We've had ad-hoc WiFi for about 3 decades, but that requires a level of device a...

jeroenhd · 2025-11-21T15:22:01 1763738521

WiFi Direct has been in Android for at least a decade, maybe even a decade and a half: https://developer.android.com/develop/connectivity/wifi/wifi...

The code was added to Android with Android 4.0 back in 2011.

You can check for WiFi Direct networks manually in Settings > Network & internet > Internet > Network preferences > Wifi Direct. If you live in a city, you can probably find one or two printers in the neighbourhood advertising a WiFi Direct channel you can use to print over.

gumby271 · 2025-11-21T12:06:37 1763726797

Well, one gatekeeper. Wifi direct/aware seems to work fine outside of iOS and Mac os.

layer8 · 2025-11-21T14:32:38 1763735558

It is now supported bey iOS as well, thanks to the EU: https://developer.apple.com/documentation/WiFiAware