GiFi vs WiFi: Key Differences Explained

This article compares GiFi and WiFi technologies, highlighting the fundamental distinctions between them. GiFi stands for Gigabit Wireless, while WiFi stands for Wireless Fidelity or WLAN network.

GiFi Technology

Here are the defining characteristics of GiFi technology:

• It’s the world’s first transceiver developed on a single chip using CMOS process.
• It operates at 60 GHz (utilizing the unlicensed band from 57 to 64 GHz).
• It enables wireless transfer of audio/video at 5 Gbps within a coverage range of 10 meters, all while consuming very little power.
• Developed by NICTA (National Information and Communication Technology Research Center), Australia.
• The core component of the GiFi architecture is a subscriber station, which interfaces with multiple Access Points (APs).
• Defined in the IEEE 802.15.3C standard, forming a wireless PAN network in the millimeter wave frequency band.
• Typically, the antenna is mounted on the roof to facilitate Line-of-Sight (LOS) communication.
• Employs TDD (Time Division Duplexing) topology for transmission and reception using a single antenna.
• Can also use FDD (Frequency Division Duplexing) topology with two antennas.
• Advantages: Offers very high data rates (up to 7Gbps with BPSK modulation) and low interference. Complex modulation schemes are not necessary. Requires an antenna separation of approximately 1.25 mm. GiFi technology is about ten times faster than WiFi.
• Disadvantages: Limited to short distances (around 10 meters) due to high attenuation, which is frequency-dependent. Easily blocked by objects. RTS/CTS (Request to Send/Clear to Send) mechanism is not supported, unlike in WiFi.

WiFi Technology

Here are the features of WiFi technology, as illustrated in the figure above:

• As shown, a WiFi Access Point (AP) or Router connects to the internet via a broadband cable or a cellular network.
• WiFi-enabled devices such as mobile phones, tablets, and laptops connect to the AP (or router) to access the internet.
• WiFi networks operate in two modes: ad-hoc (Basic Service Set - BSS) and infrastructure (Extended Service Set - ESS).
• In BSS mode, WLAN-compliant stations (STAs) communicate directly. In ESS mode, WLAN-compliant STAs communicate with APs to access the internet.
• WiFi supports various speeds and coverage ranges depending on the implemented standard in the devices (STAs, APs).
  • 802.11a supports up to 54 Mbps
  • 802.11b supports up to 11 Mbps
  • 802.11n supports 72 Mbps/150 Mbps, depending on the bandwidth (20MHz/40MHz)
  • 802.11ac wave-1 supports up to 1.3 Gbps (80MHz, 3 streams, 256QAM)
  • 802.11ac wave-2 supports up to 3.5 Gbps (160MHz, 4 streams, 256QAM)
• Distance coverage can range from 70 meters (indoors) to 250 meters (outdoors).
• WiFi networks operate in the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency bands.
• The PHY (Physical) and MAC (Medium Access Control) layers of WiFi are defined in the IEEE 802.11 standards. There are several versions of 802.11, including 11a, 11b, 11g, 11n, and 11ac. For more in-depth information, refer to a WLAN tutorial.

Comparing GiFi and WiFi: A Side-by-Side Look

The following table highlights the key differences between GiFi and WiFi technologies based on various features: