Scientists Found A Way To Extend The Range Of Wi-Fi To 500 m

Scientists have developed a new hybrid technology that combines Wi-Fi and the LoRa long-range network protocol, presenting a new technology concept called WiLo.

The team adapted the Wi-Fi OFDM standard to emulate the long-range signals used by LoRa (CSS). “This allows standard Wi-Fi devices to communicate over long distances using LoRa technology without the need for additional hardware,” Gao explained. In tests conducted both indoors and outdoors, WiLo demonstrated a 96% success rate at transmitting data over distances of up to 500 meters. It is noted that one of the main advantages of WiLo is the ability to run the technology on existing equipment, which reduces the cost of its implementation and simplifies scaling. However, there are also disadvantages. In particular, devices consume a lot of power to simultaneously operate Wi-Fi and emulate LoRa signals.

The scientists plan to address this issue in the future by optimizing WiLo’s energy efficiency, data transfer rate, and resistance to interference. “The next step for commercialization will be to further optimize the system and test WiLo in various IoT environments,” Gao said.