100 times faster than Wi-Fi: light-based Li-Fi network standard adopted
Miscellaneous / / July 13, 2023
It can only be used indoors and in line of sight. And this makes it a much more secure solution for offices.
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) added 802.11bb as a light-based wireless communication standard. It supports connection speeds up to 224 GB/s.
Li-Fi transmits data not using radio frequencies, but due to infrared radiation, through a special transmitter and receiver. Remote controls work the same way.
The benefits of using light instead of radio frequencies are not only faster connections, but also “unprecedented security compared to conventional technologies such as Wi-Fi and 5G.”
Since light only propagates within the line of sight, this greatly increases the level of confidentiality of the connection, preventing penetration through walls, reducing the risk of interference and eavesdropping, as well as providing navigation inside buildings with accuracy up to centimeters.
True, Li-Fi only works indoors, so such a standard, of course, will not supplant Wi-Fi and 5G (and wired networks). Radio waves still have a distinct advantage in transmission over long distances over the air and through opaque objects. Li-Fi will be introduced only where it is possible and justified.
Now that IEEE 802.11bb has been adopted, manufacturers can have more confidence in the ecosystem and start integrating the technology where possible. The first commercial Li-Fi networking devices may be on display at upcoming electronics shows.