Li-Fi vs. Wi-Fi: Key Differences in Internet Technologies

This article compares Li-Fi and Wi-Fi internet technologies, highlighting their fundamental differences. Li-Fi stands for Light Fidelity, while Wi-Fi stands for Wireless Fidelity.

Li-Fi utilizes light for data transmission, whereas Wi-Fi employs electromagnetic waves at radio frequencies.

Light experiences less interference than radio frequency waves, making Li-Fi suitable for dense environments. Li-Fi typically covers a distance of about 10 meters, while Wi-Fi can reach approximately 30 meters. Both technologies offer comparable data transfer rates.

Let’s delve into the network architectures of Li-Fi and Wi-Fi internet.

Li-Fi Internet Architecture

Li-Fi internet architecture

Figure 1 illustrates the Li-Fi internet network architecture. It primarily consists of two key components:

• LED Lamp: Serves as the light source for data transmission.
• Li-Fi Dongle: Enables devices to connect to the Li-Fi network.

Here’s a breakdown of how it works:

• A lamp driver connects to the internet and to LED lamps. Streaming content from the internet is routed to the LED lamps via the lamp driver software.
• LED lamps are strategically placed throughout an office or home to serve multiple users.
• Users require a Li-Fi dongle to access the Li-Fi internet service on their devices. For example, Person #1 might use a laptop, Person #2 a tablet, and Person #3 a smartphone.
• The Li-Fi dongle includes a photodetector, amplification and processing circuitry, and applications to handle various data types.
• A power button switch controls the LED lamps.
• Li-Fi internet can achieve very high data rates, potentially reaching 1 Gbps.

Wi-Fi Internet Architecture

wlan

Figure 2 depicts the Wi-Fi internet network architecture, which relies on:

• Wi-Fi Router: Acts as the central hub for the Wi-Fi network.
• Wi-Fi Dongle or Wi-Fi Stations: Allow devices to connect to the Wi-Fi network.

Here’s a summary of the Wi-Fi architecture:

• The Wi-Fi router connects to an ADSL modem or cable modem, which in turn connects to the internet service provider’s network.
• Wi-Fi routers operate on multiple frequency bands (e.g., 2.4 GHz, 4.9 GHz, or 5 GHz) depending on the requirements. They convert internet data packets into Wi-Fi compliant signals within these bands. Wi-Fi operates based on IEEE 802.11 standards.
• Wi-Fi dongles or Stations connected to IP-compatible devices receive these electromagnetic waves.
• In this way, various clients can access the internet via Wi-Fi as shown in figure 2.