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© June 2019 | IJIRT | Volume 6 Issue 1 | ISSN: 2349-6002
IJIRT 148355 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INNOVATIVE RESEARCH IN TECHNOLOGY 406
Overview of Wireless Communication Technologies (Wi-
Fi and Li-Fi)
Diksha Ingale1, Gajanan V. Bhole2
1,2Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University), College of Engineering, Pune
Abstract- As we all know in today’s era technology is
very essential part of our lives. There are various forms
of technologies which we are using in our day to day
life. For example: Wi-Fi, Biometric Systems, Video
Conferencing, Apps for Education, Machinery in
industries and Agriculture and many more. One such
emerging technology is Li-Fi which is competent of Wi-
Fi . Both this technology uses wireless communication.
Since each and everything has its pros and cons.
Therefore, this paper gives an overview of the
advantages, disadvantages and applications of both
these technologies i.e., Wi-Fi and Li-Fi.
Index Terms- Wireless Communication, Wi-Fi, Li-Fi,
visible spectrum.
I. INTRODUCTION
Now a days every institution, industries, businesses
etc. wants to access the required information in time
and at their place. To make it possible the speed of
internet required is also fast. In today’s time nothing
is possible without internet whether it is IoT or 5th
generation of cellular systems. Since all the
technologies require fast internet connectivity,
therefore, many times many issues occur related to
the speed of internet because the frequency which we
are using is not sufficient to serve the whole
population with internet access. Hence frequency
above 10 GHz should be used for fast internet
connectivity. We all know that there are various
wireless communication systems which we are using
today in our day to day life such as Wi-Fi. One can
easily get connected to this wireless communication
without making use of wires. It is a wireless
networking technology used to provide internet
connections via radio waves. That radio waves are
used for propagation of messages or signals from
sender to receiver [1].
Visible Light Communication (VLC) as the name
suggests is a technology used to transmit or receive
data using the visible light between 400 to 800 THz
i.e., visible spectrum. It uses normal bulbs or lamps
to transmit signals [2].
Li-Fi comes under this technology of using visible
light for transmitting of signals using higher
frequencies in visible spectrum. It is classified as NM
wave communication. It is safer and faster method of
transmission. It was discovered by Prof. Harald Haas
and had named it as “data through illumination” [3].
The paper is divided into following sections:- Section
II, what is Wi-Fi, its advantages, disadvantages and
applications are discussed. Section III, what is Li-Fi,
its advantages, disadvantages and applications are
discussed. Section IV, difference between Li-Fi and
Wi-Fi is discussed. Sections V, challenges for Li-Fi
are discussed. At last conclusions are given in
Section VI. II. Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi is something that makes use of radio waves
having frequency below 10 GHz to propagate signals
from sender to receiver. In today’s time no one has
left untouched by this technology. Each one of us
make use of this technology either at home or at
office. All of us are dependent on this technology for
our everyday work, no matter what the place is. It
© June 2019 | IJIRT | Volume 6 Issue 1 | ISSN: 2349-6002
IJIRT 148355 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INNOVATIVE RESEARCH IN TECHNOLOGY 407
could be school, institution, office etc. More than
nine billion Wi-Fi devices are in use in today’s date.
It is a trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance. Two main
components are required to establish wireless
connection that are:- access point and wireless
network adapters. Through access points signals are
broadcasted and wireless network adapters present in
devices are responsible to detect, catch those signals
and also to connect with them. Generally, the signals
transmitted by Wi-Fi are in the frequency between
2.5 to 5 GHz. Hot zone are the interconnected area of
hotspots and network access points.
Advantages:-
Wi-Fi is very convenient to use. Anyone can
connect to it at any place and at any time.
Just turning on the Wi-Fi will enable user to
connect with the network.
Using Wi-Fi internet can be accessed at any
place.
More than one device can be added to the
network using Wi-Fi.
Using Wi-Fi files uploaded on the drive or server
can be accessed easily at any place.
It is cost efficient i.e., cost required for cables in
wired communication is reduced here.
One can connect to the network irrespective of
his/her position or place.
Disadvantages:-
One of the major disadvantage of Wi-Fi is its
speed. At every place high speed internet cannot
be accessed by everyone.
As radio waves loses its intensity while passing
through the obstacles in between. Hence the
strength of signals transmitted gets reduced.
Therefore, upto a certain distance the connection
cane be maintained.
Another important aspect is security of data
which is being sent through network. Hence
proper encryption methods should be used for
encrypting the data.
Another disadvantage of Wi-Fi to humans and
all living creatures is the radiations caused by it.
Also, the cost of implementation of Wi-Fi is
more than the wired connection.
Applications: -
Wi-Fi routers can be installed at home to connect
to network easily with the devices present at
home.
Files and photos can be shared easily within the
home.
Connecting printers and devices through Wi-Fi
enables the user to get prints easily.
Since it is wireless hence there is no mess of
wires in the house or in the office.
Used in public places to attract the customers.
Two devices can easily be connected to each
other whether it is laptops or mobile phones.
Now a days it is used in campus of almost all the
institutions so that students can easily connect to
the network.
Also, by using Wi-Fi the wireless speaker and
mobile phone can be connected inside the car. So
that the driver can make use of both the devices
easily. III. Li-Fi
Li-Fi is a new technology coming into the frame in
the past few years, which make use of higher
frequencies in visible spectrum for transmission of
data [5][6]. This technology has been discovered by
Prof. Harald Haas, and named it as “data through
illumination” [4]. It works same as infrared rays used
in remote controls but it is more powerful. It reduces
the loss of communication, getting hacked by a
hacker. And also provides high speed internet
connectivity without having any limitation of time or
place. It uses LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) for
wireless communication and the speed achieved
using single LED is around 3 Gbps [8]. Since now a
days almost everywhere LEDs are used hence it
© June 2019 | IJIRT | Volume 6 Issue 1 | ISSN: 2349-6002
IJIRT 148355 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INNOVATIVE RESEARCH IN TECHNOLOGY 408
becomes easy to use them for communication. And
one major advantage of using LEDs are their lifetime
and energy efficiency. Data can be transmitted by
switching LED on or off for the inputs 1 and 0[7].
Advantages: -
One of the major advantage of Li-Fi is its speed.
It is almost 100 times faster than Wi-Fi.
The consumption of power and cost is efficient
in case of Li-Fi since LEDs are used for
transmission of data.
Since LEDs are available almost everywhere
hence data can be transmitted easily.
Since visible spectrum is used by Li-Fi which
cannot cross opaque objects hence loss of data or
other such attacks are reduced.
Disadvantages: -
The setup required for Li-Fi is not currently
available in large amount.
All the devices should be upgraded to make use
of Li-Fi which is difficult.
The cost required for R&D of Li-Fi is huge.
Li-Fi signals can be interfered from sunlight,
normal light used in home or offices etc.
Due to the fact that Li-Fi signals cannot
penetrate opaque objects therefore the range of
Li-Fi becomes limited.
Applications: -
Since data cannot penetrate walls hence it can be
used by military so that hackers cannot hack any
information.
Under water also Li-Fi can be used because
visible light penetrates the water whereas radio
waves gets absorbed by the water.
Accidents on the road can be reduced by sending
signals from head lights or tail lights to the
vehicle whether it is infront or at the back of the
vehicle.
IV. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN Wi-Fi and Li-Fi
Wi-Fi stands for Wireless Fidelity and Li-Fi
stands for Light Fidelity.
Wi-Fi was invented in 1991 by NCR
Corporation and Li-Fi was invented in 2011 by
Prof. Harald Haas.
Wi-Fi uses radio waves for transmitting signals
whereas Li-FI uses LEDs for transmission.
The speed of transmission of data in Wi-Fi
ranges from 150Mbps to 2Gbps. On the other
hand, speed of Li-Fi is around 1Gbps.
Distance covered by Wi-Fi signals is about 32
meters whereas by Li-FI signals is 10 meters.
Components used in Wi-Fi are access points and
routers whereas in Li-Fi LED bulbs and
photodiodes are used.
V. CHALLENGES FOR Li-Fi
Since light travels in a straight line therefore, to
achieve high speed LED bulb should be at the
top of head, which is not possible everytime.
For each device separate emitter and receivers
are required to be installed. Due to which cost of
installation increases.
Li-Fi uses visible light for transmission and
hence it could be interfered by other lights such
as sunlight, due to which intensity of light is
disturbed. Therefore, it cannot be used in home
and offices easily.
VI. CONCLUSION
We all know how important role the internet plays in
our lives. We cannot live even one day without
internet. Since the population is increasing, the
devices accessing the network is also increasing. Due
to which the airwaves are getting chocked and the
possibility of receiving high speed signals is also
reduced. To overcome this situation, a technology is
invented after many years of research called as Li-Fi.
Li-Fi uses LEDs for transmitting data. After practical
© June 2019 | IJIRT | Volume 6 Issue 1 | ISSN: 2349-6002
IJIRT 148355 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INNOVATIVE RESEARCH IN TECHNOLOGY 409
implementation of Li-Fi, each LED will act as a
hotspot for transmitting data. The only challenge for
Li-Fi is that the travelling path of light is straight line.
Otherwise, it is one of the best technologies ever
invented. REFERENCES
[1] Google, Wi-Fi. [Online] Available: -
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wi-Fi
[2] Google, Visible Light Communication. [Online]
Available:https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visibl
e_light_communication
[3] Google, Li-Fi. [Online] Available: -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Li-Fi
[4] Animesh Kairi, Hriday Banerjee, “Study on Li-
Fi Technology: Obstacles and Potentials,”
International Journal of Engineering Science and
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[5] S. Dimitrov and H. Haas, Principles of LED
Light Communications: Towards Networked Li-
Fi. Cambridge University Press, Mar. 2015.
[6] H. Haas, “Wireless Data from Every light Bulb,”
TED Website, Aug. 2011. [Online]. Available:
http://bit.ly/tedvlc
[7] Anitha Vijayalakshmi, Nesa Sudha, “New
Strategy in Wireless Communication”, IEEE.
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[8] D. Tsonev, H. Chun, S. Rajbhandari, S. Videv,
E. Gu, M. Haji, S. Watson, A. Kelly, M.
Dawson, H. Haas, “A 3-Gbps Single-LED
OFDM-Based Wireless VLC Link Using a
Gallium Nitride micro LED,” IEEE Photon,
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