Li-Fi
Infrared & Optical · 7 specs
Direct Answer
Light Fidelity (Li-Fi, standardized under IEEE 802.11bb in 2023) is a high-speed, bidirectional, fully networked optical wireless communication (OWC) technology. Utilizing invisible infrared (800–1000 nm) or visible LED light emitters, it transmits data at multi-gigabit speeds with zero radio frequency (RF) emissions, immune to electromagnetic interference.
Source: IEEE 802.11bb-2023 (Light Communications Standard) / pureLiFi · Last reviewed Aug 28, 2026
Specs
| IEEE Standard | IEEE 802.11bb-2023 |
| Optical Wavelengths | 800 to 1000 nm (Near-Infrared) and 380 to 780 nm (Visible Light Spectrum) |
| Peak PHY Data Rates | Commercial systems have demonstrated over 1 Gbps; lab demonstrations have reached far higher (a 2021 IEEE study cited up to 224 Gbps), though the 802.11bb standard itself does not fix a single peak rate |
| Modulation Schemes | OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing) with QAM/DCO-OFDM |
| Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) | Zero (100% RF-free) |
| Security Boundary | Physical room containment (Light cannot penetrate opaque walls) |
| Primary Applications | Hospital surgical suites, defense/government SCIFs, commercial aviation cabin networking, industrial automation |
Optical Carrier and 802.11bb Compatibility
Co-founded by Professor Harald Haas, Li-Fi modulates light output at rates imperceptible to the human eye. Ratified in July 2023, IEEE 802.11bb integrates light communications directly into the standard 802.11 Wi-Fi protocol stack. Li-Fi access points and client transceivers use standard 802.11 MAC layers, allowing operating systems to manage Li-Fi connections exactly like Wi-Fi.
Electromagnetic Immunity and Physical Security
Because Li-Fi operates entirely in the optical spectrum, it generates zero RF electromagnetic interference and is immune to external RF jammers. This makes Li-Fi essential in hospital MRI/surgical suites, aerospace cockpits, and military SCIF (Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility) installations where physical room walls guarantee data cannot be intercepted from the outside.