Internet of things will push more and more gadgets into our businesses and households and managing their connectivity is going to be a daunting task – specifically for those gadgets that won’t have an interface for configuring Wi-Fi connectivity options.
Wi-Fi Alliance has the answer. The non-profit industry association announced on Wednesday that users will now be able to use “tap-to-connect” feature and to connect their NFC enabled gadgets to wireless networks.
The Alliance has updated its Wi-Fi Protected Setup certification program to support NFC verification. This means you will not be required to enter a password or hold down buttons for connecting gadgets to each other or through to a home network.
You can simply tap two Wi-Fi devices with NFC chips together to establish a connection. The ‘tap-to-connect’ feature can be used to connect devices to a local network by tapping a router or two end-user devices by tapping them together.
In technology terms, when two devices are tapped together, Wi-Fi configuration is wirelessly handed to the gadget(s) which will then be connected via WPA2 security. This will work in case of a traditional home / work network involving a router and end devices (gadgets) or an ad-hoc direct network with just the end devices.
“Wi-Fi Protected Setup gives consumers simplicity and peace of mind,” said Edgar Figueroa, president and CEO of Wi-Fi Alliance in a press release.
“We continue to evolve our Wi-Fi CERTIFIED programs to support market requirements today and in the future, all while taking security-protected Wi-Fi into the many areas where Wi-Fi is becoming popular.”
