HaLow protocol establishes new Wi-Fi range record of 9.9 miles

[zohaibahd]

Distance: Morse Micro, a Sydney-based developer of Wi-Fi HaLow microprocessors, has shattered the previous long-distance Wi-Fi record. In January, the company achieved a 1.8-mile video call using the HaLow (802.11ah) Wi-Fi standard in San Francisco. Their latest test in Joshua Tree National Park has far surpassed this, achieving an astonishing 9.9-mile connection.

The team set up one of their evaluation kits as an access point at the edge of a quiet valley – an ideal low-interference environment for pushing Wi-Fi range to its limits.

According to their calculations, the theoretical maximum range for the HaLow system was around 15.9 kilometers (9.9 miles). At this extreme distance, with the signal degraded by over 116 decibels, they projected the throughput would be approximately 4 Mbps.

Next, they positioned the station receiver near the theoretical maximum range at the other end of the valley. Once approximately 10 miles away, they successfully established a connection between the access point and the station, enabling data transmission.

The results were impressive. Despite the 9.9-mile distance, the HaLow connection achieved around 2 Mbps throughput. While this was below the projected 4 Mbps maximum, it far surpasses traditional Wi-Fi range expectations.

The company said such connections would be ideal for peer-to-peer applications like body cameras and walkie-talkies for activities such as skiing, hiking, cycling, or dune buggying. Farming and mining operations could also benefit from such a setup.

The key factor enabling HaLow's impressive performance is that 802.11ah operates in the 900 MHz band, which offers superior propagation and obstacle penetration (though at the cost of speed) compared to the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands used by most traditional Wi-Fi standards today. Another significant factor is Morse Micro's $125 EVK1 evaluation kit, which operates at 21 dBm power.

While the San Francisco test demonstrated that HaLow could overcome interference typical of urban environments, the Joshua Tree trial showcased its absolute limits. The 9.9-mile world record is unlikely to be surpassed anytime soon.

This is because the arid environment of Joshua Tree National Park was ideal for the test. It provided extremely low interference and a clear line of sight between the Wi-Fi access point and receiver station, leaving little room for further optimization.

Permalink to story:

HaLow protocol establishes new Wi-Fi range record of 9.9 miles

 

[trparky]

But why?

Why not use Starlink?

 

[Burty117]

But why?

Why not use Starlink?

Because you don’t have to pay loads of money to keep a ton of satellites in space?

 

[letsgoiowa]

But why?

Why not use Starlink?

This doesn't require an extremely bulky receiver that can only be stationary except on large vehicles. You could make quality receivers small enough to fit on a handheld device here that could get 20ish mbps connections, which is enough for a comfortable video call if needed. I can see this being a total lifesaver--literally--for park rangers so they could stay checked in location-wise and can issue reports as long as they're within about 10 miles from a central location.

This would also be huge for IOT devices in giant buildings. Low bandwidth won't bother most of them and low power usage is yet another boon. Don't need cellular like we currently have to use. Very, very exciting stuff.

 

[human7]

But why?

Why not use Starlink?

If you truly need 10 miles of range, Starlink (or other tech, perhaps LoRaWAN) is probably a better choice, especially with the $125k price tag of the equipment used in this experiment. (I misread, it's only $125). For shorter distances in remote areas, or even if you want to establish peer-to-peer connections in an urban environment, WiFi HaLow can still make sense (and consumer grade equipment is fairly cheap). What I would like to see is how effective the technology is when both the transmitter and receiver are moving over terrain or when there are obstacles.

 

[ferrellsl]

If you truly need 10 miles of range, Starlink (or other tech, perhaps LoRaWAN) is probably a better choice, especially with the $125k price tag of the equipment used in this experiment. For shorter distances in remote areas, or even if you want to establish peer-to-peer connections in an urban environment, WiFi HaLow can still make sense (and consumer grade equipment is fairly cheap). What I would like to see is how effective the technology is when both the transmitter and receiver are moving over terrain or when there are obstacles.

First off, you got the price totally wrong. The price for the eval kit is just $125, NOT $125,000. Also, Starlink isn't available everywhere nor is it optimal for setting up a long-range (<=10 mile) intranet. Your scenario would require each workstation in the network to have it's own Starlink terminal which logistically and financially doesn't make ANY sense. This system is perfect for large corporations that need to collect telemetry data across a large industrial or agricultural site. HaLow also allows for connection of up to 8000 stations per access point, something no one is even going to attempt using LoRaWan.

 

[human7]

First off, you got the price totally wrong. The price for the eval kit is just $125, NOT $125,000.

Oof, good catch! I glossed over the "125 EVK1" and saw "125k". Yes, indeed that changes things. Starlink is much more expensive (rather than much cheaper, as I was thinking with that 125k price).