Using Wifi Direct to connect an Android App to PC

Question

I am developing an android app which needs to communicate with a PC and exchange real time data.

I am trying to use Wifi Direct to do so ( http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/connectivity/wifip2p.html ). While it is easy to transfer data between two android devices using this technology, I am not sure how I can do the same between an android device and a PC. From what I researched, I found out that the PC needs the 'Intel My Wifi Dashboard' and 'Intel Pro Wireless Tools software' products to be able to use WiFi Direct.

My question is: Is it possible to code an interface or en quivalent Wifi Direct API that can work for PC which can replace these Intel software products so that the PC doesn't have to depend on the installation of these products and my app can directly communicate with PC?

Answer 1

I have tried file sharing and other media sharing through Intel WIFI Direct technology to ANDROID WIFI Direct. But it doesn't work as per my experience. It shows devices connected with WIFI Direct and file sharing not supported :) funny but sad !

So my advice would be, first explore whether you can at least connect and do some operations on ANDROID PHONES with Intel software installed on PC. Try with different devices. Don't forget to turn off your firewall on android as well as PC !

If your experiment works, then dig deeper to find about API's. This technology is still in its nascent stage. GOOD LUCK :)

Answer 2

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=21165 , you can force download this version of Intel WiFI Dashboard.

Point -> this is not the one which enables WiFi Direct on PC. You need drivers that come with 'Intel Pro Wireless Tools software'. Once that is installed you should directly install Intel WiFi Direct (WiDi)

Question -> Which WIFI Adapter are you using ? Right now not all the adapters support WiFi Direct API's. If you are trying to reuse intel API's then you will have to find right adapters. Also what do you mean by real time data ? Do you want to exchange photos/videos/files ? Or you want to Mirror your screen/video steaming real time ? Please do reply, even I am interested in this field :)

https://downloadcenter.intel.com (Select below options from dropdown) Product family ==> Wireless Networking Product line ==> Wireless Technologies Product name ==> Intel® Wireless Display (Intel® WiDi)

Answer 3

if you are looking to write an app to do this, I would start off at the wifi alliance and pick up the whitepaper detailing the spec... here is a link. https://www.wi-fi.org/knowledge-center/published-specifications http://www.wi-fi.org/discover-and-learn/wi-fi-direct <<