Future-Proofing OEM Devices in the IoT Era with Wi-Fi Easy Connect™ for a Competitive Edge

The OEM Connectivity Challenge in the IoT Era 

In the present era of digital connectivity, IoT has immensely changed the way homes, businesses, and industries operate. There is a steep rise in the number of Wi-Fi-enabled devices. This could range from smart speakers and plugs to industrial sensors and connected appliances powered by Wi-Fi.  

The extensive usage of these devices creates a critical challenge for OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) regarding how to connect these devices to Wi-Fi securely and seamlessly.

This approach lays the groundwork for a Wi-Fi Easy Connect implementation in RDK-B, enabling OEMs to embed secure, password-free Wi-Fi onboarding directly into broadband gateways and connected home ecosystems.    

Business Impact of OEM Connectivity Challenge 

Traditional onboarding methods such as typing long passwords or relying on Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) are outdated. The limitations of WPS and legacy onboarding methods have become more apparent as connected ecosystems grow, making it clear that modern, secure alternatives like Wi-Fi Easy Connect are necessary for scalable IoT device provisioning. They are slow, insecure, and nearly impossible for “headless” devices without screens or keyboards. 

Beyond user frustration, this complexity impacts OEM’s business outcomes. Moreover, complex onboarding leads to delayed launches, rising support costs, negative user reviews, and higher product return rates. For OEMs looking to compete in an IoT-driven marketplace, onboarding is no longer a minor technical issue, it is a strategic business priority.  

Global IoT device deployments are expected to reach USD 245 billion by 2025, with a 20%+ CAGR through 2030, placing immense emphasis on fast, secure, scalable device onboarding as a key business driver. (source)

Smart homes, sensors, and gadgets connected on a central Wi-Fi network.

What is Wi-Fi Easy Connect™? 

Wi-Fi Easy Connect™ is a modern standard introduced by the Wi-Fi Alliance to simplify and secure device onboarding. Unlike older approaches, Easy Connect eliminates the need to share or manually enter Wi-Fi passwords. Instead, it relies on public key cryptography to authenticate devices. 

At its foundation is the Device Provisioning Protocol (DPP). With DPP, devices without user interface in RDK-B systems can be securely onboarded through a simple QR code scan, NFC tap, or another out-of-band method. This process ensures that onboarding is not only easier for the end user but also more secure for the OEM. 

Discover how OEMs are implementing Wi-Fi Easy Connect in RDK-B to deliver faster, more secure onboarding experiences. Wi-Fi Easy Connect with DPP in RDK-B | QR-Based Onboarding 

Diagram of Wi-Fi Easy Connect for OEMS – onboarding process

How Does Easy Connect Work? 

The onboarding process is both simple and robust. A new device, called the enrollee, presents its identity through a QR code or similar mechanism. The router or gateway, known as the configurator, scans this identity and validates it using public-private key exchange. Once authentication is complete, Wi-Fi credentials are transmitted securely, never exposed in plaintext. The enrollee then stores the credentials for future use, enabling it to reconnect automatically after restarts. 

By removing passwords and reducing setup errors, Easy Connect ensures only authorized devices join the network. Wi-Fi Easy Connect for OEMs would mean fewer customer frustrations and more reliable device performance in real-world environments. 

How Wi-Fi Easy Connect for OEMs Drives Market Advantage 

For OEMs, onboarding has moved from being a background technical step to a frontline factor in business success.  Market studies reveal that a significant proportion of customers (often cited as over 70%) prefer self-setup for connected devices, but onboarding failures drive support tickets and costly returns. 

Easy Connect helps OEMs:  

• Accelerate time-to-market by reducing integration delays.  

• Decrease support tickets, lowering operational expenses.  

• Improve customer satisfaction and brand loyalty through smooth onboarding.  

• Scale deployments efficiently, manual onboarding cannot keep pace with thousands of devices.  

• Close critical security gaps caused by weak onboarding, helping meet compliance requirements.  

Explore how RDK-B integration with Easy Connect helps OEMs achieve both security and scalability in their gateway deployments. RDK-B integration with non-native Wi-Fi SoCs 

Easy Connect in the Context of RDK-B 

For OEMs in the broadband and networking space, the RDK-B (Reference Design Kit – Broadband) platform provides a powerful foundation for implementing Easy Connect. ThinkPalm has extended the TR-181 data model within RDK-B Wi-Fi integration to incorporate DPP parameters such as signing keys, roles, and status flags. This enhancement is part of integrating DPP into RDK-B for OEM gateways, which allows device makers to implement secure, standardized Wi-Fi onboarding directly into gateway firmware, ensuring consistent device behavior across platforms. 

This allows gateways and routers to act as configurators, managing onboarding across entire device fleets. With this integration, OEMs gain centralized device management, real-time telemetry, and automatic reconnection for devices after restarts or power cycles. Easy Connect within RDK-B provides not only secure onboarding but also a framework for managing connected devices at scale. 

Use Cases for OEMs 

Easy Connect benefits a wide range of markets:  

• Smart Homes: Effortless connection for bulbs, plugs, cameras, and appliances.  

• Industrial IoT (IIoT): Secure IoT device onboarding of headless sensors monitoring equipment or environments.  

• Consumer Electronics: Instant, password-free setup for speakers, wearables, and AR/VR devices.  

• Broadband Providers: Simplified management of home gateways and customer premises equipment (CPE), reducing setup failures.  

Industrial IoT connectivity is particularly challenging due to complex networks and stringent security needs, making Easy Connect’s automated authentication and scalable device onboarding essential.

Quantified ROI and Operational Benefits 

Adding Easy Connect results in demonstrable operational and financial wins: 

• Manual onboarding caps device fleet growth, while Easy Connect enables fleets to scale without proportional growth in support staff. 

• Companies automating onboarding have reported up to a 60–70% reduction in support tickets for new device installations and can track higher customer retention scores. 

• Compliance is more easily maintained, as streamlined onboarding processes address both security and regulatory needs out-of-the-box. 

Comparing traditional onboarding Vs Easy Connect

See how leading OEMs cut Wi-Fi setup failures by 40% using Easy Connect in real-world deployments. Integrating Wi-Fi Easy Connect™ in RDK-B| ThinkPalm case study 

Future Considerations and Strategic Guidance 

Looking forward: 

• Cloud-based onboarding at scale is emerging as a best practice, supporting dynamic, distributed deployments and central fleet management. 

• Power management for Wi-Fi devices is improving but remains a consideration for battery-powered use cases-addressed by optimized protocols in next-gen Easy Connect solutions. 

• Decision-makers should prioritize interoperability, vendor ecosystem strength, and post-deployment support to maintain onboarding reliability and compliance over device lifecycles. 

Conclusion – Building a Future-Ready OEM Strategy 

As IoT adoption accelerates, secure IoT connectivity has become a decisive factor in product success. Passwords and outdated methods like WPS can no longer meet modern expectations for security and ease of use. 

By adopting Wi-Fi Easy Connect™, powered by DPP, OEMs can build devices that are not only easier to deploy but also more secure and scalable. Furthermore, the benefits extend from faster time-to-market to reduced costs and stronger customer loyalty. 

In the competitive IoT era, Easy Connect is more than a technical upgrade. It is a strategic advantage that helps OEMs future-proof their products and deliver the scalable device onboarding that users demand.  

Frequently Asked Questions  (FAQ)

Q1: What is Wi-Fi Easy Connect™ for OEMs? 
It is a secure onboarding standard that uses cryptographic keys instead of passwords, allowing OEMs to deliver simpler, safer setup for connected devices.  

Q2: How does DPP improve IoT security? 
DPP uses public key cryptography for mutual authentication, ensuring only authorized devices connect and eliminating risks tied to shared or default passwords. 

Q3: Why should OEMs adopt Wi-Fi Easy Connect™? 
It reduces onboarding failures, accelerates launches, lowers support costs, and improves customer satisfaction, delivering better ROI.   

Q4: Can Easy Connect be integrated into RDK-B? 
Yes. RDK-B gateways can function as configurators, securely provisioning IoT devices at scale with extended TR-181 models. 

---