What is Short Range Wi-Fi?

Short Range Wi-Fi refers to wireless networking technology designed for local area communication within a limited range. Unlike wide-area solutions, it provides high throughput and reliable connections in close-proximity environments. As part of IoT and M2M frameworks, Short Range Wi-Fi facilitates seamless device-to-device and device-to-cloud communication, offering superior bandwidth for data-intensive applications.

When combined with RFID and BLE, Short Range Wi-Fi significantly enhances real-time visibility, location accuracy, and data management. For instance, it can be used to connect RFID readers and BLE beacons to enterprise systems, enabling asset tracking, condition monitoring, and predictive analytics across industries such as healthcare, logistics, and manufacturing.

At GAO RFID Inc., we harness the power of Short-Range Wi-Fi alongside RFID and BLE to deliver integrated IoT/M2M solutions tailored to the needs of technical professionals and enterprise clients. With headquarters in New York City and Toronto, Canada, GAO is consistently ranked among the world’s top 10 suppliers of RFID and BLE technology. We have made substantial investments in R&D to ensure our Wi-Fi-enabled solutions meet stringent quality standards and are supported by robust quality assurance processes. Our customers—ranging from Fortune 500 companies and government agencies to leading R&D firms and universities across the U.S. and Canada—benefit from our ability to provide expert support both remotely and onsite.

International Standards for Short Range Wi-Fi

To ensure interoperability, performance, and regulatory alignment across geographies, Short Range Wi-Fi (i.e. IEEE 802.11) implementations should comply with key international standards such as:

• IEEE 802.11-2020 / IEEE 802.11-2024 (Wi-Fi / WLAN standard) – the core standard defining MAC/PHY for wireless LANs.
• IEEE 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6 / 6E) – enhancements for high efficiency, multi-user support, and dense deployments.
• IEEE 802.11be (Wi-Fi 7 / Extremely High Throughput, EHT) – next generation standard for higher throughput, multi-band, and lower latency operation.
• IEEE 802.11az / 802.11bf / 802.11bb (location, sensing, light-based comms amendments) – for precision positioning, sensing, and new PHY modalities.

These standards offer the technical foundation for latency, throughput, coexistence, security, and emerging capabilities in Wi-Fi systems.

U.S. Regulations (FCC) for Short Range Wi-Fi

Deploying Short Range Wi-Fi devices in the U.S. must comply with FCC regulations, especially those governing unlicensed devices in ISM and U-NII bands:

• FCC Part 15, Subpart E / Subpart C – rules for operation of U-NII (5 GHz, 6 GHz) and general unlicensed devices in 2.4 GHz / 5 GHz bands
• FCC Equipment Authorization / Certification / Declaration of Conformity – Wi-Fi devices must be certified or verified under FCC’s equipment authorization program.
• Rules on 6 GHz (Wi-Fi 6E / 7) including AFC (Automated Frequency Coordination) – standard-power use in 6 GHz requires AFC protection to avoid interference with incumbent services.

Canadian Regulations (ISED) for Short Range Wi-Fi

In Canada, wireless equipment must satisfy ISED (Innovation, Science and Economic Development) regulations and certification rules:

• ISED Wireless Equipment Certification Program – devices must be certified under ISED’s wireless program and display an IC number.
• Radiocommunication Regulations / Standards (e.g. RSS-247, RSS-Gen) – technical performance and emission limits for license-exempt devices
• Technical requirements under Radiocommunications Act – to avoid harmful interference and meet spectrum policy constraints.

Applications of Short-Range Wi-Fi

Short Range Wi-Fi is widely deployed in IoT / M2M ecosystems and often works in concert with RFID and BLE to deliver rich functionality. Common applications include:

High-throughput sensor networks and edge analytics – aggregating data from many sensors

• Video / imaging / surveillance over wireless links
• Asset tracking and location systems, using Wi-Fi for backhaul or high-speed updates
• Industrial automation / control loops with stringent latency requirements
• Smart buildings / facility management (HVAC, lighting, environmental sensors)
• Smart city & public infrastructure (e.g. transit hubs, campuses, stadiums)
• Healthcare telemetry and high-resolution medical imaging transmission
• Research, R&D labs, testbeds, prototyping environments

At GAO RFID Inc., we integrate Short Range Wi-Fi with our RFID and BLE systems to provide unified, hybrid connectivity solutions for IoT/M2M deployments.

GAO Case Studies

United States

• Austin, Texas, U.S. – We implemented a wireless instrumentation network in a manufacturing plant, combining Wi-Fi and RFID to monitor machine health and material flow in real time.
• Denver, Colorado, U.S. – Delivered a smart-facility deployment where Wi-Fi links backhaul data from BLE beacons and RFID readers to central servers, improving asset visibility.
• Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. – Enabled a research institute’s lab with hybrid Wi-Fi/ BLE / RFID for simultaneous high-speed data collection and proximity detection.
• Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. – Supported a hospital’s internal network for medical device tracking, using Wi-Fi for high-throughput imaging and RFID for low-power tagging.
• Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S. – Integrated Wi-Fi-based edge analytics with RFID-tagged equipment in a corporate campus environment for predictive maintenance.
• Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S. – Deployed a logistics center with Wi-Fi connectivity tying together mobile robots, RFID tag readers, and BLE sensors to streamline operations.
• Orlando, Florida, U.S. – Created a smart exhibit / display system in a large venue, using Wi-Fi to deliver rich media while BLE/RFID track visitor movements.
• Columbus, Ohio, U.S. – Built a multi-floor office building system combining Wi-Fi access, BLE beacons, and RFID for smart building automation and security.

Canada

• Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada – Assisted a Canadian R&D institution with a hybrid Wi-Fi / RFID / BLE deployment in its campus lab/office environment, enabling high-speed connectivity and precise tracking.