Wi-Fi Direct

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Wi-Fi Direct is a Wi-Fi standard for peer-to-peer wireless connections^[1] that allows two devices to establish a direct Wi-Fi connection without an intermediary wireless access point, router, or Internet connection. Wi-Fi Direct is single-hop communication, rather than multi-hop communication like wireless ad hoc networks. The Wi-Fi Direct standard was specified in 2009.^[2]

It is useful for things such as file transfer, casting and projecting with Miracast, wireless printing,^[3] and to communicate with one or more devices simultaneously at typical Wi-Fi speeds (IEEE 802.11) without requiring a hotspot or an Internet connection.^[4] It is therefore similar to Bluetooth technology but offers a longer range.^[3] Only one of the Wi-Fi devices needs to be compliant with Wi-Fi Direct to establish a peer-to-peer connection.^[5]

Wi-Fi Direct negotiates the link with a Wi-Fi Protected Setup system that assigns each device a limited wireless access point. The "pairing" of Wi-Fi Direct devices can be set up to require the proximity of a near field communication, a Bluetooth signal, or a button press on one or all the devices. Simultaneous connections also allow one device connected via an infrastructure local area network to the Internet to share the Internet connection to devices it is connected through Wi-Fi Direct.^[6]