Morse Micro has introduced two Wi-Fi HaLow USB dongle reference designs, aimed at bringing long-range Wi-Fi HaLow connectivity to existing devices through a simple USB connection. Wi-Fi HaLow is a lower-power version of Wi-Fi designed for longer range, and both designs are built around Morse Micro's MM8108 chip, letting developers add Wi-Fi HaLow support to a wide range of already-existing devices. Because Wi-Fi HaLow networks can provide native IP connectivity at ranges up to a kilometer, considerably farther than standard Wi-Fi, this opens up a range of new possible use cases.
The first design, the MM8108-RD09, provides native Wi-Fi HaLow connectivity for both access points and client devices. OpenWRT drivers are available to enable Wi-Fi HaLow functionality on existing routers and access points that have a USB interface, while native Windows and Linux drivers, along with a macOS application, let client devices connect to Wi-Fi HaLow networks about as easily as connecting to a standard Wi-Fi network.
The second design, the MM8108-RD17, allows Wi-Fi HaLow to be added to a broader range of client devices without requiring any driver installation on the host device. When plugged in, this dongle presents itself to the host as a standard CDC-NCM Ethernet interface, meaning the device recognizes it the same way it would recognize a wired Ethernet connection, rather than needing dedicated Wi-Fi HaLow software. This makes it usable across devices including industrial computers, robotics systems, point-of-sale terminals, and tablets and phones running Android or iOS. Devices can be authenticated using Wi-Fi Easy Connect, also known as DPP, via a simple pairing button.
Schematics and software for both the MM8108-RD09 and MM8108-RD17 reference designs are available to tier-1 customers through their Morse Micro sales contact.
Michael De Nil, co-founder and CEO of Morse Micro, said the company expects these USB dongle reference designs to significantly accelerate adoption of Wi-Fi HaLow. He said the MM8108-RD09 design lets internet service providers upgrade their existing wireless routers to offer kilometer-range Wi-Fi connectivity to customers, while the MM8108-RD17 design lets existing devices like laptops, phones, and tablets gain Wi-Fi HaLow connectivity across large properties, without requiring any additional software updates.
