WiFi or LiFi – Among the best LANs – A Comparative Study
Technology, the word that had been behind every human experiments or evolution or development. Technology is, as per many statements is a broad branch science that deals with new evolutionary developments in electronically operated gadgets i.e. Smartphone, Laptops or it might be any other gadgets that ease our daily lifestyle, one of the major examples is the evolution of cooling gadgets i.e. from coolers to today’s Air Conditioners.
Developing science had developed severe threats to nature resulting in increased life difficulty i.e. Global Warming, Ozone depletion or Pollution, etc. But let’s return to the main topic of rival between wireless technologies i.e. WiFi and LiFi.
Nearly a century later, this wireless technology reached its first-ever remotely transferring web or data that was in the form of ALOHAnet that was introduced in Finland. Before the introduction of ALOHAnet, Ethernet was considered to be one of the best features available to transmit data fluently across different machines. In the year 1981, a full-fledged WiFi or Wireless Fidelity was introduced to the world.
WiFi
WiFi or Wireless Fidelity is the most commonly preferred and used wireless networking system. The concept of WiFi was first developed by AT&T or NCR Corporation in the Netherlands but with different naming. Later in the year 1999, WiFi or Wireless Fidelity came under a separate organization named WiFi Alliance.
Today, WiFi is used in almost every device i.e. Mobile Phones or Laptops, or Computers that are being synchronized with the cloud wirelessly or remotely.
WiFi Alliance has as many as 158 partner brands that maintain the certification and development of the technology. Each device launched with this technology is verified under WiFi Alliance for its proper functioning and is done by its partner brands.
- WiFi-802.11a
- WiFi-802.11b
- WiFi-802.11g
- WiFi-802.11n
Among the above protocols, WiFi-802.11a was the first to be incorporated.
WiFi Working Mechanism
A WiFi system requires a modem or WiFi Card installed in the device seeking connectivity and dongles at the source for establishing a proper connection.
LiFi
LiFi was a revolutionary invention for wirelessly data transfer that ditched previously used Radio Wave technology for syncing with the internet and adapted Visible Light Communication (VLC) for seamless data transfer between devices.
The word LiFi is pretty new as it was first pronounced in 2011 in TED Talks by Professor Herald Haas. Professor and his team were researching under VLC from as early as 2004. But later his team managed to start a company namely pureVLC that took the responsibility of LiFi marketing in 2012 but later pureVLC changed into pureLiFi that nowadays supplies required OEMs and equipment for LiFi technology. pureLiFi has now managed to integrate LiFi into various existing LEDs.
LiFi Working Mechanism
Light Fidelity works on the principle of Visible Light Communication or VLC that was first demonstrated in the year 2011, full-fledged.
Unlike WiFi, LiFi also needs hardware that would receive signals from the source. In this context, the source is recognized as Light Emitting Diodes or LEDs integrated with Dongles or Routers that enables a strong internet connection that can allow connected devices to directly sync with cloud delivering a more pronounced data experience.
LiFi, due to its unique set-up can provide data speeds up to 14X faster than World’s Fastest WiFi i.e. Giga WiFi that enables a data speed 10 Gbps. LiFi has proved as a legit update to current WiFi providing better speeds with lest radiations as it works on Light Communications.
LiFi Supremacy over WiFi
- Age
The concept of LiFi was first demonstrated in the year 2011 whereas the full-fledged distribution of WiFi took from the year 1999 by WiFi Alliance.
- Operation
WiFi or Wireless Fidelity as its name suggests works wirelessly by transmissions of Radio Waves for its operations. Hence, Radio Waves are considered to human living beings in long run but coming to LiFi that works on Visible Light Communications that operates by Light is no harm to living beings.
- Data Speeds
On one hand, WiFi can deliver maximum data speeds but LiFi has promised data speeds of even 250 Gbps but in the tests recent year, it has successfully achieved 100 Gbps speeds which is many times of Giga WiF, that is considered as fastest WiFi available.
- Data Density
- Enhanced Security & Interference
Due to focused data delivery in LiFi, it has a better and secure environment. The user can decide the range and direction in LiFi.
WiFi has a better range than LiFi and can penetrate through any obstacle, increasing the chances of interference in the network by the man in the middle attacks,
- Better Syncing and communication across devices
A User in LiFi can control the range and directions of the network that can enhance better sync between devices for the coming Self-Driving Car Revolution.
Hence, LiFi as new technology is still on-operations and is not completely implemented shows prominent and promising features over WiFi but to completely rule our life, it at least needs a decade.
WiFi Supremacy over LiFi
- Data Range
- Penetration
LiFi under this criteria lacks behind WiFi to a great extends due to its power source or it is designed in such a way to deliver a much focused and high data density than WiFi. WiFi due to its Radio waves can penetrate much better than LiFi.
LiFi Enabled Devices
As LiFi is still under its preliminary and under-developed stage, it does not support many devices but pureLiFi has developed many LiFi supported processors but awaiting its Global Adoption.
Some months backs, nearly August 2020, OPPO patented a smartphone that enabled LiFi over WiFi. But the patented smartphone is yet awaiting proper implications and launch.
WiFi vs LiFi – The Conclusion
| Criteria | LiFi | WiFi |
|---|---|---|
| Operation | Visible Light | Radio Waves |
| Range | 10m | 32m |
| Maximum Speeds | 224 Gbps | 100 Gbps |
| Privacy |
Less Penetration.
Hence, more secure data transfer.
|
More Penetration.
Might be Intercepted.
|
| Efficiency |
More Efficient, Less Cost of Operation.
Compatible with existing Lightings.
|
Less Efficient, More Cost of Operation.
Needs Dongles or Router for Operation.
|
| Data Density | LiFi delivers focused data transfer. Hence, increases Data Density | WiFi delivers scattered data transfer. Hence, delivers scattered and less data density |
Previous Post
- How Internet is Banned?
Internet is in-brief recognized as networking between two users. But sometimes it is blocked or banned by ISPs as per orders by Administrations.
