What is Long Range Wi-Fi?

Long Range Wi-Fi is a wireless communication technology designed to provide extended coverage well beyond the capabilities of standard Wi-Fi. It achieves this through higher transmission power, directional antennas, and optimized protocols that reduce latency and increase range. This technology is ideal for outdoor areas, large industrial sites, campuses, and remote environments where traditional Wi-Fi falls short.

In the context of IoT and M2M applications, Long Range Wi-Fi serves as a reliable backbone for seamless device communication over long distances. When integrated with technologies like RFID and BLE, it enables efficient data exchange from remote sensors, tags, and beacons to centralized systems. BLE beacons can transmit location and proximity data, while RFID tags can send identification or status information—both relayed via Long Range Wi-Fi access points.

The result is a scalable, flexible solution supporting real-time tracking, monitoring, and automation across various sectors, including smart agriculture, logistics, healthcare, manufacturing, and infrastructure management.

International Standards for Long Range Wi-Fi Compliance

Long Range Wi-Fi must conform to several global and regional technical standards that ensure safety, interoperability, and reliable wireless communication for IoT/M2M systems.

International Standards

• IEEE 802.11ah (Wi-Fi HaLow) – A key standard for sub-1 GHz Long Range Wi-Fi particularly used in industrial and outdoor IoT applications.
• IEEE 802.11af – Also called “White-Fi”, it utilizes TV white spaces for long-range connectivity.
• ITU Radio Regulations – Governs global radio-frequency spectrum allocations.

U.S. and Canadian Regulatory Requirements

To operate in the U.S. and Canada, all Long-Range Wi-Fi equipment must comply with stringent wireless transmission regulations.

United States

• FCC Part 15 – Radio Frequency Devices
  Equipment must operate within prescribed frequency bands and power levels.
• NTIA Spectrum Use Policy
  Ensures that spectrum use aligns with federal policies.

Canada

• Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) – RSS-247
  Regulates license-exempt wireless devices in 902–928 MHz and 2.4 GHz bands.
• SRSP Guidelines (Standard Radio System Plans)
  Establish technical and operational limits for wireless systems.

Common Applications of Long-Range Wi-Fi

Long Range Wi-Fi, especially when integrated with RFID and BLE, supports a range of mission-critical applications:

• Remote Asset Tracking across large facilities and outdoor zones
• Smart Agriculture for monitoring environmental conditions and controlling irrigation
• Industrial Automation with real-time data from machines and equipment
• Healthcare Systems for patient and equipment tracking across campuses
• Smart Cities for transportation data sharing and public service infrastructure
• Logistics & Warehousing for tracking vehicles, containers, and pallets in real time
• Utilities & Energy for monitoring pipelines, substations, and remote meters
• Campus-Wide Network Management for institutions and universities

At GAO RFID, we help industries bring these applications to life by integrating RFID, BLE, and Long-Range Wi-Fi into intelligent, robust systems.

GAO Case Studies

Real Deployments in the U.S. and Canada

• Los Angeles, California, U.S.
  A major university implemented a Long-Range Wi-Fi network combined with BLE for student safety alert systems and real-time campus-wide tracking of equipment.
• Dallas, Texas, U.S.
  A large logistics company deployed RFID+Wi-Fi integration to manage real-time location data for containers across vast outdoor storage zones.
• Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
  A prominent research laboratory adopted Long Range Wi-Fi to streamline IoT sensor data collection for energy efficiency programs and predictive analytics.
• Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
  A hospital group utilized Long Range Wi-Fi and BLE to improve asset tracking, medical equipment management, and drive workflow automation.
• Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.
  A smart agriculture setup deployed wireless soil and weather sensors powered via Long Range Wi-Fi and integrated with RFID tag data for crop analysis.
• Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
  A public utility introduced a Long-Range Wi-Fi network to monitor pressure sensors and RFID-tagged components across multiple substations.
• Seattle, Washington, U.S.
  A manufacturing plant implemented GAO’s integrated RFID and Long-Range Wi-Fi system for tool control and maintenance monitoring.
• Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
  A corporate R&D campus built a secure, private Long Range Wi-Fi network that enabled BLE beacon use and RFID-based asset surveillance.
• Toronto, Ontario, Canada
  A Canadian urban infrastructure initiative used Long Range Wi-Fi in combination with RFID to reduce traffic congestion by tracking vehicular patterns in near real time.

All these systems benefited from GAO RFID’s remote and on-site support, quality-engineered deployments, and our position as one of the world’s top RFID and BLE solution providers.