Wireless tech companyMorse Microhas achieved a new WiFi distance record of 1.8 miles (three kilometers) using the HaLow (802.11ah) standard. WhileHaLow was originally announced in 2016, its proper implementation is only just starting to pick up steam— and now, Morse Micro is pulling it off in a big way.
Morse Micro’s connection speed during its testing ranged from 11 Megabits per second at 500 meters to just one Megabit per second at the maximum range of three kilometers, but this was still enough to maintain a working video call. The company uploaded the demonstration to YouTube, and we’ve embedded the video below if you want to see the testing in action.
Part of what makes this test impressive isn’t just the sheer range at which a working Wi-Fi signal could be accomplished; it was its ability to work at that range despite all the real-world wireless interference of the surrounding urban area. Since ultra-long-range Wi-Fi devices like this are primarily targeted at Internet of Things (IoT) scenarios rather than media due to the lower speeds, this feat suggests that Wi-Fi HaLow is the ultimate long-range wireless solution.
Besides having long range and great resistance to interference, Wi-Fi HaLow also offers lower power consumption than exceedingly high-speed mainstream Wi-Fi solutions, likeWi-Fi 7. Morse Micro tested with its MM6108 Wi-Fi HaLow production silicon, which is Wi-Fi Alliance and FCC-certified.
The chances are that HaLow and its speed compromises aren’t in your best interests for your daily driver needs at home. But for backend devices inenterprisescenarios, or if you’re mega-rich and own a mansion, Wi-Fi capable of pushing nearly two miles of range is quite impressive. People often walk that distance, or more, just to access public Wi-Fi— maybe one day we’ll even see HaLow implementations for public Wi-Fi offerings at those longer ranges.
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Christopher Harper has been a successful freelance tech writer specializing in PC hardware and gaming since 2015, and ghostwrote for various B2B clients in High School before that. Outside of work, Christopher is best known to friends and rivals as an active competitive player in various eSports (particularly fighting games and arena shooters) and a purveyor of music ranging from Jimi Hendrix to Killer Mike to the Sonic Adventure 2 soundtrack.
