Devices with direct Wi-Fi function. Wi-Fi Direct: what is it on a phone. Connecting to another device

How to properly use Wi-Fi Direct on an Android system is a common question that can be found on various forums. The fact is that in the world of software, new types of technologies appear every day that make people's lives much easier. Wi-Fi Direct can be considered one of these technologies. Since this is a fairly recent option, few people know how to work with it and for what purposes it is needed.

What is Wi-Fi Direct

It must be said that such an option is available in almost any modern device with the Android OS. It is clear that if we are talking about a cheap device, then such an option may not be available. Moreover, you don’t have to make complex settings. The devices find each other automatically. In addition to ordinary gadgets, such devices as tablets, laptops, using this connection you can connect via Wi-Fi Direct.

It is important that the smartphone can work with such technology. Well, now you can move on to the question - How does this function work?

How the technology works

For Wi-Fi Direct to work, the device must come with a special chip. They come in several varieties:

1. Operates at a frequency of 2.4 GHz.
2. Operation at 5 GHz frequency.
3. Work in two ranges.

The developers say that this standard provides a well-protected communication channel. However, in reality this is not entirely true. As long as the conversation is about personal home use of the system, there is no threat of data hacking. But the problem is much more serious if you work with such a function in a large office. Here a huge number of users can connect to such a network. Any Wi-Fi Direct for the Windows operating system can act as a proxy server, and thus the PC will receive all the data about any smartphone on the network.

Setting up Wi-Fi Direct on Android devices

You will be redirected to a search page for gadgets that can also work with this technology. It must be said that on other devices it must also be activated.

Once your device has searched, simply select the device you want and confirm that they will sync with each other. Next, the smartphones will be connected to the same network. Now you can effortlessly transfer documents or broadcast sound and pictures to other devices. No additional settings are required.

How to Transfer Files from an Android Tablet Using Wi-Fi Direct

Hold this file until a menu appears on the screen. Find the "Send via" option. Next, you should find the desired option (for us it is Wi-Fi Direct).

As you can see, everything is very easy. Absolutely any user can cope with this. With all that said, absolutely any modern Android tablet supports Wi-Fi Direct. Separate utilities have also been written for Wi-Fi Direct - installing such an application will make working with the technology more convenient and faster.

Disadvantages of Wi-Fi Direct

1. Clogging of the general ether. The trouble is that when creating a standard network, all devices are connected to one access point. But in the case of Wi-Fi Direct technology, many independent connections are created. Moreover, users of mobile devices and laptops, as well as printers, TVs, set-top boxes, etc. can connect. Ultimately, there may be dozens or even hundreds of individual networks in one large building. Because of this, real chaos is happening on the Internet. At the same time, the network cannot be kept under control. This proportionally affects the speed of information transfer.
2. As we wrote earlier, the level of protection is poor if we are talking about connections in large buildings.
3. Energy consumption. Although the option is very useful and helps transfer large data packets at high speeds, the use of this technology increases energy consumption, thereby reducing the operating time of the smartphone. It must be said that Bluetooth requires much less electricity.
4. Impressive coverage radius. It would seem that this fact can be safely considered an advantage. That's how it is. But this advantage can be taken advantage of by attackers. In addition, if we take into account the large number of connected smartphones, the cluttering of the airwaves occurs much faster.
5. Well, at the very end, it must be said that to enable this technology, you will need a special chip. Of course, new phones are now equipped with both Wi-Fi and Wi-Di adapters. But there are still some smartphones that do not work with the above technology.

If you recently purchased a smartphone or tablet with the latest versions of Android, you probably came across a new item in the wireless network settings - Wi Fi Direct. What is it and what is it for? We answer your questions.

Exchange data at high speed and without a router

What is Wi-Fi Direct

Wi Fi Direct is a relatively new wireless communication protocol designed to connect two or more devices without . Simply put, a technology that allows us to connect 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 Internet access. Accordingly, the technology will support the same wireless communication 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 we are used to? Here are its main differences:

• higher data transfer speed;
• wider range of action;
• and most importantly - the ability to connect several devices together, and not just two; Moreover, for this, only one of them, equipped with a chip that supports Direct, will be sufficient.

In addition, users do not yet have a consensus on 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, but when you connect a group of devices to a Wi-Fi network, say, in an office, each of them not only creates a separate connection (which significantly clogs the airwaves), but can also serve as a proxy for anyone connect to it. It turns out that the level of connection security at this moment remains in question.

How is this technology used?

To use this communication method, you will not need anything - all your actions will be no different from the usual turning on Wi-Fi:

1. Go to wireless network settings and turn on Wi-Fi.
2. On the screen where the list of available connections is displayed, go to the “Wi Fi Direct” tab.
3. 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):

1. We go through where the necessary files are located.
2. Select one or more images or other materials.
3. In the menu we find the “Send” item, from the options that appear, select “Wi-Fi Direct”.
4. Now all that remains is 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 your task of communication between devices and data transfer. For example, connecting several tablets or phones to a network can be very appealing 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 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 access 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 a particular 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.

You know what Wi-Fi technology is and use it every day. You know what Bluetooth is and use it quite often. The strengths of these two technologies can be reduced and this is called Wi-Fi Direct.

You can use Wi-Fi Direct on a TV only if it is a smart TV and it even has Wi-Fi, this does not mean that you can enable Wi-Fi Direct - this function may simply be missing. So the Samsung ue55ju6600uxua TV has it, but the Philips 40PFS5709 does not, although both have Wifi.

You can connect on a Samsung, Sony, HP computer or laptop with Microsoft windows 10, windows 7 or windows 8.1 installed if they support Intel WiDi, via Windows Media or a virtual Wi-Fi Direct adapter from Microsoft.

Android devices, iphone (iPhone), for example, 5s and smartphones or tablets with Miracast support were not left out.

In general, this does not depend on the manufacturer, be it lg, samsung galaxy, philips, and chinese meizu, zte blade, huawei honor 5a - even a printer can support Wi-Fi direct.

What does Wi-Fi Direct mean and what is it for?

IWfi, a wireless communication technology with many applications, is the most common Internet connection.

The most common way to meet WiFi for the typical user is to access the Internet using a router.

A router is a physical device that creates an access point (AP) that you see on your smartphone, phone, or computer when searching for networks to connect to.

To connect, select a network, enter a password (if necessary), and voila - you have access to the Internet.

There are only times when you don’t need the Internet, you want to connect only two devices and exchange data between them: send a file, for example, to a printer to print anything.

There is a technology designed to help even in these cases, and it's called Wi-Fi Direct.

Wi-Fi Direct - a little history

To send data to another device without wires and third equipment, one of the most popular types of communication is Bluetooth, which appeared in 1998.

It is ideal for connecting peripherals to your computer, such as a mouse and keyboard, or using wireless headphones, since they do not require fast data transfer.

WiFi is fast. Therefore, WiFi Direct technology was adopted to quickly transfer data between two devices, and it is even much easier to enable, configure and use and can be used for a wireless connection.

The first company to introduce support for WiFi Direct was Intel: they introduced the first standard, the Centrino 2 platform, in 2008.

Then, two years later, several major players in the networking industry followed suit, such as Marvell, Atheros, Broadcom, Realtek Ralind. It is possible that your laptop's Wi-Fi is from one of these manufacturers.

Google also added support for WiFi Direct on Android 4.0. Blackberry OS received an update to version 10.2, and the first to support WiFi Direct Xbox was the Xbox One, launched in 2013.

Note: Some people make the mistake of WiFi Direct wireless connections by confusing it with Ad-Hoc.

This connection connects two computers using WiFi, but its speed is limited to 11 Mbps.

How Wi-Fi Direct works

The most important principles behind the WiFi Direct standard are very simple. The mode of operation is as follows: the device detects another, as if opening a wireless network. Then enter the password or press the button and you're done, the equipment is connected.

There is no need to set visibility, just enter a numeric key, just like Bluetooth technology.

Additionally, only one of the two connected devices must support Wi-Fi Direct.

To connect two devices via Wi-Fi Direct, one must create an access point, like a router, and the other device connects to that access point. This process happens automatically, there is no need to do anything manually.

You can print wirelessly and send photos from your phone to your computer, or play music on your TV from your tablet or smartphone.

In this case, you can forget about passwords. WiFi Direct technology uses Protected Setup (WPS), which is an easy way to connect two devices using secure wifi.

As with modern routers, simply enter the number displayed on the screen or press the connect button.

With its simplified configuration and faster speeds, WiFi Direct is a much better option than Bluetooth when it comes to transferring files between two or more devices.

Benefiting from ease of installation and scope of application, SEA is a useful standard for connecting peripheral devices.

Some analysts are even predicting the end of the Bluetooth era, although the technology is new enough that it could still be years away. If you have any questions, please use the comments section below. Good luck.

Wi-Fi Direct how to transfer files. Do you have a Samsung Galaxy smartphone and don’t know how to transfer files via wifi direct at high speed? In this article we will see how this is done on almost all Androids.

If your Samsung Galaxy smartphone supports Wi-Fi Direct function, then you can transfer large files at high speed; if you compare the transfer speed of Bluetooth and wifi direct, then Bluetooth is resting. You can transfer files via Wi-Fi Direct not only from phone to phone, but also from phone to computer or from smartphone to laptop or tablet, the main thing is that the transmitted and received devices supported the wifi direct function.

This function is very useful on those smartphones that do not have a memory card, for example, you want to transfer a movie in good quality from your computer to your smartphone, but accordingly it weighs more than one GB and transferring such a movie via Bluetooth will take a lot of time. And if you transmit the same file from computer to smartphone via Wi-Fi Direct, then it will be much faster. The main thing is that both devices must support this function.

You can pre-establish a connection between the two devices from which you want to send and receive a file. To do this, go to settings and select Wi-Fi. Next, activate it, and then click on the menu in the form of three dots.

Next, a menu will open where we select Wi-Fi Direct and look for available devices. On the receiving device, enable Wi-Fi Direct to detect it. When you see on the screen the desired device to which you want to transfer the file, you need to select it. On the receiving device, confirm the connection with your Samsung Galaxy android.

Let's see how to enable Wi-Fi Direct on Android Samsung Galaxy and how to transfer files to another smartphone or other device that supports Wi-Fi Direct.

Using an example, we will look at how to transfer a file from a gallery via wifi direct:
Open the gallery and select any photo, video or just a picture by touching it, after which you will see a menu at the top of the screen with possible actions for the selected file. Select an icon that allows you to transfer the selected file in various available ways. Look at the attached screenshot below.

In the menu that opens, select the icon labeled Wi-Fi Direct.

After confirming that Wi-Fi Direct is enabled on Android, it will begin searching for other devices. To find another device, you need to enable Wi-Fi Direct on that device as well. Once you find an available device and select it, a notification appears on the receiving device. receiving a file via wifi direct, needs to be confirmed. Next, the transfer process from your smartphone to another smartphone or other device will begin.

I hope this article helped you and you were able to find the information you needed.
Don't forget to leave a review whether this article helped you or not. Please indicate the model of the device to which this method worked or did not work. I wish everyone good luck!!!

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