Wi-Fi
also: IEEE 802.11 · WLAN
Wireless LAN based on IEEE 802.11 that gives devices direct internet access through existing routers, at the cost of higher power use than BLE or Thread.
Wi-Fi lets a device reach the internet without a separate hub, using the home or building network that's already there. The radio standard is IEEE 802.11; interoperability certification and the Wi-Fi name are managed by the Wi-Fi Alliance. Current generations use the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, and newer ones add 6 GHz.
It is the natural choice for mains-powered products and anything moving meaningful amounts of data (video, audio, frequent telemetry). For battery products it is harder: connecting and staying associated costs much more energy than BLE or Thread, although newer power-save features help.
Where it bites: onboarding (getting network credentials into a device with no screen), enterprise networks with captive portals or certificate authentication, band confusion, and customers' routers changing over the product's life.
Founder takeaway
Design and test the onboarding flow and the offline behavior as carefully as the radio itself; they drive support costs.
engineer review pending