Like DNS entries for having a presence on the Internet, there’s now a similar registration service for the Internet of Things (IoT). Called The Wireless Registry, this is a service that allows people or organisations to register a unique name for their connected devices. Thus, one can associate one’s identity, needs and desires with his/her devices without going out to the Internet.
Most of the IoT or Machine-to-Machine (M2M) devices have either a WiFi or Bluetooth signal emanating from them. In many cases, these devices can be named or have an existing name which is detectable by other smartphone, laptops and Tablets. Claiming a wireless name and using it as the wireless identifier of your devices gives you the ability to control what information can be made available to others who detect your devices’ signals. The Washington, US-based The Wireless Registry now allows this detection to take place without connection.
Wireless things you may want to name include your home Wi Fi router, your smartphone, laptop, Tablet, MiFi and any other Wi-Fi or Bluetooth enabled device such as a health monitoring bracelet, your car or even a dog collar.
Since any smartphone is already connected to the Internet, it can look up this Registry when it detects your wireless name and respond with the information that you–as the owner of that wireless name–have associated to it.
Why would you want to register?
According to the FAQs on its website, if you own a business or are an individual who wants to protect his/her wireless identity or brand name, The Wireless Registry is the only patented wireless registry in the world which allows the the registeration of a wireless name. Once you do that, you immediately own that wireless name (or SSID – Service Set Identifier) uniquely in The Wireless Registry. Like e-mail or domain names, this is a first come first serve system.
A wireless name is a word or phrase from one to thirty-two characters in length that typically corresponds to the SSID (Service Set Identifier) of your device. SSIDs are often referred to as “network names” and are broadcast by your device to all receiving devices within the broadcast radius of your device’s networking hardware.
A new device typically has an SSID that is set by default by the device manufacturer. This SSID can be manually changed on a number of devices, such as smartphones, Tablets, laptops, PCs and wireless network routers in the home or office. Registering with The Wireless Registry gives you control over any and all Content associated with your registered wireless name. As the owner of a registered wireless name, you can delete any Content associated with your wireless name at any time. Sign in to your account and delete any particular piece of content.
Here’s what you need to do while registering a name
The Wireless Registry recommends that you either (1) consider registering the SSID on one or more of your wireless devices; or (2) manually change the SSID on your device(s) to match your new wireless name.
Choose a wireless name that reflects your identity in the wireless world of 10 billion devices, similar to how a domain name may represent your brand on the Internet.
Consider registering different wireless names if you own a variety of wireless devices, such as a smart watch, mobile health device, wireless pet collar, car or any other RFID, Bluetooth or WiFi enabled wearable or mobile devices.
It works by letting a consumer register the SSID or (Service Set Identifier) on a device. You can use the one that comes on each device you own, or select your own and then match it up manually.
But unlike an IP address, which is also a unique identifier for a device, the Wireless Registery’s SSIDs can talk directly to each other without going back to the public internet. Registering your first device is free for a limited time, and then users pay $4.99 each year for all subsequent names.
The first available tools to check The Wireless Registry for a detected wireless name are available now. The world’s first PC “Proximal Browser”, built as a plug in to the Mozilla Firefox browser, can be found here. For Android users, The Wireless Registry offers a free proximal browser app which can detect, resolve and even post content to wireless names.
Image Credit: The Wireless Registry
– Advertising Message –