Wi-Fi Aware

Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Wi-Fi Aware™ extends Wi-Fi® capability with quick discovery, connection, and data exchange with other Wi-Fi devices—without the need for a traditional network infrastructure, internet connection, or GPS signal. Wi-Fi Aware™ provides rich here-and-now experiences by establishing independent, peer-to-peer Wi-Fi connections based on a user’s immediate location and preferences.
Social interaction uses
- Connect with people nearby to play a favorite game on mobile devices
- Enable a friend in the vicinity to simultaneously hear songs being played on a user’s device
- Find friends at a concert and share photos or coordinate a place to meet
Business uses
- Securely send a document to a printer without first logging onto the network
- View a restaurant menu and make a reservation while walking by without an internet connection, even when the restaurant is closed
Educational uses
- Bring enhanced educational experiences to students visiting a museum, art-gallery, and field trips
- Automate and timestamp school check-ins and roll-call
Emerging uses
- Enable autonomous and remote-controlled vehicles to instantly become aware of other devices and automatically exchange information such as GPS coordinates, altitude, direction, and owner ID
- Streamline airport security, customs, and immigration processing flows using mobile identification (ID) such as a driver’s license or passport without requiring travelers to present a physical ID
Wi-Fi Aware enriches personalized mobility experiences
Wi-Fi Aware leverages the spontaneous nature of user proximity to enable innovative applications. Wi-Fi Aware devices continuously discover other devices within a user’s Wi-Fi range prior to association, making it easy to find nearby information and services that match preferences set by the user. This technology enables truly personalized social, local, and mobile experiences, helping users to get the most out of their mobile devices, even in crowded environments.
Key features
- Continuous, power efficient device-to-device discovery using Wi-Fi or Bluetooth Low Energy radios prior to association—even without a GPS, cellular, or infrastructure connection
- Multi-directional sharing of services or information simultaneously
- Dynamic connectivity, enabling groups of devices connected through Wi-Fi Aware to maintain their connection even if one device moves out of range
- Works well indoors and in crowded environments
- Efficient device-to-device communication supporting both native and IP-based data exchange; each data stream is associated with a specific application or service
- User-based control of privacy, enabling user opt-in or opt-out of identity disclosure through the device operating system or application
Wi-Fi® delivers strong IoT advantage |
Eight Wi-Fi® trends expected in 2020 |
Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Wi-Fi Aware™ enhances the Wi-Fi® mobile experience |
Wi-Fi Aware certified products |