What is Wifinanscan App from Google Store and How it Works

The WifiNanScan app is designed as a research, demonstration, and testing tool for developers, vendors, universities, and more. Photo: 電腦王阿達

Google has launched a new WifiNanScan app for developers on the Google Play store. This app measures distance between two smartphones using the Wi-Fi Aware protocol. Wi-Fi Aware is also known as Neighbor Awareness Networking (NAN). This protocol allows all devices running Android 8.0 and above to “discover and connect directly to each other without any other type of connectivity between them”. The WifiNanScan app is designed as a research, demonstration, and testing tool for developers, vendors, universities, and more. It lets you use NAN to know the distance between two devices.

What is “WifiNanScan App”?

Developed with Google, the recently launched WiFiscan app has a local discovery technology. The application works on the WiFi Aware system also known as the Neighborhood Aware Networking (NAN). Users will be able to run this hi-tech offering by Google on devices with Android 8 or above operating system. The description of the application on the Play Store explains the basic functions of the WiFiNanScan app, according to Republic World. It reads:

"The WifiNanScan app measures the distance between two smartphones using the Wi-Fi Aware protocol (also called Neighborhood Aware Networking(NAN)). It’s designed as a research, demonstration, and testing tool for developers, vendors, universities, and more. With this app, it is possible to obtain a distance measurement with a precision of about 1 meter with phones up to 15 meters apart. Developers, OEMs, and researchers can use this tool to validate distance/range measurements enabling the development of peer-to-peer ranging and data transfer, find my phone and context-aware applications based on the WiFi Aware/NAN API."

Photo: Hitechglitz

Using this, one can make reservations in restaurants nearby your location without the requirement of an internet connection, even when it is closed. Users can also leverage mobile identification like a driver’s license or passport to enhance and streamline security at airports, customs, and immigration counters

In the case of businesses, Wi-Fi Aware will help them collaborate for higher output. Employees in close range can share ideas and documents related to the project via synchronized devices, said First Post.

The Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) in the technology framework detect the presence of devices nearby and frame network connections capable of transferring large pools of data. As per Google, this nascent technology features “higher throughput rates across longer distances than Bluetooth connections.”

How does “WifiNanScan App” work?

Google says the technology supports “higher speeds over long distances than a Bluetooth connection.” Possible uses advertised by the Wi-Fi Alliance, reported by 9To5 Google:

• Securely send the document to the printer without first logging on to the network

• Look at the restaurant menu and place an order by passing by without an internet connection, even if the restaurant is closed

• Automate school registration and time stamps

• Optimize airport flows, customs and immigration processing using mobile identification (ID), such as a driver’s license or passport, without requiring travelers to present a physical ID

This application complements the WiFiRTTScan application released two years ago by Developed with Google on the Play Store Platform. The WiFiRTTScan works as an alternative to GPS indoors giving a Wi-Fi round trip time.

Photo: 9To5 Google

So, using the WiFiNanScan application helps users to securely send a document to a printer without having to log in to any network, one can also view restaurant menus and make reservations while walking by without using the internet, developers can also automate and timestamp school check-ins and roll-call and replace physical ID with mobile identification (like driver's license, passport and more) making it easier to cross airport security, customs, immigration processes, traffic police, and more.

It complements the WifiRttScan App released two years ago to use Wi-Fi Round Trip Time for indoor positioning as an alternative to GPS.

In Android 12, Google made some enhancements to Wi-Fi Aware, including efficiency improvements and addressing lost connections.