Gone are the days when Wi-Fi was the fastest way to access the Internet. Meet the new frontrunner in wireless Internet: Li-Fi.
Imagine being able to connect your smartphone to the Internet just by turning on a light. That’s exactly what Li-Fi does. Instead of radio waves like Wi-Fi, Li-Fi uses light waves to transmit data. The big advantage? The technology is many times faster than Wi-Fi.
The idea of transmitting data via light came from German physicist Harald Haas. The first experiments with Li-Fi began in 2008, with support from the French company Oldecomm. Meanwhile, the technology is beginning to take serious shape. So what exactly can you expect from Li-Fi?
Here’s how the new Wi-Fi works: Li-Fi
Wi-Fi transmits information via radio waves, allowing you to connect wirelessly to the Internet and other networks. Li-Fi does it in a different way: it uses LED lights to send data in the form of light pulses, similar to how Morse code works.
The new technology is faster and more secure than Wi-Fi. Because the technology uses light, it can’t just pass through walls, making it harder for others to watch. Also, you can just plug the transmitters into lamps. So if you’re under an Li-Fi lamp, you’ll have super-fast Internet.
How fast? In theory, it could be up to 100 times faster than what we’re used to from Wi-Fi now. This is especially useful in places where you need lightning-fast Internet, such as a busy office or a hospital.
But there are also some downsides to Li-Fi, the biggest of which is that it can only be used in enclosed spaces. But that’s not a huge problem, since we usually use Wi-Fi inside anyway, and outside we have our mobile data.
When can we use the technology itself?
It may be a few more years before Li-Fi is generally available, but companies are already busy developing it. Oldecomm expects the technology to be ready for use between 2024 and 2029. Other companies are also showing interest and exploring how Li-Fi can be applied in different sectors, such as automotive and electronics.
Just a little more patience, then. Until then, it’s handy to know how best to use that old-fashioned WiFi connection. We have some tips ready for you that will get you a lot faster internet in no time. You can find them all in the article below: