The world of smart homes is constantly evolving, and the introduction of the Matter standard has been a huge step towards enabling interoperability between devices from different manufacturers. However, interoperability doesn’t just depend on protocols; it also relies on the underlying network infrastructure. That’s why there’s great news from the Wi-Fi Alliance, which has launched its “Wi-Fi for Matter” certification program to make Matter-based smart homes even more stable and reliable!
What is “Wi-Fi for Matter” and Why Does It Matter?
As many have experienced, due to initial challenges with Thread, numerous manufacturers have opted – and continue to rely – on Wi-Fi for their Matter devices’ communication. This, however, places specific demands on home networks: Access Points (APs) must operate reliably at all times while also supporting low-power IoT devices that are not constantly active.
The “Wi-Fi for Matter” certification program directly addresses this challenge. Its goal is to accelerate the adoption of the Matter standard in smart homes and ensure that Wi-Fi devices, such as routers and access points, meet the technical requirements set by the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) for Matter certification. This creates a unified foundation, allowing manufacturers to bring their products to market faster and with greater reliability.
What Can Be Certified and What Are the Requirements?
The program initially focuses on access points, which play a key role in Matter communication. For certification, several elements are required, including:
- Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 with WPA3 security: The latest Wi-Fi standard and the newest security protocols guarantee a stable and protected connection. Notably, WPA3 has been a requirement for any new certified Wi-Fi Alliance device since July 2020.
- Proven interoperability: Devices must seamlessly work together with other systems.
- Support for 100 simultaneous associations: This ensures that Access Points can handle a high number of Matter devices concurrently.
- Power-saving features: Extended Sleep, ARP (Address Resolution Protocol), and NDP (Neighbor Discovery Protocol) functions are mandatory for what are called Matter Network Infrastructure Managers (NIMs). These features enable battery-powered Matter devices to conserve energy while maintaining a reliable connection to the access point. NDP, similar to ARP for IPv4, is a protocol in the IPv6 suite designed to facilitate communication between devices on the same network. Without such optimizations, especially battery-operated devices could face connection issues or significantly shorter operating times.
What Are the Advantages for Manufacturers and for Us?
For manufacturers, the new certification primarily means planning security and faster time to market. Devices that carry the “Wi-Fi for Matter” seal guarantee compliance with all the essential requirements of the Matter specification. This reduces development effort and testing cycles. Furthermore, companies can demonstrate through certification that their products are interoperable and future-proof – a strong argument for both consumers and retail partners.
For us, users, this means we can expect even more reliable, stable, and energy-efficient Matter-based smart home systems, where different devices communicate seamlessly with each other.
Who Is the Wi-Fi Alliance?
The Wi-Fi Alliance is a global industry association with more than 900 member companies, including most major manufacturers of networking, mobile, and IoT technology. For over 20 years, it has awarded the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED seal. This certification covers a wide range of standards and features, including for example, the latest Wi-Fi generations (Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 and Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 7), security protocols (WPA2 and WPA3), and features for simple access and mesh networking (Wi-Fi Easy Connect, Passpoint, Wi-Fi EasyMesh). Their goal has always been to ensure that devices from different manufacturers work reliably together, support current security standards, and deliver a consistent user experience. With the new “Wi-Fi for Matter” certification, the program now extends to the cross-vendor smart home standard, marking another important milestone in the evolution of smart homes!
