Wi-Fi networks are often overloaded these days, especially in cities. This is because routers often use the same frequencies, and when there is a significant buildup of devices in a small area (for example, in an apartment), the signal is “clogged”. As a result, connection speed drops and crashes occur.

What does Li-Fi offer?

Li-Fi, a new wireless data transmission standard, does not have this disadvantage. based on infrared light, not radio frequencies.

At the MWC 2023 fair, the pureLiFi team tried to explain the advantages of the technology described. It is not new in itself and has been around for about 12 years (for example, the TV remote control also transmits signals using infrared rays), but some features of Li-Fi prevent it from becoming truly widespread.

PureLiFi developers are grappling with the integration of Li-Fi into home use and are confident that the technology could potentially replace Wi-Fi and subvert the principle of connecting to the Internet. PureLiFi’s Li-Fi router looks rather unusual and looks more like a security camera. The company says the ideal option is to turn it into a room lamp on the ceiling. Inside the cube is a set of reflected IR detonators.

Li-Fi router from pureLiFi / Li-Fi photo

One major minus

Technology is not without its drawbacks. The thing is that the signal from such a router must somehow be received by the smartphone. Here you need a special sensor with an antenna of remarkable dimensions. For the demonstration, the developers took an ordinary Android smartphone and placed it in a case with such a receiver.

Li-Fi powered prototype smartphone / Photo by Android Police

Li-Fi powered prototype smartphone / Photo by Android Police

At a time when manufacturers and users are striving to make frames compact and compact, engineers aren’t afraid to have these dimensions in the receiver. They say that if buyers get used to the huge camera modules, they will get used to it..

• Such smartphones can work not only with direct rays, but also with rays reflected from the walls. They can also seamlessly switch from Li-Fi to Wi-Fi and back as needed. It’s unclear what they would move on to if they offered to forego the last one.
• A Li-Fi router is offered as more convenient than Wi-Fi because It can certainly distribute the Internet within the walls of your home, without blocking the air beyond. Therefore, the risk of hacking the home network will be reduced: the attacker will not be able to connect to the network while outside the building. It probably means you will have to put a separate transmitter in each room because you won’t be able to spread the signal to the next room..
• Also, unlike the radio frequency network, it is almost impossible to overload the IR network.

The ultimate goal of Li-Fi supporters is to replace Wi-Fi and 5G and free up the radio frequency spectrum where various devices are clustered.