without requiring a password - as is done at 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 that’s what Support Wi-Fi Direct claims. 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 transfer data to each other. In this case, there is a connection, but no data is transferred. The speed of information transfer depends on the supporting standards of the receiving and sending devices.

How to set up or enable

Phones and tablets usually have different versions of Android, some are generic, and some have bare Android installed. But the operating principle itself is the same. Now almost all new, expensive devices have WIFI Direct.

1. We go to the settings, to do this, look for the gear in the main menu and click on it.
2. Next, go to Wi-Fi or network and Internet settings.
3. Turn on Wi-Fi.

1. In the settings of this section you need to find “WI-FI Direct”. And just click on it.

1. The device search page appears. Select the one you need and click on it. A connection will occur. If you don't see the device you need, try re-enabling the function on both phones. If this does not help, then nothing can be done - WIFI Direct works every other time.

1. The second device must already have the feature enabled. We simply accept the request to connect a second device.

Now you can transfer data from one device to another.

How to use and transfer files?

1. To do this, both smartphones must be turned on and the “Wi-Fi Direct” function must be active on them.
2. Go to photos or file manager. Next, select any available file, photo, video and click on it. In additional features you need to find a function "Send".

1. Select our sending option. The photo, document or video will immediately be sent to the second device. Swipe the top menu and you will see the sending process.

And now about some problems. So the technology has not been finalized, even if both devices have this function and you managed to connect, it is not a fact that you will be able to transfer data. Personally, I only succeeded once when I transferred photos from identical Samsung S8 phones. But for some reason, it was not possible to transfer the photo to a friend who has a different LG smartphone, 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.

After scouring the Internet, I met quite a lot of people who were unable to transfer data. It’s about 50/50. So, be prepared that nothing will work out - since the technology is very young and unfinished. On the other hand, it’s 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 Wi-Fi. After this, the module will turn off.

Disadvantages of technology

• Each device that has this function enabled creates a separate connection. Because of this, interference can occur 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 range, this significantly affects the performance of the wireless network. Due to interference, packets are resent.
• There is no level of protection, that is, with the 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 occurs close to the 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, is that 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 printer, but smartphones?!
• Laptops and computers with a Wi-Fi module do not support this technology.

Conclusion

To be honest, I’m very disappointed in this technology; despite its great potential, it doesn’t work well. It’s still not clear what the problem is, either in the data transfer protocols and software, or in the modules. Not all devices connect, so people still use good old Bluetooth.

Perhaps the problem lies in the different versions of the Android OS. The fact is that some operating systems are made exclusively for one or another phone. Differences in software product may affect data transmission standards.

According to WECA, the company that invented this technology, it will soon be fixed, and on new devices it will work like a charm.

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, please indicate the name of both devices.

Manufacturers of mobile devices on the Android platform are increasingly equipping their products with a Wi-Fi Direct chip, but not all owners of modern tablets and smartphones know what it is.

Why do you need this chip and what benefits does it provide you? To understand this, let's first look at what the phrase Wi-Fi Direct means.

The software platform is one of the most important components for smart television. You can easily find new applications and organize the ones you have installed. Bulgaria has children, fitness and local developments. For example, in the form of the Cook Me app, you have a complete cookbook with more than 200 excellent classified recipes by country, food and dish, and reading the morning newspaper can also be transferred to the TV with special 24 hours and trust.

It reproduces a much wider color range, up to 4 times greater than conventional color shades. Available in Movie Mode, Natural Mode, Game Mode and Advanced Sports Mode. We never unplug the TV, but the reality is that most TVs still use electricity even when they're turned off.

Wi-Fi Direct is a new type of data transfer. It opens up the ability to exchange information between multiple devices.

This technology is similar to Bluetooth, that is, there is a direct connection without routers or access points. But, unlike Bluetooth, Wi-Fi Direct has faster connection speeds and a longer range.

Preparing for first use

Before you perform these procedures, complete the following steps:

Device registration

It is a wireless communication technology with many uses, the most common being Internet connectivity. A router is a physical device that creates a hotspot, or access point, that you see from your smartphone, phone, or computer when you are looking for a network to connect to.

Thanks to this technology, you can connect not only smartphones and tablets, but also other devices equipped with the appropriate chip. For example, the Wi-FiDirect chip is built into most modern TVs, and you can directly connect such a TV to a smartphone, laptop, computer, and so on. This way you can create a home network without a router.

Connecting to another device

Select the network you want, enter your passphrase and get it: you have Internet access. But there are also cases when you don't need the Internet, you only want to connect two devices and exchange data between them: send a file or print something on a printer. There is a technology that will help you in these cases, and it's called.

The need to send unmanaged data to another device without the need for a third device is nothing new. The way it works is also quite simple: the device detects another as if detecting a wireless network. Then enter the password or press the button and the equipment is connected.

Wi-Fi Direct chip is a separate wireless module; Because this technology is new, such a chip is not yet used in laptops.

Even the most modern and expensive laptops cannot boast of having this equipment, and even among smartphones and tablets, not all gadgets support such technology.

In what cases is the function not available?

As you already understood from what was written above, the answer to the question of how to set up Wi-Fi Direct on a laptop will be that it is impossible to do. A chip is a hardware component: either it is there or it is not. Accordingly, this type of data transfer is not available to laptops.

This procedure is performed automatically, you do not need to do it manually. The available services depend on what types of devices are connected: you can print to a wireless printer, send pictures to a digital photo frame, send files from your phone to your computer, or play music on your TV on a portable player or smartphone. Oh, and about passwords: you might forget them. As with modern routers: simply enter the screen number or press a button and the connection is made.

Now the phone will automatically detect nearby phones and connect if you want to do so. On the other phone you will receive a confirmation message, you accept this connection. Or where you just meet with friends. In shops, bars and cafes, in restaurants you can quickly and easily check your emails, or you can search for everything you need online.

If you don’t have a chip, since you won’t be able to enable Wi-Fi Direct on your laptop, you can use alternative data transfer options. To do this, you will need an access point to which the devices involved in the exchange of information will be connected.

If you don’t have an access point at hand, then you can distribute the network from a laptop to Android by establishing a direct connection.

You will also need to install a program that will share the necessary data. For example, to exchange files between a computer and a smartphone, you can use the following programs:

• FTP server.
• Airdroid.
• MyPhoneExplorer.

The first application needs to be installed only on your smartphone. The program will generate an IP address, which must be registered on your computer in a browser or file explorer. The remaining applications need to be installed on the phone and computer, and only after that the devices must be connected. This is a great alternative to Wi-Fi Direct, allowing you to freely share files at high speed.

How to connect and transfer files

So, you already know what Direct Wi-Fi is. Now let's move on to using this function. If your smartphones or tablets are equipped with the required chip, then we move on to the question of how to use Wi-FiDirect technology.

In fact, everything is very simple. Go to your device's Wi-Fi settings.

Turn on the wireless adapter.

Now click on the "Wi-Fi Direct" button.

The same procedure should be done on the second device. Thus, we enabled the function we required. In this case, the search starts automatically. Now all that remains is to select the equipment you want to connect from the list of available connections.

As you can see, everything is very easy and simple. It is worth noting that this technology has two convenient functions:

• Device Discovery.
• Service Discovery.

Simply put, gadgets can not only be united into one network without the participation of intermediaries (routers, access points, etc.), but also determine the capabilities of each device on the network. For example, if you need to transfer a video, the list of available connections will only show those devices that can receive and play it.

Considering all of the above, we can conclude that Wi-Fi Direct support means the presence in the device (laptop, smartphone, etc.) of an appropriate chip that allows you to create networks without a router and exchange data directly.

What is Wi-Fi Direct: Video

Connecting modern devices, be it a laptop, smartphone or smart TV, is technically not a problem today. Another thing is that if every TV or modern laptop has an HDMI connector, then in smartphones, ultrabooks and similar equipment the structural placement of this port is not always justified. This means that it is not always possible to effectively use the wired connection that is familiar to the user. Yes, and the wired connection, although it works great, still causes some inconvenience due to the length of the cable, the inability to send a file to a new device without having to physically plug the cord into the port.

In this version, information exchange between devices is possible only through a cord. And when there are a lot of them, this is not only inconvenient, but also leads over time to damage to the port due to constant reconnections of the cable in order to transfer the file. Therefore, a universal wireless communication technology, Wi-Fi Direct, was developed, which allows you to establish a full-fledged network connection between devices. It is also very convenient to include them in a common network due to the provision of maximum data exchange speed.

Ability to connect any equipment to your home network

Wi-Fi Direct allows you to wirelessly connect any devices that support this technology. Samsung smartphones can be easily connected to a modern LG smart TV to configure it to display information stored in the mobile device.

But the ability to use a TV as an additional display is not the only function of this technology. Wi-Fi Direct is the ability to connect gadgets such as cameras, printers to the receiving device in order to print the desired file without using wires. Gaming devices and any certified mobile devices that have an antenna for Wi-Fi connection have the same capabilities. Today this sign can be found on household appliances produced by Samsung, Sony, LG and other well-known companies.

Wireless antenna is the norm for modern technology

This wireless communication technology allows you to configure any modern LG or Samsung TV to receive and display information on the screen without using a cord. At the same time, to connect devices to the network via a wireless connection, you need to make a couple of clicks, and after that it works without failures.

Wi-Fi Direct creates a separate channel between devices that operates separately from the standard office wireless network. In addition, in order to connect devices to this network, it is enough that Wi-Fi Direct connection is supported only on an LG TV or, for example, a Samsung smartphone. The rest of the equipment is connected to them using standard modules, which have a wireless antenna that operates on standard protocols.

The ability to watch a video file in HD quality on anything

You can take advantage of Wi-Fi Direct wireless connectivity to work with any type of application. Transfer any necessary file, synchronize data, use a TV as a second monitor, connect a media player, enable display of a network resource on a large screen - all this is possible with the wireless communication option under consideration. Devices that support this protocol allow you to create a separate one and take advantage of the benefits that flow from it.

A wireless communication antenna is now implemented in hardware in almost every modern media device. And after Samsung and LG launched more than one smart TV on the market that has an antenna for wireless communication, connect it to

Just a couple of years ago, in order to connect a TV or any other gadget to a computer, you needed to find a suitable cable and make a bunch of settings. Today things are different. It is enough to have a modern device that supports the Wi-Fi Direct function and make a few settings. Therefore, let’s consider the current topic of how to enable Wi-Fi Direct on Windows 10 and connect various devices to the system.

What is Wi-Fi Direct?

Wi-Fi Direct is a modern wireless network standard that allows you to transfer information between several devices that support this technology. In this case, to pair devices you only need a router, or rather an access point. No adapters or cables are needed. The devices find each other themselves.

Today, this function is supported by almost all PCs, laptops, smartphones, tablets and even cameras, printers and other devices.

However, you should immediately note several features in the operation of this function:

• The data transfer speed with a direct connection can reach 200-250 Mbit/s, and the range will reach 50-100 meters.
• To work with the Wi-Fi Direct function, the gadget must have a chip. This chip comes in several types: operating in the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. There are also devices, but they are not budget ones, that support operation in both bands.
• When creating a connection for several devices via Wi-Fi Direct in the office, you need to understand that when connecting a third-party device, the security of data transfer is not guaranteed. Therefore, it is recommended to use this function at home and only with password-protected Wi-Fi.

Therefore, if your device has this function and you want to connect another gadget to it, you should make a few simple settings, which we will now describe.

How to set up Wi-Fi Direct on your phone?

In order to use the Direct function on your phone, you should do the following:

• Turn on Wi-Fi in the device settings.
• Once you activate Wi-Fi, the Direct function will appear in the menu. Tweak on it to open it.

• We start searching for devices.

• As soon as the new gadget is found, you should select it and confirm the connection.
• To transfer materials to a second device, you should find the file and select “Send via...” and specify Wi-Fi Direct.

In this way, you can connect multiple devices that support the Wi-Fi Direct function. However, it is important to remember that due to different Android firmware versions, the step-by-step steps may differ from those presented.

How to connect a PC to a TV via Wi-Fi Direct?

The method of connecting a computer to a TV, or vice versa, will differ from that presented above.

• Using the instructions that come with your LG or Samsung TV, we connect the device to the same router as the PC.
• Now we set up a DLNA server on a laptop or desktop PC. To do this, in Explorer, select “Network” from the menu on the left. A notification appears stating that "Network discovery and file sharing are disabled." Right-click on this message and select “Enable network discovery and file sharing.”

• A message will appear. You need to choose to create a private network.

• After this, a list of all devices connected to this network will appear in Explorer.

• Once DLNA is activated, you need to go to your TV's menu to view the contents of connected devices. For example, on LG TVs you need to select the “SmartShare” section. It will display the contents of folders that are allowed to be viewed in Windows 10.
• Next, to start a movie on an LG TV, you need to right-click on it and select “Play on...” and select the device model that will be displayed in the list.

This is a standard Direct configuration instruction. The instructions for each TV model have a section dedicated to Direct. You can use the advice of the TV developers.

For information on how to connect Android to an LG TV, watch the video: