Is Home Wi-Fi Technology Ready for IoT?

Throughout the world, Wi-Fi technology is transforming homes into “connected homes.” In its the beginning, this wireless connection was only for computers, tablets, smartphones. Then, entertainment was added with gaming consoles and Smart TV. Early adopters now use it for home automation and video surveillance.

The main characteristics of these devices are to connect to services on the Internet and a lesser extent among them within the home network. Another established wireless technology is Bluetooth. This network is short-range and designed for connection between a few devices. Now, it’s currently used in “wearables” devices.

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In recent years the concept of IoT (Internet of Thing) has gained attention in the tech business. IoT poses a future where all devices are connected to each other. Another way is platforms offering services over the Internet. The most common cases, in which some telecommunications operators have already ventured, are home automation, medical care devices, and vehicle safety.

In the world of mobile networks, the expansion of 4G and LTE are allowing more devices to connect to the Internet. Especially in cases of devices that are outside the home and where coverage is required beyond the size of a house.

From IoT, any wireless technology worthy of being used in IoT should cover at least the following three dimensions:

• Great coverage.
• Data traffic capacity and large data transport capacity.
• Low power consumption in the client device.

This technology MUST also address the following if it pretends to be in mass market passing the early adopters:

• Low impact on the cost of the devices.
• Safe and inviolable in the information they transport.

What technology will prevail? It is difficult to determine. An effect that in the Internet services has been fulfilled is “Network Externality.” The concept defines a change in the benefit, or surplus when the number of agents consuming the same kind of good, changes.

When the bandwagon effect becomes positive, it’s difficult for other services to replace it; unless it offers a new disruptive concept.

Is home Wi-Fi ready for IoT?

The easy answer is: not yet. Firstly, it has a limited capacity to have a large number of connected devices. In the beginning, it was thought to support some computers. On the other hand, devices generally require a high power consumption. Also, Wi-Fi actual range of reach is moderate, and the radio spectrum that occupies usually has congestion problems.

Still, Wi-Fi has in its favor the “Network Externality” effect. The product of its extensive penetration in the homes of the world and connected devices. Its massiveness has made it a low-cost technology.

One of the Wi-Fi virtues, radio spectrum bands that are not licensed, has allowed its great expansion. For these reasons, IEEE focused on achieving that Wi-Fi can overcome its limitations for an IoT ecosystem. They have been working on two new standards:

WiFi HaLow (802.11ah)

It seeks to cover the boundaries of the coverage achieved by a 1 km range and optimizing the use of energy to reduce its demand. Being based on the use of the band of 900Mhz requires different hardware. Devices manufacturers are not driving the inversion impacts on the cost and for that reason.

WiFi HEW (802.11ax)

Designed for IoT, it has the optimization in the use of energy. It stands out for avoiding collisions when it has many connected devices because it uses the Multi-user MIMO functionality for the uplink. This way, it allows 18 devices to transmit data simultaneously within the same 40MHz channel.

We will have to wait and see if in the next few years Wi-Fi HEW manages to take advantage of the network externality of its previous versions and responds to the needs of the IoT ecosystem. The first step should be given by the manufacturers of devices and Access Point (AP) so that this new version is available on the market. After that, the users and the real evolution of IoT will define who will be the wireless technology of the home for an IoT world.

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