Wi-Fi Alliance has announced a new certification program called Wi-Fi for Matter. This certification is designed to ensure that Wi-Fi devices meet the requirements set by the Connectivity Standards Alliance for Matter certification. Matter is a protocol used in smart home devices to help them connect and work together, even if they come from different brands. The new certification will help Wi-Fi Alliance members develop and release products that support Matter more quickly.
Wi-Fi for Matter focuses on access points, which are devices that create Wi-Fi networks in homes or businesses. The certification includes several features, such as Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6, extended sleep, IPv4 Proxy ARP, and IPv6 Proxy NDP. These features are required by the Matter specification to make sure that devices using Matter can connect over Wi-Fi in a reliable way. For example, extended sleep and the proxy features help battery-powered devices use less energy while still maintaining a connection. Security is also a key part of the certification, with WPA3 being used to protect the network.
Most Matter devices use Wi-Fi to connect, so making sure that the Wi-Fi access points in a home can support these devices is important. The Wi-Fi for Matter certification means that access points will have the features that Matter needs, which can help devices work together without problems. This is especially helpful for battery-powered devices, which need to save energy and still stay connected. As more people add smart devices to their homes, having a system that supports many different products becomes more important.
Both the Wi-Fi Alliance and the Connectivity Standards Alliance have said that they want to create a global system for smart devices that is secure and easy to use. By making sure Wi-Fi devices meet the Matter requirements, the new certification can help companies release smart home products that work well together. This approach also gives consumers more trust that the devices they buy will be safe and able to connect without issues.
Wi-Fi Alliance is a group of companies that work together to develop and promote Wi-Fi technology. They have certified more than 85,000 products since 2000, making sure these products can work together and keep networks safe. The new Wi-Fi for Matter certification is another step in this process, focusing on the needs of smart home devices and the Matter protocol. As the number of connected devices grows, having certifications like these can make it easier for people to set up and use their smart homes.
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