According to Michael De Nil, CEO and Co-Founder of Morse Micro, Wi-Fi HaLow is a technology worth investing in
While Wi-Fi 7 garners attention as the newest and fastest Wi-Fi technology, the evolution of the Internet of Things (IoT) brings Wi-Fi CERTIFIED HaLow into the spotlight—a Wi-Fi standard designed to meet the connectivity needs of an expanding global IoT ecosystem, expected to burgeon to 27 billion devices by 2025, according to IoT Analytics.
Wi-Fi HaLow, poised to transform diverse environments ranging from smart homes to urban landscapes, offers robust, far-reaching, and energy-efficient wireless connectivity solutions essential for the IoT’s transformative era. Here’s everything you need to know about Wi-Fi HaLow.
What is Wi-Fi HaLow?
Wi-Fi HaLow, based on the IEEE 802.11ah protocol and introduced in 2016, operates on sub-1GHz frequencies, distinct from the traditional 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz frequencies used by Wi-Fi 5, Wi-Fi 6, Wi-Fi 6E, and Wi-Fi 7 protocols.
This lower frequency range enables Wi-Fi HaLow to deliver connectivity over greater distances, supporting connections up to three kilometers and beyond in line-of-sight scenarios, while also penetrating dense materials with its narrowband signals. Although its use of lower frequencies results in narrower channels and lower bandwidth—yielding data rates from 150 Kbps up to 86.7 Mbps depending on the distance—Wi-Fi HaLow effectively addresses key IoT challenges such as extended range and low power consumption.
Wi-Fi HaLow long-range capabilities have been proven in field tests, including a remarkable demonstration in San Francisco’s Ocean Beach area where it successfully delivered live two-way video streams over distances up to three kilometers, showcasing a coverage area 100 times greater than that of conventional Wi-Fi networks.
Wi-Fi HaLow is not intended to replace traditional Wi-Fi standards but is designed to complement them. It extends connectivity over longer distances without the need for proprietary hubs, multiple access points, or complex wired connections, making it particularly beneficial for IoT devices, smart city projects, and mesh networking.
In the US, Wi-Fi HaLow operates in the 900 MHz frequency range within the license-exempt sub-GHz spectrum, allowing free use for everyone. Globally, Wi-Fi HaLow may use different sub-GHz frequencies depending on regional regulations and available spectrum, adapting to various international settings.
How is Wi-Fi HaLow different from traditional Wi-Fi?
While traditional Wi-Fi protocols, such as Wi-Fi 5, 6, and 6E, have focused on maximising wireless speeds and reducing latency, they often fall short in signal range. Wi-Fi HaLow addresses this limitation, enhancing connectivity especially in IoT environments where devices require reliable, long-range connections.
Wi-Fi HaLow operates in the sub-GHz frequency spectrum, which allows it to offer significantly better transmission range and penetrate barriers more effectively than traditional Wi-Fi bands like 2.4 GHz, 5G Hz, and 6 GHz. This characteristic is crucial for IoT devices that are distributed across various environments, from factory floors to enterprise campuses.
Additionally, Wi-Fi HaLow is designed with power efficiency in mind. It supports advanced power management features, such as Target Wake Time (TWT) and Restricted Access Window (RAW), which enable devices to operate in a low-power state for extended periods. This capability is essential for battery-powered devices like wireless sensors and security cameras, allowing them to function for years without the need for battery replacement.
What about Matter, Thread, Z-Wave or Zigbee?
Wi-Fi HaLow is not the first technology to offer connectivity for IoT devices. Other technologies such as Z-Wave, Zigbee, Thread and Matter also play significant roles in the IoT landscape, each with distinct advantages and limitations.
Z-Wave shares similarities with Wi-Fi HaLow, using sub-GHz frequencies for longer range and lower power consumption. However, while Z-Wave’s Long Range version, introduced in 2020, increases its network capacity to 4,000 devices and matches HaLow’s signal range, it still falls short of HaLow’s capability to support up to 8,191 devices. Additionally, Z-Wave requires a central controller to manage network operations effectively.
Zigbee operates across various frequencies, including 780 MHz, 868 MHz, 915 MHz, and the common 2.4 GHz band, providing faster data transfer rates but with limited range. While Zigbee can support a vast network of more than 65,000 nodes, it struggles with interoperability and security issues compared to Wi-Fi standards and also requires a coordinator to manage its networks.
Thread, a newer low-power protocol, operates solely at 2.4 GHz and is IP-based, allowing devices to connect without the need for a hub. However, it requires a Thread border router for internet connectivity and supports only about 250 devices, making it less ideal for expansive or high-bandwidth applications like security cameras.
In contrast to these technologies, Wi-Fi HaLow excels with its vast reach, robust security, and high device capacity, all without the need for additional infrastructure such as hubs or controllers. Operating in the underutilised sub-GHz band, Wi-Fi HaLow minimises congestion seen in bands used by traditional Wi-Fi and other IoT protocols, ensuring more reliable and extensive coverage. This capability makes Wi-Fi HaLow especially effective for a wide range of IoT applications, from smart cities to industrial environments, where seamless, extensive connectivity is crucial.
With the integration of Matter technology, Wi-Fi HaLow not only enhances its capabilities but also aligns with the latest trends in IoT networking, ensuring that devices from different ecosystems can communicate effortlessly, thereby simplifying the user experience and promoting broader adoption.
What are the benefits of adopting Wi-Fi HaLow?
Wi-Fi HaLow is poised to enhance wireless connectivity across diverse IoT use cases, such as smart home ecosystems, smart factories and warehouses, and enterprise campuses with extensive wireless networks for access control and security cameras. Traditional 2.4 GHz wireless bands are currently overcrowded, offering only three non-overlapping channels and often leading to significant network congestion and unreliable operation in mission critical IoT scenarios.
In contrast, Wi-Fi HaLow operates on the underutilised sub-GHz spectrum, providing more than 26 non-overlapping channels. This substantial increase in available channels dramatically reduces the likelihood of interference and congestion, even in environments with thousands of connected devices.
Moreover, Wi-Fi HaLow’s extended range capabilities enable a single access point to effectively cover large environments. This means that you can use a single router or mesh system to provide reliable, long-range internet connections for both indoor and outdoor devices. This setup works for both homes and businesses, ensuring high-bandwidth devices inside the main building and extending reliable connectivity to outdoor sensors, security cameras, and other IoT devices in areas like gardens and guest houses. Wi-Fi HaLow’s extensive coverage eliminates the need for complex wiring or the installation of numerous mesh nodes and Wi-Fi extenders, simplifying network setup and reducing overall infrastructure costs.
How to deploy Wi-Fi HaLow technology?
Adopting any new generation of Wi-Fi, including Wi-Fi HaLow, requires compatible infrastructure. Both the wireless router and the connected devices must support the Wi-Fi HaLow specification to leverage its benefits. While the adoption rate of Wi-Fi HaLow has been gradual, technology is gaining momentum, and an increasing number of devices are expected to support this specification moving forward.
To expand the range of existing networks, several manufacturers have introduced Wi-Fi extenders that incorporate Wi-Fi HaLow technology, capable of extending wireless connectivity to hundreds of meters. For instance, at CES 2024, Abode unveiled its new Edge security camera, which uses Wi-Fi HaLow and is slated for release soon at approximately $200.
However, it is important to note that existing wireless routers or devices cannot be upgraded to Wi-Fi HaLow via firmware updates; new hardware is necessary to access the benefits of this technology. This requirement mirrors the upgrade path from Wi-Fi 6E to Wi-Fi 7, where new hardware is essential for adoption.
Will Wi-Fi HaLow Succeed?
Wi-Fi HaLow is poised to transform the IoT connectivity landscape, but as with any innovation, the journey is ongoing. While the potential benefits of Wi-Fi HaLow are enormous, real-world applications and widespread adoption will be the ultimate tests of the protocol’s success. There is undeniable value in the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED HaLow logo; it signifies a device’s capability to seamlessly connect over long distances, penetrate tough barriers, and efficiently operate with thousands of devices simultaneously—qualities essential in environments ranging from smart homes to industrial complexes.
With its robust security measures, exceptional performance standards, and proven reliability, Wi-Fi HaLow is already meeting the high expectations end users have for modern IoT applications. As Wi-Fi HaLow continues to integrate into existing IoT ecosystems, its ability to deliver optimal performance across diverse scenarios is increasingly evident. Users are finding that Wi-Fi HaLow not only offers compatibility with existing Wi-Fi infrastructure but also maintains high performance. This seamless integration and dependable operation highlight Wi-Fi HaLow’s readiness to support the expansive and demanding needs of the IoT landscape.
Author: Michael De Nil, CEO and Co-Founder of Morse Micro
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