Bluetooth is the gold standard for device-to-device file transfers and close-range communications, but it has a competitor that you might not have heard of: WiFi Direct.
What is WiFi Direct? This little-known alternative has been around for years but, unlike Bluetooth, you can use WiFi Direct for more than just file transfers.
Windows 10 has direct WiFi Direct support, but if you’re planning on using it, you’ll need to know what it’s good for (and whether it’s safe to use it or not). There are plenty of devices that support WiFi Direct (under various names), so if you want to know more about WiFi Direct in Windows 10, here’s what you’ll need to know.
What Is WiFi Direct?
WiFi Direct is a standard that allows the use of WiFi radio frequencies (typically 2.4GHz and 5GHz) to make direct, peer-to-peer connections with other devices. You don’t need an existing WiFi network to connect to, as the connection is made directly between two devices.
WiFi Direct works by enabling a software-generated access point on the host device, creating a temporary WiFi network in the process. WiFi Protected Setup (WPS) is then used to authenticate, with a push button or PIN code used to establish a connection. This allows for a seamless (yet secure) connection between the devices.
Like Bluetooth, you can use it to send files, share your screen with other devices, play games directly, share your internet connection, and more. It also plays a central part in other systems and communication standards, such as komunikasi lapangan cedhak.
Other WiFi-specific brands, such as Miracast, also use WiFi Direct to communicate. While Miracast is its own standard, it builds upon the WiFi Direct technology to allow for secure screen mirroring.
Support for WiFi Direct is quite patchy, however. While it is fully supported in Windows 10 (depending on your device), Apple devices such as Macs, iPhones, and iPads use the proprietary AirDrop and AirPlay instead.
Modern Android devices (from Android 4.0 onwards) offer support for WiFi Direct, but you may need a third-party app to make full use of its functionality. It also has some support on certain smart TVs, game consoles, and other WiFi-capable devices.
Checking for WiFi Direct Support on your Windows 10 PC
If you want to use WiFi Direct as an alternative to Bluetooth, then you’ll be best served using a Windows 10 PC or laptop. Windows 10 offers full support for the WiFi Direct standard, but your internal WiFi chip (or external WiFi device) will need to support it.
If you want to check whether your Windows PC or laptop supports the WiFi Direct standard, then you’ll need to use the Windows PowerShell.
- To open a new PowerShell terminal, right-click the Start menu and select the Windows PowerShell (Admin) pilihan.
- Ing anyar Windows PowerShell jendhela, ketik ipconfig / kabeh lan penet Ketik. A list of your network adapters and connections will be listed. Look through the list of adapters to find the Microsoft Wi-Fi Direct Virtual Adapter kadhaptar
If Microsoft Wi-Fi Direct Virtual Adapter is listed, then your PC supports WiFi Direct connections. If it doesn’t, then you’ll need to attach a third-party USB WiFi device to enable support for it.
Connecting to Other WiFi Direct Compatible Devices
If your PC supports it, then you can connect to other WiFi Direct capable devices. To do this, you can use Windows’ search and discovery features to locate other WiFi Direct devices nearby.
- To do this, you’ll need to open the Setelan Windows menu. Right-click the Start menu and select the Setelan pilihan.
- ing Setelan Windows menu, pilih piranti option. From there, you’ll need to select the Tambah Bluetooth utawa piranti liyane pilihan.
- Ing pop-up Tambah piranti menu, you can select the type of device you want to connect to. Some WiFi Direct devices, for instance, are largely used for screen mirroring. To add one of these, select the Wireless display or dock option. Otherwise, select the Kabeh liya option instead.
- A list of available devices nearby that your PC can connect to will appear next. WiFi Direct-capable devices will also appear, including smartphones, smart TVs, games consoles, and more. To connect to those devices, select the device listed.
- Once the device is connected, select the Done button to complete the connection.
- The device will then appear in your list of known devices in the Bluetooth & piranti liyane menu in Windows Settings.
While this method should work for most WiFi Direct devices, there may be other methods you can use to connect, so consult the user manual for those devices for further information.
For instance, some devices that support the WiFi Direct standard will have their own always-on WiFi networks that you can connect to. If you had a HP printer or Sony smart TV, for instance, you could connect by joining the DIRECT-XX wireless network for that device.
Sending Files Using WiFi Direct
Salah siji cara sing paling apik kanggo WiFi Direct yaiku transfer file, luwih-luwih yen sampeyan duwe akeh file. Nalika sampeyan bisa nggunakake Bluetooth, ngirim file gedhe (utawa nomer akeh) mbutuhake wektu luwih suwe tinimbang sambungan WiFi Direct.
If you have an Android device, the best way to use WiFi Direct is by using the Feem app, which has Windows 10 and Android support. While WiFi Direct isn’t supported for iPhones and iPads, Feem does use an alternative method for file transfers on those platforms.
- Kanggo miwiti, download lan nginstal Aplikasi Feem kanggo piranti Android sampeyan. Sampeyan uga kudu nginstal Feem ing Windows PC. Sawise diinstal, bukak Feem ing piranti loro-lorone.
- Ing piranti Android, tutul Uripake WiFi Langsung geser ing aplikasi Feem. Iki bakal ngaktifake hotspot ad-hoc WiFi Langsung khusus kanggo piranti Windows sing bisa disambungake. Sandhi sing dibutuhake kanggo nyambung menyang jaringan iki bakal katon ing pojok sisih ndhuwur-tengen.
- Ing piranti Windows, sambungake menyang jaringan WiFi sementara sing digawe dening piranti Android (kayata, LANGSUNG-mH-Android). Sampeyan bisa nindakake iki ing menu Setelan Windows, utawa kanthi pencet Ikon WiFi / Jaringan ing taskbar lan pilih jaringan WiFi sementara saka kana.
- Sawise disambungake, bukak app Feem ing PC Windows. Piranti Android sampeyan kudu didhaptar ing menu sisih kiwa. Sampeyan bisa ngirim file kanthi cara liya kanthi milih PC Windows ing aplikasi Feem ing Android. Pilih piranti ing dhaptar ing salah sawijining platform, banjur pilih utawa tutul Kirim File pilihan ing sisih ngisor kanggo miwiti ngirim file.
- Sawise file wis dikirim, tutul WiFi Direct urip geser ing telpon Android piranti kanggo mateni hotspot WiFi Langsung lan mungkasi sambungan.
Connecting Windows 10 PCs to Other Devices
As the name suggests, using WiFi Direct in Windows 10 allows you to make direct connections with other devices. If you want to transfer files from your smartphone to your PC regularly, then you may prefer to use the built-in Aplikasi telpon sampeyan kanggo ngganti.
If WiFi Direct isn’t an option, then Bluetooth is your next, best option for standalone, peer-to-peer communication. Many Windows 10 PCs have Bluetooth built-in, but you can make a PC Bluetooth-capable using a USB adapter. You’ll just need to remember to switch Bluetooth on first before you attempt to make a connection.