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LiFi vs WiFi

LiFi vs WiFi: What is the Difference & Which One Should You Go For?

LiFi vs WiFi

With devices increasingly gaining wireless capabilities, wireless technology is undoubtedly the future of data transfer. Moreover, we have also seen enhancements in the speed offered by wireless conventions.

People increasingly prefer high-speed WiFi for transferring data. However, you need not limit yourself to WiFi as a wireless option for data transfer anymore. But, you can also go for light fidelity (Li-Fi) nowadays.

Both WiFi and LiFi are wireless technologies for transferring your data. The former uses radiofrequency as a medium, while the latter uses light. But, that is not the only point of difference between them after all.

You must consider all their differences to know which of them is better for you. Here, look at all you need to know regarding LiFi vs WiFi.

Basic Differences between LiFi and WiFi

WiFi and LiFi are different in their operation, speed, technology, and privacy, among other important aspects. So, you must consider all of them before reaching any conclusion.

Here are the main differences worth noting when it comes to LiFi vs WiFi:

Operation

WiFi signals need a router for transmission, whereas LiFi uses LED bulbs. This difference is more significant than it might seem to you. The speed of transmission would differ depending on which technology you are using. Moreover, this difference in operation also makes a difference to security, as we shall see.

Coverage Area

There is a significant difference between the coverage area of LiFi and WiFi. The former covers 10 meters currently, and the latter can cover, as much as 32 meters. So, WiFi covers a larger area, which is a significant point when considering LiFi vs WiFi.

Speed

Speed is yet another important factor to consider before choosing a wireless technology. LiFi can offer you a speed of up to 1 Gbps. And, this speed will probably enhance in the future, as happened in the case of WiFi. As for WiFi, you can find routers that offer a speed of up to 2 Gbps.

From what it seems, you can also choose from a range of speeds in WiFi. But, you cannot do the same in the case of LiFi. In other words, all LiFi devices might offer you the same kind of speed.

Frequency

In the case of WiFi, you get a frequency between 2.4 to 5 GHz currently. But, the frequency of LiFi waves is thousands of times more than that of radiofrequency. So, there is quite a large difference between the frequencies of the two technologies. And, that makes it yet another important point while discussing LiFi vs WiFi.

Privacy

LiFi and WiFi are also different when it comes to your data privacy. As you know, router networks need encryption and other security measures to protect your data. But, you do not always need to take such measures to protect your LiFi network. And, that is mainly because the walls of your homes can block the LiFi signals. So, nobody on the outside can access the network.

Components

Both LiFi and WiFi networks require some crucial components to work. As you know, WiFi uses a router, modem, or access point or all of them. LiFi uses an LED bulb, LED driver, and a photodetector, on the other hand.

Applications

WiFi is most popularly used for connecting to the internet, as you know. But, it also has some other applications, including in vehicles, businesses, and location-dependent services. LiFi can also be used to set up hotspots instead of WiFi. Apart from that, it is also useful in airlines, medical equipment, undersea exploration, etc.

Can LiFi Replace WiFi?

As we have seen, LiFi has some benefits over WiFi. Many experts on the matter also see LiFi as the future of data transmission. But, you must take a look at the advantages of LiFi before you conclude anything about LiFi vs WiFi.

So, here are the advantages that LiFi has over WiFi:

Faster

The speed requirements of wireless networks have significantly increased over time. People nowadays look for faster performance in their network more than anything else. And, LiFi is a better choice when it comes to that. It is thousands of times faster than WiFi after all.

More Secure

You can have optimal security on your WiFi network as well. But, you would have to apply various security measures for that. And, that is not the case with LiFi, on the other hand. Its limited coverage is a limitation in some ways.

However, that also prevents any interference in the network from outsiders. You need not apply any special measures to secure your LiFi network as a result.

As you might know, hacking is quite common in various sectors such as finance and defence. LiFi offers a safer option to such sectors and can surely replace WiFi in their case.

Works Better in Dense Environments

WiFi networks can face issues when there are too many networks or devices around them. This happens due to interference from those nearby devices and networks. But, LiFi signals do not face any such interference in situations like that.

Not only that, but you can transmit them better with multiple LED bulbs set up. So, this is yet another aspect where LiFi can fix the limitations of WiFi.

More Energy Efficient

WiFi takes up quite a lot of energy while transmitting radio waves. With LiFi, you can currently reduce that energy usage as much as possible. Moreover, it might become more efficient in the future. The use of LED lights instead of regular ones also contributes to this energy efficiency.

LiFi vs WiFi: Conclusion

LiFi is a better option to transmit data in many ways. The only limitation you can find in it is its coverage area. Other than that, it deals effectively with various limitations of WiFi networks. However, LiFi cannot completely replace WiFi as of now, even though it might do so in the future.