Find out which is a better option – Lifi or Wifi! After reading this article you’ll know what the differences and similarities are between both.
Wi-Fi(wireless fidelity) and Li-Fi(light fidelity) both are two different technologies which are used to send and receive data wirelessly. In case of Wi-Fi we use Routers and Radio Frequency (RF) waves to transmit data, whereas in Li-Fi we use LED bulbs and Light signals to transmit and receive data.
| Comparison | Li-Fi | Wi-Fi |
|---|---|---|
| Full form | stand for light fidelity | stands for wireless fidelity |
| Invented/Coined | Coined by Prof. Harald Haas in 2011 | By NCR corporation on 1991 |
| Operation | it transmits data using light by the help of LED bulbs | it transmits data using radio waves using wifi router |
| Technology | Present IrDA compliant devices | WLAN 802.11/b/g/n/ac/d standard compliant devices |
| Data Transfer Speed | About 1 Gbps | Ranges from 150Mbps to maximum of 2Gbps |
| Privacy | light is blocked by the walls hence provide more secure data transfer | walls cannot block radio waves so we need to employ more techniques to achieve secure data transfer |
| Frequency of operation | 10, 000 times frequency spectrum of the radio | 2.4Ghz, 4.9Ghz and 5Ghz |
| Coverage Distance | about 10 meters | about 32 meters(vary based on transmit power and antenna type) |
| Data density | work with high dense environment | work in less dense environment due to interference related issues |
| Bare minimum Components used | LED bulb, LED driver and photo detector | Routers, Modems and access points |
| Applications | Used in airlines, undersea exploration etc | Used for internet browsing with the help of wifi hotspot |