Wi-Fi HaLow and the Evolution of the Smart Home

From the early days of dial-up to the impending arrival of Wi-Fi 7, connectivity is changing... especially when it comes to Wi-Fi.

Such widespread adoption brings a new set of unique challenges, including the need for ultra-low power, long range, and secure connectivity for IoT applications. The launch of the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED HaLow product certification program by the Wi-Fi Alliance in 2021 is an important turning point in the IoT ecosystem, providing a new protocol alternative for smart home devices.

Wi-Fi HaLow is a game changer for the smart home

Wi-Fi HaLow is a game changer for IoT applications that require a combination of long range, low power consumption, high data rates, high network capacity, and advanced security. This next-generation Wi-Fi protocol promises to expand IoT connectivity options for consumers who want to manage their IoT devices and smart home networks. Wi-Fi HaLow will prove to be equally beneficial to service providers. Here are some of the trends we can expect to see soon.

Wi-Fi 7 mesh access points with Wi-Fi HaLow. Wi-Fi provides reliable connectivity to devices near the router, even for bandwidth-hungry use cases like video conferencing, gaming, and virtual reality. One challenge, especially for larger homes, is full coverage.

Today’s best Wi-Fi 6E mesh access points have difficulty reaching locations outside the home, such as the front door, second homes, and outdoor cameras. In these scenarios, Wi-Fi HaLow can be used as a longer-range backup link to extend the range of the mesh access point.

Today, many mesh routers are reconfigured multiple times a day, and many routers use the same radio link for data communications and configuration. A major benefit of using a separate radio, such as Wi-Fi HaLow, is that it simplifies configuration and improves network reliability.

Wireless access points can extend the wireless coverage of a network and increase the number of users who can connect to the Internet. Adding Wi-Fi HaLow to access points will open up the possibility of connecting hundreds or even thousands of Wi-Fi HaLow-enabled IoT devices and create a network that can connect any long distance.

As the market for low-power, long-range IoT devices continues to expand, the demand for access points that support Wi-Fi HaLow will also grow. Therefore, we can expect that leading service providers will begin adding Wi-Fi HaLow radios to their hub and access point products for home consumers.

Wi-Fi HaLow IP Camera. The smart home security market is booming. One study predicts that 120 million home cameras will be purchased worldwide in 2023 alone. Another survey found that most home camera owners check footage on their smartphones every day. The demand for wireless home security cameras is growing, and consumers are demanding that these systems be reliable and easy to install.

Most buyers expect wireless cameras to work right out of the box, but every home layout is different, which can create setup challenges. Rather than relying on wired power or larger batteries, consumers may opt for more convenient, efficient, and affordable long-range wireless networks like Wi-Fi HaLow.

Wi-Fi HaLow's sub-GHz frequencies and narrower channels allow for reliable wireless connections up to 10 times farther than traditional Wi-Fi at the same transmitter power level. Wi-Fi HaLow-based cameras can continue to send video at greater distances, while traditional Wi-Fi cameras often lose connection. For these reasons, Wi-Fi HaLow cameras are ideal for home security systems that require longer range and low-power wireless connections.

Remote access using Wi-Fi networks. Imagine paying your primary service provider for Internet access and then finding out that your monthly subscription includes free Wi-Fi access to any other nearby subscriber's router.

You can also use Wi-Fi to play music on your phone while you go on your morning run, or any other use case. Amazon Sidewalk does this by sharing a network that helps connected devices work better at home and outside the home. Sidewalk can unlock device benefits and support other Sidewalk devices nearby, as well as find pets or lost items.

It creates a low-bandwidth network through Sidewalk Bridge devices to share a small portion of the internet that pools with neighboring connections to provide these services to themselves and their communities. As more neighbors participate, the Sidewalk network becomes stronger.

What’s the problem with Sidewalk? Nationwide coverage is limited, and so is the Wi-Fi range of a single router. So the connection is spotty at best. Users literally have to stand at someone’s front door with their laptop to do anything useful. But with Wi-Fi HaLow added to the network, service providers could potentially offer customers Wi-Fi coverage at much longer distances up to a kilometer from their home router — covering an entire neighborhood or city. That’s an extremely attractive feature for both service providers and their end customers.

The future of connectivity

The possibilities for the vast array of connectivity options and smart homes available today and in the future are endless. We will see smart, connected devices physically interacting with the digital world to enrich our lives, allowing everyone to focus on what matters most. This vision marks the beginning of a new era of IoT Wi-Fi connectivity that promises to be more transformative than any before it.