HardwareNetworkingCity-wide Wi-Fi networks spanning literal miles could soon be possible thanks to ‘HaLow’ devicesWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

HardwareNetworkingCity-wide Wi-Fi networks spanning literal miles could soon be possible thanks to ‘HaLow’ devicesWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

(Image credit: Morse Micro)

A still from a YouTube video showing a man on a video call 3,000m away from the source, with a graphic showing a 1 Mbps connection speed

Wi-Fi signal strength has always been a temperamental beast. One minute it’s a full five bars, yet merely taking a short walk into a different room can cause it to fall to a miserable one bar of stuttering frustration. However, devices using the new “HaLow” 802.11ah standard have just been demonstrated working at an astonishing 1.8 mile range, and next to a busy, interference-filled urban area no less.

Morse Micro, a wireless technology company that’s been experimenting with the new standard, hasreleased a videoof its latest demonstration showing that a usable wireless signal can be achieved at a gigantic 1.8 mile range (viaTom’s Hardware). While the test was performed along a large empty beach in San Francisco, the beachfront itself is packed with signal-interfering buildings, making it a good demonstration of the techs ability to maintain a workable connection amidst the hubbub of competing signal noise in the area.

To test out the connection speeds the team carried out a video call at various distance intervals, measuring the average speed as they went. While the connection speed dropped significantly at longer distances, it still managed a 1Mbps connection at the 1.8 mile (3 kilometre) marker, which was just enough to hold on to a crunchy but just-about-usable live video connection.

While this demonstration works as a great proof of concept of the technology, there are some limitations when it comes to speed. Theannounced data ratesof the standard were between 150 kbps and 78 Mbps, so it’s unlikely that you’d want to use it for an average home connection even at the top end of these potential speeds, at least for anything more than light usage.

Cut the cord…(Image credit: Steelseries)Best wireless gaming mouse: ideal cable-free rodentsBest wireless gaming keyboard: no wires, no worriesBest wireless gaming headset: top untethered audio

Cut the cord…

(Image credit: Steelseries)Best wireless gaming mouse: ideal cable-free rodentsBest wireless gaming keyboard: no wires, no worriesBest wireless gaming headset: top untethered audio

(Image credit: Steelseries)

Best wireless gaming mouse: ideal cable-free rodentsBest wireless gaming keyboard: no wires, no worriesBest wireless gaming headset: top untethered audio

For home use theWi-Fi 7 standardlooks to be taking the lead, with faster maximum speeds, better handling of multiple device connections and 6GHz band connections, along with a wider 320MHz channel width. The new standard is also designed to lower latency on congested networks, making it more practical for an average modern home and all its many internet connected devices.

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Still, I would like to see what the HaLow devices would make of a personal bane of my life, my current kitchen door, which seems capable of blocking every wireless signal I’ve tried to date.

Come the apocalypse I plan to shelter behind it, as at this point it seems like it’s made from a material hitherto unknown to science. Save me, HaLow devices. You may be my only hope.

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An illustration of a silhouetted thief in motion running while carrying a stolen fingerprint. This could represent individuality, identity, privacy concerns, or a concept of personal data being in motion or at risk. The combination of the human form with the unique identifier of a fingerprint offers a visual metaphor for themes such as identity theft, digital security, or the trace we leave behind in a digital age. The overall aesthetic is bold and dynamic, fitting for topics of cybersecurity, personal identity, or discussions about the intersection of humanity and technology.

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